Two Thumbs up on B2320 DTN First Day

[mswlogo]

I had owned a BX24 and decided to just test drive a B2320 HST just for the fun of it. I really liked it. I rarely used the back hoe on the BX24 and I was really tight on storage space. And the BX24 wasn't pulling out my boat very well at all. So I tested selling BX24 on craigslist and it was gone with cash in my hand the next day. I owe a ton of taxes this year and we were short on cash so I was gonna wait until April 16th 2010. But after I test drove the B2320 DTN and he told me the price and 0% financing I couldn't resist. In the end I have the cash still in the bank so I can pay my taxes plus $1000.00 and a better matched tractor to my needs.

Any way some differences I noticed on the first day.

The engine sounds way cooler, more like a tractor.
Engine/Transmission is quieter partly because its RPMs are lower.
Things seem not as crammed and in vulnerable places as BX did.

I LOVE having a gas pedal.

I feel like I actually have more control over the power and speed I want with the DTN (gear drive). I did most of the work with a box blade fully loaded with damp crushed bank in 8th gear (High 2). BX24 felt strained in high and took way longer than the B2320 DTN did. B2320 DTN was yawning most of the job today. I could not pull a fully loaded box blade up a hill with BX24, I can easily now. I think it could handle a 5 Ft box blade without much trouble.

I pondered over R4 vs Turfs again, I was always very happy with turfs on BX24 and almost went with R4s this time. Last minute I went back to Turfs again. Grounds were very wet in the Northeast today (been raining for a month) and I was able to do anything anywhere no problem, spongy grass, sandy wet beach, damp crushed bank road and you could barely see I drove over the loose crushed bank. The turfs put slightly more rubber on the ground and slightly wider stance.

Tires are not loaded. I store it in a 100 year old boathouse on stilts so I get a little uneasy adding more weight. So far it does not seem to need it. Next test will be pulling out boat. But I think I will mount a receiver hitch on my box blade and fill FEL bucket with a scoop of sand from the beach when I pull it out.

It feels about as stable as BX24 did as far as tippyness.

With the Back Hoe off and Box blade on I have the storage space I needed back. Before the FEL would block access to the rest of my storage and now I can back it in 2-3 ft further which is great.

Metal Hood, Metal Fenders. Twisting the crown to open hook is classy.

I noticed the 3PT hitch raise control has two positions in up or down for slow and fast and it looks like you can adjust it. I don't think the BX24 had that (or I just missed it) and it looks like it could be really handy once I fine tune it.

Floor board does not wobble like BX24 did.

I really like analog Tack and Hours gauge.

I think I prefer the Gas fill on the fender vs in front of steering wheel. Not a biggy though.

Doing quick FWD/REV is pretty darn fast if you are going between 1st and Reverse. It's just straight forward and back and it never hesitates to go in. Sometimes it resists going into 2nd or 3rd and needs a double clutch. But for FEL work 1ST with the other 3 speeds should be fine.

Using Manual transmission with box blade on hill was a little tricky.

You do work the clutch quite a bit.

I actually think it's more fun to drive the manual.

I was coasting down a small hill with clutch in. I was building up too much speed and tapped the brakes and all 4 weeks locked up and skidded. Holly crap the brakes are great. No more coasting though

3PT hitch oddly enough didn't seem to lift box blade quite as high as BX24. I may be able to adjust for that with links. Not a huge deal but when I back into storage which has a bump it just barely cleared where BX would clear plenty. Perhaps shorter wheel base on BX tilted the box blade up more.

The amount of power to pull is just so much more than the BX24. No comparison. With the same HP engine.

It's nice to not always have to have the engine rev'd up.

Engine at idle FEL works very quickly as well as 3PT hitch.

I have a few very tight spots to get back to storage location and turning at end of road when box blading. Seemed to turn just as tight without using breaks.

I really like the ROPs having 4 positions. However, the BX24 was always wicked tight to pull down. On B2320 I pulled the pins and ready to yank and clonked myself right on the head. Man that hurt.

I want to go visit another property over a road that had a few very gentle bumps. I wanted to drive in 9th because it was a ways a way. But I had a hard time getting smooth speed even with partial throttle. It would pull away from me and my foot would lift, slow down then from slowing my foot with push down and then it would pull away again; in an endless cycle. But in 8th gear I was fine. It was pretty funny.

[LBrown59]

Originally Posted by mswlogo

I had owned a BX24 and decided to just test drive a B2320 HST just for the fun of it. I really liked it.
1* I rarely used the back hoe on the BX24 and I was really tight on storage space.
Any way some differences I noticed on the first day.

The engine sounds way cooler, more like a tractor.
Engine/Transmission is quieter partly because its RPMs are lower.
Things seem not as crammed and in vulnerable places as BX did.

I LOVE having a gas pedal.

I pondered over R4 vs Turfs again, I was always very happy with turfs on BX24 and almost went with R4s this crushed bank road and you could barely see I drove over the loose crushed bank. The turfs put slightly more rubber on the ground and slightly wider stance.
It feels about as stable as BX24 did as far as tippyness.

Metal Hood, Metal Fenders. Twisting the crown to open hook is classy.

2* it looks like you can adjust it. I don't think the BX24 had that (or I just missed it)

Using Manual transmission with box blade on hill was a little tricky.

You do work the clutch quite a bit.

I actually think it's more fun to drive the manual.

I was coasting down a small hill with clutch in. I was building up too much speed and tapped the brakes and 3*all 4 wheels locked up and skidded.
Holly crap the brakes are great. No more coasting though

Engine at idle FEL works very quickly as well as 3PT hitch.

1*I'd be lost with out my BH.
If my BX23 didn't have one I'd feel like I did not have a tractor.
2*the BX24 had that (you just missed it)
3*I dont see how it could do that when the front wheels don't have brakes?

[tractorworks]

3*I dont see how it could do that when the front wheels don't have brakes?

are the front not tied into the back in 4wd-making it 4wheel braking?

[LBrown59]

Originally Posted by tractorworks

3*I dont see how it could do that when the front wheels don't have brakes?

are the front not tied into the back in 4wd-making it 4wheel braking?

He don't say if tractor was in 2 or 4 wheel drive.

[mswlogo]

It was in 4WD.

If the Back hoe was free, didn't take any space and all I had do was snap my fingers to swap the back hoe for box blade I'd keep the back hoe.

It was 80% box blade, 10% FEL, 9.9% boat and 0.1% Back Hoe.

My property is all landscaped, it's all maintenance.

I dug out one small stump in almost 2 years and I hated doing it, that was it. Stump grinder would have been better which is how I have always got rid of stumps in the past. I do have a few to get rid of and the BH on BX24 couldn't touch them.

[alchemysa]

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Were you the fellow who had the post a while back about not being able to get your boat out with the BX? I'm wondering if you ever did solve that problem (prior to buying the new tractor).

[mswlogo]

Originally Posted by alchemysa

mswlogo

Were you the fellow who had the post a while back about not being able to get your boat out with the BX? I'm wondering if you ever did solve that problem (prior to buying the new tractor).

That's me

I think I could have got it out with BX24, but if I had a problem, say boat trailer hit rut or something I'd be in a deep mess. The day I did fail was an aweful mess getting the truck onto it. I wanted more margin of error. It was pretty heavy for the BX even on land. I wanted it quick and easy as I do it with truck now. No matts, no chains etc., just pull it out with no fuss any time. The higher clearance also helps deal with being near the water too (not just for boat launching either).

It was the combination of everything, not just the boat. Not using BH and constantly taking off and on or leaving it off and limiting my storage. Getting cash in the bank. More margin getting the boat out. And seeing I could do all cheaper with B2320 DTN.

[mswlogo]

Originally Posted by LBrown59

2*the BX24 had that (you just missed it)

I just looked at photos of BX24 vs B2320 control online and I see the adjustment I'm referring to on B2320 but not on BX24. Although it's hard to see detail and it may indeed be their. I think I see a pair of fixed stops on BX24 molded into the plastic housing and perhaps you can adjust it underneath some how.

What I'm referring to is two adjustable stops (looks like a 1/2" hex head). Each stop has a Slow and Fast position. And it looks like you just losen the bolt and slide the stop where you want it. That way you can set the rate for how fast it will move in each of the 4 positions. But the distance between high and low on each end is fixed. So you can raise or lower the "Fast and Slow" stop on each end as a pair.

[mswlogo]

Well I see why I missed it on the BX24. I was at the dealer today and took a closer look on a BX25. It's quite hidden on BX25. And it works much better on B2320 which is why I even noticed it. The BX25 you have to pull it over fairly hard and hold it against the side to catch the slow stop. On B2320 it tends to lean on the slow side by default and has a larger catch. And it takes a very light touch to push to the fast side. Something may have been misadjusted on bx25 the slow catch was not catching very well.

[mswlogo]

Hmmm, I thought the turning radius seemed as good as BX24 and I just looked up the specs again to see if I was imagining it. The B2320 turns slightly tighter than the BX24 (6.9 vs 7.2) !!

You know I never really cared that much about seat time with the BX24 even after the first week. It was to do chores. Now I can't wait for the week end and making excuses to use it

The B feels like a real work horse tractor (partly because it's geared) the BX never gave me that feeling. And I was always a bit puzzled why I read so many posts about folks getting more seat time in their tractor.

Between the gas peddal, the engine sound, the lower RPM, the grunt power in low gear, riding higher, clearance, dual brakes. It's night day difference.

I can't imaginge this thing not being just as good at mowing lawns as a BX. I'll probably never know because I don't have enough lawn to justify anything more than a walk behind.