How to break in a BX2360 properly?

[newdeal]

I just got my tractor yesterday, so far have mowed the grass and done some loader work and smoothed some potholes on the driveway. I read the manual it said to take it easy for the first 50 hours so you it breaks in properly. I don't know HOW easy to take it though, for example I was cutting and doing the loader work between 2500 and 2700rpm and had the peddle to the floor. Is that taking it easy because the revs weren't too high or is that being hard on it because the peddle was to the floor? Also I was lifting some buckets of dirt (wet clay) that were pretty heavy with the loader, is this too stressful during break in? The tractor worked well, although when I was cutting the grass twice I had the thing bog to the point of stalling. It kinda came out of the blue, I just hit a more dense area of the lawn (it wasn't like I was offroad it was just on my lawn) and the thing bogged out, I let off the peddle but it was too late and stalled anyway, I am guessing that is hard on it but after hearing everyone on here saying it would cut grass with ease I thought it wouldn't be an issue, after that happened twice I took it a bit slower through those thicker areas. Anyway basically I just wanted to know how to properly break this thing in, and what to watch for/avoid

 

[TripleR]

You haven't done anything to hurt it. You can use one pretty normally during break in, just don't run at full throttle and vary your RPM every once in a while, no need to baby it. For mowing, I wouldn't go below 2700 or so during break-in and then by the manual after that for your full PTO speed after break-in.

I am surprised you are bogging down as these things are pretty powerful, how low are you mowing and are you scalping?

 

[bp fick]

I wouldn't bang it into things, or abuse it in any way, nor would I rev it beyond 2900 unnecessarily or for any prolonged period of time. Beyond that, use it. That's literally the best way to break it in. Stress the engine by making it pull hard in dirt for example. These engines set in best when there is some task for it to do. Just sitting and free reving is not the way to break in a motor. When you hit thick, tall or stubborn grass, slow down. Give the blades a chance.

Drag your gravel drive, plow your garden, things like that. Best thing you could do for it. congrats!! on your new machine.

 

[newdeal]

I was mowing at one notch under "2" whatever height that is. Not too short I dont think. It wasn't scalping when it stalled, it may have scalped on a couple uneven areas but not there, the grass was a bit wet and perhaps 4.5" tall in those areas. I was surprised it bogged down also and even more surprised it stalled

 

[TripleR]

I was mowing at one notch under "2" whatever height that is. Not too short I dont think. It wasn't scalping when it stalled, it may have scalped on a couple uneven areas but not there, the grass was a bit wet and perhaps 4.5" tall in those areas. I was surprised it bogged down also and even more surprised it stalled

I usually don't mow that low, but no it's not too low, probably the wet grass and "maybe" too low RPM, not sure as these things are hard to bog down, only times mine has stalled were boat anchor, T post and rebar; don't ask

 

[BigD23]

Congrats on your new Orange machine...50 hours is gonna go by fast...Enjoy!

Don

 

[newdeal]

I am not totally sure if the dealer setup my deck properly. I was adjusting the anti-scalp wheels because there was some scalping here and there and I set the front right wheel so you could see 4 and a half holes above the pin (this gave around 8mm of spacing below the wheel), then used the same hole on the other wheels...when I got the the last one (front left) I noticed that the height was much higher from the ground (I could get like two fingers under the wheel sideways so probobly like an inch and a half)...so obviously the deck isn't level left to right, I am not sure if that makes a big differance to the bogging or not

 

[ChuckinNH]

Were you mowing in high (rabbit) range? Did you pass any cars with racing stripes, wide tires, and roll cages? Just kidding, these tractors take a bit of getting used to, and I'm sure you will find the "groove".

 

[TripleR]

I am not totally sure if the dealer setup my deck properly. I was adjusting the anti-scalp wheels because there was some scalping here and there and I set the front right wheel so you could see 4 and a half holes above the pin (this gave around 8mm of spacing below the wheel), then used the same hole on the other wheels...when I got the the last one (front left) I noticed that the height was much higher from the ground (I could get like two fingers under the wheel sideways so probably like an inch and a half)...so obviously the deck isn't level left to right, I am not sure if that makes a big difference to the bogging or not

No, that shouldn't make a difference. Some people have found their decks are not completely straight so the difference in the wheel heights may vary a little, but they shouldn't that much. When leveling the deck, you will measure from the blades, not the deck or wheels.

Are you getting a smooth cut or is it stepped?

 

[LBrown59]

I was mowing at one notch under "2" whatever height that is. Not too short I dont think. It wasn't scalping when it stalled, it may have scalped on a couple uneven areas but not there, the grass was a bit wet and perhaps 4.5" tall in those areas. I was surprised it bogged down also and even more surprised it stalled

Congrats on the BX.