Mowing BX22 vs BX2200: MMM Mowing

[Kelvin]

To all,

At times I consider upgrading my older gear drive B7100 to a BX22 or BX2200, with finish mowing being the primary task. I have a B2150 HSD with FEL for larger tasks. A Kubota brand backhoe for my B2150 is more than $7000, while for less than $7000 you can add a backhoe and FEL to the BX (ie, upgrade from a BX2200 to a BX22). Granted, the backhoe will be useful when I start building my house and/or garage, but after that the usefulness will be unknown and rental equipment may be more cost effective.

Questions:

(1) Does anyone have a mid-mower on the BX22, and if so, do you know how its performance compares with the BX2200? I would assume it to be nearly identical, but some things are better on the BX2200 than the BX22 (such as FEL performance).

(2) 3-point Lift Rate: Is it my imagination, or is the lift rate really slow on the BX's? I have two friends who have taken advantage of the ongoing 0% financing deal and recently purchased new BX2200s. I am surprised at how slowly the 3-point lift raises the mid-mower, relative to the 3-point lift speed of my older B7100 and B2150.

Notes:

(1) I hear that Kubota no longer offers the BX22 without the backhoe. I understand that you used to be able order the BX22 equipped like the BX2200 such that you could add the backhoe / FEL later, but no longer.

(2) I tried to connect my small Kubota brand rotor-tiller to my friend's BX2200. The tiller is the one I use on my B7100. The tiller barely was able to connect to the BX's 3-point lift arms, and then it would only raise about 2 inches off the ground. A shorter top-link would've helped. The drive shaft wouldn't connect at all because it was too long, and would've required cutting about 3 inches off in order to work properly.


Thanks,
Kelvin

 

[Anonymous Poster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( To all,

(1) Does anyone have a mid-mower on the BX22, and if so, do you know how its performance compares with the BX2200? I would assume it to be nearly identical, but some things are better on the BX2200 than the BX22 (such as FEL performance).)</font>

Hmmm... The loader specs are identical between the 22 and the 2200. They use the exact same engine, transmission, PTO, and mmm so I would expect the mowing to be identical as well.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( (2) 3-point Lift Rate: Is it my imagination, or is the lift rate really slow on the BX's? )</font>

I don't have anything to compare it with but the speed rate is adjustable with a small knob under the seat on the right side. Perhaps it was set for a slow lift speed? Mine doesn't seem really slow.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( (1) I hear that Kubota no longer offers the BX22 without the backhoe. I understand that you used to be able order the BX22 equipped like the BX2200 such that you could add the backhoe / FEL later, but no longer.)</font>

Well, not since February, anyway. It certainly wasn't an option when I bought my BX2200.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( (2) I tried to connect my small Kubota brand rotor-tiller to my friend's BX2200. The tiller is the one I use on my B7100. The tiller barely was able to connect to the BX's 3-point lift arms, and then it would only raise about 2 inches off the ground. A shorter top-link would've helped. The drive shaft wouldn't connect at all because it was too long, and would've required cutting about 3 inches off in order to work properly. )</font>

From what I have read it is pretty common to have these types of issues when mounting rear PTO attachments between different tractor models. The top link on the BX2200 is adjustable, but I assume you probably noticed that. As for the PTO shaft, I've read many posts where people described cutting a shaft shorter for use with a BX series.

 

[r0GuE]

Mowing and FEL would be identical. The deck will raise so fast it slams in the up position, if you crank its adjuster knob to do so and turn up the engine RPM.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The BX-2200 and BX-22 are essentially the same machine...the latter has some additional structural improvments in order to support the backhoe. I used to own a BX-2200. I now own a BX-22. If anything, the BX-22 performs better than my old machine...has more pep, is slightly faster and has more power when I'm running the FEL, etc.

Mowing is identical. I kept my MMM from the BX-2200 as there was no point in getting a brand new one when I did the trade-in. The only thing I had to do was make some adjustments to the front linkage to allow the deck to clear the bar tires when fully raised.

I have no complaints about the 3-pt "speed", either. It works as expected.

As to the BX-22 ever being available without the FEL and Hoe, that's news to me. I'm not saying they didn't offer it...just that none of the three dealers around here ever had a BX-22 without those attachments included. (And I wouldn't have bought one without them anyway!)

 

[Kelvin]

rogue,

The Kubota sales brochure indicates that there are differences in FEL performance.

To begin with, the BX22 uses the LA210 loader while the BX2200 uses the LA211 loader, and apparently the loaders are not interchangeable. Most of the LA210 and LA211 specifications are the same; however, here are two that are different:

Breakout Force: BX2200=950 lbs; BX22=845 lbs
Maximum Lift Height: BX2200 71.3"; BX22=70.1"


I asked one salesman why the BX22 and the BX2200 had different loaders with slightly different specifications, and he replied that the BX22 had different hydraulic plumbing to allow more power to be available to the backhoe. I don't remember whether that was an "official Kubota" answer or speculation on the part of the salesman.

Kelvin

 

[Kelvin]

rbarker,

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( the speed rate is adjustable with a small knob under the seat on the right side )</font>

Does the adjustment knob adjust the speed of raising and lowering, or does it adjust the lowering speed only?

It seems like on my older Kubotas that the adjustment is for lowering speed only. But for now, it is late and I don't feel like digging out the books.

Kelvin

 

[Kelvin]

jbecker,

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Mowing is identical. I kept my MMM from the BX-2200 as there was no point in getting a brand new one when I did the trade-in. )</font>

Thanks. I thought that I remembered that someone had experienced both machines; I just couldn't remember if the experiences included mowing tasks.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The only thing I had to do was make some adjustments to the front linkage to allow the deck to clear the bar tires when fully raised. )</font>

Did you make the adjustments yourself, or did the dealer make them for you. Also, was the required adjustment a bar-tire issue, or a BX22 issue, or both?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...just that none of the three dealers around here ever had a BX-22 without those attachments included. (And I wouldn't have bought one without them anyway!) )</font>

Somewhere, either in a post on this board or just listening to some discussions somewhere, somebody needed the BX2200 capabilities initially but needed the BX22 capabilities in the future, and ordered a BX22 without the backhoe such that they could add the backhoe later and wouldn't have to trade in the tractor. I believe the BX22 and BX2200 equipped with the same equipment (FEL / mid-mower) were nearly the same price; buying the BX22 would ensure that the backhoe upgrade would be available in the future.

Kelvin

 

[Anonymous Poster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( rbarker,

</font><font color="blueclass=small">( the speed rate is adjustable with a small knob under the seat on the right side )</font> )</font>

Does the adjustment knob adjust the speed of raising and lowering, or does it adjust the lowering speed only? )</font>

You are correct! I checked the manual and it controls lowering speed.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( rogue,

The Kubota sales brochure indicates that there are differences in FEL performance.

To begin with, the BX22 uses the LA210 loader while the BX2200 uses the LA211 loader, and apparently the loaders are not interchangeable. Most of the LA210 and LA211 specifications are the same; however, here are two that are different:

Breakout Force: BX2200=950 lbs; BX22=845 lbs
Maximum Lift Height: BX2200 71.3"; BX22=70.1")</font>

The maximum height number you list for the BX22 is actually the value for the LA181 loader that goes on the BX1500. This is, indeed a smaller loader. The performance difference between the LA210 and the LA211 according to Kubota's web site are nil. I don't have a brochure for the BX22 so I can't comment on what it says there but the web site BX Impliments shows no practical difference. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color="blueclass=small">( The only thing I had to do was make some adjustments to the front linkage to allow the deck to clear the bar tires when fully raised. )

Did you make the adjustments yourself, or did the dealer make them for you. Also, was the required adjustment a bar-tire issue, or a BX22 issue, or both?)</font>

The bar tires are slightly larger in diameter apparently. I made the adjustment myself as the dealer never had the MMM in their hands during the transaction last fall. It took me a whole ten minutes to deal with this...

BTW, the other post is correct...the LA-210 and LA-211 loaders have identical specifications. Your dealer must be smoking something...or should be.