Mowing Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower?

   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #1  

Tom K---Semper Fi

New member
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
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17
Location
Western Mass, USA
Tractor
Kubota B5200
I've been scouring craigslist and ebay looking for a used small to mid-sized tractor (20-30hp) with a hydro tranny to replace my B5200 so I can get out of the road faster when clearing snow. I also want a tractor that either already has, or can handle a small backhoe. I'm coming across A LOT of BX series tractors for sale (some pretty good deals too). My property is heavily sloped, and has various other obstructions so the maneuverability of a tractor the size of a BX is attractive. I like the size of the BX24, but I'm concerned that it's only a glorified lawn tractor :confused:. I can't help but wonder "why are there so many BX tractors with low hours (42 in the case of the BX24 I recently found) being sold"? Are they not strong enough to do any real work? Are they too light and move around too much when using the backhoe? Do the hydraulic pumps not have a high enough flow-rate to move the FEL and BH fast enough? Is the loader and/or backhoe just not strong enough? I don't need a lawnmower (I have a Scag ZTR for that). The tractor I need has to have good loader, backhoe, and grading abilities as well as being able to clear my sloped trap rock driveway of snow using a back blade. Having so many BX tractors up for sale tells me that a lot of people weren't satisfied with it's performance. Does anyone out there have any opinions and/or experience using the BX tractors? Please be brutally honest and critical, I only want to do this once. Comments about size from anyone 6'2" tall or more will also be appreciated. Thanks :)
 
   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #2  
Bigger is better. When you have more power more work will get done in the same amount of time. As far as size goes, I can imagine very few times when a B26 size machine or larger would be too big to get around. If it is, then move the obstacles and make your property fit your machine. Too big is also a waste of money if you can't really use the capabilities more than occasionally. If you anticipate using the machine a lot then buy bigger rather than smaller. You won't be sorry. Good luck.

Please realize that this is just my $.02. I am sure you will get many different answers.

BTW, I have a B3030 on 3.5 acres. It is perfect for me. I don't need a backhoe so I don't have one. I use it to mow my lawn, brush hog, plow snow, plow the garden, remove brush, move downed trees, recontour my lawn area, move firewood and sometimes just as a wheelbarrow with a seat. I get a lot of use out it and it sure saves my back. I used to do most of those chores with a garden tractor, a trailer and a shovel. The B3030 is a lot better as I get older.
 
   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #3  
I have a Bx1830 - and it's a good tractor. The Bx series seem to be able to take a fair amount of abuse.

My opinion on the market, is just that money is getting tight and many people who own tractors like ours financed them and are having a hard time making ends meet. But - that's just my opinion.
 
   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #4  
This perception is created to some degree simply because the BX is likely the single largest selling model or line tractor in the US. That simply makes them similar to asking the question in 1939, "Why are there many Model Ts for sale?"

Second, the economy isn't great, so I will let that go without comment because it ought to be obvious as to why a lot of machines are for sale.

Third and finally, yes, and this is the brutal honesty that you requested. It isn't the BX's fault. It is a wonderful, tough, honest machine, but it is what it is. A sub-Compact tractor. If some guys bought these and then want to upgrade, well, that is similar to a guy buying a 14' fishing boat but then wanting to take on bluer water and trading up to 19 footer.

I tried to list these in the ascending order of likelihood.
 
   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #5  
BX24 owner here. Small, yes. Tough, yes!

I have 3 acres and have put 520 hors on mine in two years doing WAY more than I ever would have imagined I could do with this size tractor. A dealer told me that it could do just about anything a larger (within reason guys) tractor could do, it just takes a little longer. I have moved logs with the thumb and backhoe, I have loved the backhoe digging out stumps and trenching. I have leveled with my boxblade, mowed with my finishing mower, dirt road maintenance with my landscape rake, and spread manure with my manure spreader, hauled firewood etc. Would I want a larger tractor...no. Could I have used a larger tractor...a couple of times, but not necessary.

My .02 cents worth

Deano
 
   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #6  
stripping the BX down to nothing without implements does look like a glorified tractor. Its fine by me. I have a BX24, and wouldnt be surprised selling same model due to the tranny reverse abrupt stop compared to the earlier and newer models of BX's. Would I give up mine? no. I am just annoyed with the little quirk of the BX 50 series. If you see a BX on craigslisst, I'd be wary. If you can't see the BX in person before deciding then its another one of those scams.
 
   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #7  
Hey, c'mon; don't knock "Garden Tractors" (-:
There is a recent post with pictures of a garden tractor plow day and - sure, they are only pulling one bottom plows, but they ARE plowing.

As to back-hoe use, well they ARE light, there is no getting away from that.
How much time pressure you are under, how much you are willing (/able) to spend, how ambitious you are about trenching and digging stumps, etc, all comes into the equation.
Hoes are probably the most expensive attachment and while they have HUGE potential many of them don't get very much use.
It is often quicker, cheaper, easier to "have the guy come" (-:

There is an 80% rule worth considering, it goes approximately like this;
Buy the equipment that can do 80% of the work you WILL do, hire out the rest.
NOTE: The work you WILL do, not the work you fantasize about doing.
 
   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #8  
BX24 Here. I'm 6'1, 250 pounds. The tractor fits me fine, and I have several 10-12 hour days in the seat. This is my first tractor, so I don't have anything to compare it with.

My property is 6.23 acres of heavily wooded and sloped mountain land. I have done alot of excavation with the BH and FEL, and have always been able to complete the tasks I have set out to do. Sure, there are times when I wish I could lift a bigger rock, or move a pile of dirt faster, but I always get the job done. I have around 300 hours of seat time in just under 2 years.

My brother owns a landscape company, and whenever he has a stop and waste to dig up, I bring out the BH to do the job. It is a great machine for getting through 4 foot wide gates into people's back yards where larger machines would force you to dig a 5 foot deep hole by hand.

I'll attach some pics of work that I have done exclusively with the BX24, so you can get a feel of what they are capable of...
 

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   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #9  
I have to say it's the Swiss Army Knife of lawn/driveway maintenance. If you have a large amount of grading to do in a very large area, you may want a bigger tractor. I've got a BX24 and I love it. The backhoe is a little slow, so if you've used a hoe before, you might not like the speed. It's fast enough for me though. For it's size, it's extremely tough. If you are digging foundations for large houses in rocky terrain, you'd want a bigger tractor. Just one foundation, it'll take you a while, but don't let it's size fool you, it'll get it done. The loader has a little trouble breaking into clay due to the lack of traction and weight of the machine, but after adding bucket teeth, you'd have no problem. Our last snow fall was 25 1/2" and had my driveway and parking area cleared in less than 2 hours. It's about 250' long on a steep hill and banked curve. No chains, and turf tires.

The state of the economy probably has people getting rid of what are luxuries(like me have a BX24 on 1/2 an acre). I can lift anything that fits in the loader bucket, including concrete. Not completely full, it'd splash out, just enough to be able to drive it around without spilling it. How much land do you have? How much grading are you going to be doing? How long is your drive? How much snow do you get? This kind of stuff makes it easier to answer your question. I can tell you one thing. I'm not getting rid of my BX24 anytime soon:D.
 
   / Kubota BX24. Real tractor or a glorified lawn mower? #10  
Irrespective of what some people think...This is a small version of a much bigger machine. It is not a glorified lawn tractor. As others have said, it will do anything you ask it to. Maybe not as fast as a larger machine, but does it nontheless. I have many people around me with the biggest toys known to mankind and they are amazed at what I can accomplish with this one reasonably sized machine.

Speed isn't an issue with me since I don't make a living with it...My time is free, and I enjoy my seat time. Have had my BX for over 5 years, and it was the best purchase I ever made.

You're seeing them for sale? My guess is that this would be one of the low hanging fruit if you don't know where your next mortgage payment is coming from.

If they have it financed, it's even worse.

Not giving mine up either.
 
 
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