First real day on new BX25D... need encouragement!

[dragoneggs]

Okay, I finally had a chance to get my new BX25D dirty today. :licking: Full disclosure first. This is my first tractor (other than a JD riding lawnmower). I have a sloping some places very steep 1.5 acre of which about 1acre freshly cleared property. Soil is very rocky. I will post some pics of the property and my challenges soon but my mission is to terrace and put in quite a bit of stone wall bulkheads. Make a gravel road down to lower property (already very rough cut by excavator), and dig a 250ft long or so ditch for a buried water line for garden and Rain Bird irrigation system. Then finish landscaping with planting orchard trees, berries, large vegetable garden, and some grass. I have a huge berm of cleared trees, debri, etc. on the low side of the clearing left by the hired excavator.

After doing much reading on TBN I outfitted the tractor with 2in rear and 1.5in front wheel spacers from Bro Tek and also installed the rear and front skid plates last night. That went pretty well. Today I spent a couple hours putzing around trying not to roll the machine and kill myself on Day 1. My main goal today was just to get used to using the FEL and BH. I started to get used to the BH and admit that was a lot of fun but I didn't get much accomplished. I struggled using the FEL and I think that had a lot to do with positioning. I seem to always be traversing the slope where I could... trying to make it level (roll wise). Not sure I am explaining my predicament well yet but I could sure use some tips and encouragement!!! :confused3:

 

[RaydaKub]

Hey Dragon, good on those spacers, but better if you fill those wheels. Just take it slow and things will be fine. Your tractor already knows how to do those things, it just needs you to keep up. It wouldn't matter if it was this BX or Terex, you have to become familiar with the equipment. A bucket on a sidehill is tough to master. You are always fighting to keep it uphill. If you try to dig in, it lifts the front wheels and will tend to slice downhill. If you lift much at all, it gets more tippy. I don't think there is a solid answer to that part. I've never had a backhoe, so I can't offer much there. Good luck!

 

[dragoneggs]

Thanks RaydaKub. Yes I have thought about filling the tires but want to look into doing it myself. When I purchased my BX, I heard another salesman talking about the price to have some tires filled and it seemed quite expensive (don't remember the $$$ and don't know what kind of tractor). I also don't have a trailer and I am hoping to save a bunch of dollars on by doing as much maintenance, etc. myself. I assume tire filling can be a DIY job?

 

[RaydaKub]

Easily. I have gravity filled my tires w/ no pump, but lots of guys get a little drill pump to do it. Either way, you'll need the the bleeder valve for about $10. First time, I did it with valves at 12:00. When I refilled one after a busted valve stem, I did it laying flat.

I took my valve core out then put the valve on. I had a floor jack under the 3ph frame. I had about 8 foot of hose with a shutoff valve on it. I used my dehumidifier bucket bungied onto a 6 foot ladder. I started by letting the jack down to force air out of the tire, and use the bleeder valve to do that. Then I jacked it back up causing almost a vacuum in the tire and opened the hose valve. When the flow got too slow, I shut the hose valve and let the jack down, bled air out and started over. It took me about 45 minutes per tire. I'm sure a pump would go faster.

When I dinged the valve stem, I used the opposite method of jacking to squirt the fluid out into an oil pan. I saved about 10 gallons, so even laying down on the refill, I pretty much knew how much was going in.

I bought 20 gallons of -20 degree washer fluid for about $1.20 per and planned on 10 gallons in each tire, but it was still filling nicely, so I put in another gallon+ of water. It's not as heavy as CalCh or rim-guard, but was cheap.

 

[rbarker]

Okay, I finally had a chance to get my new BX25D dirty today. :licking: Full disclosure first. This is my first tractor (other than a JD riding lawnmower). I have a sloping some places very steep 1.5 acre of which about 1acre freshly cleared property. Soil is very rocky. I will post some pics of the property and my challenges soon but my mission is to terrace and put in quite a bit of stone wall bulkheads. Make a gravel road down to lower property (already very rough cut by excavator), and dig a 250ft long or so ditch for a buried water line for garden and Rain Bird irrigation system. Then finish landscaping with planting orchard trees, berries, large vegetable garden, and some grass. I have a huge berm of cleared trees, debri, etc. on the low side of the clearing left by the hired excavator.

After doing much reading on TBN I outfitted the tractor with 2in rear and 1.5in front wheel spacers from Bro Tek and also installed the rear and front skid plates last night. That went pretty well. Today I spent a couple hours putzing around trying not to roll the machine and kill myself on Day 1. My main goal today was just to get used to using the FEL and BH. I started to get used to the BH and admit that was a lot of fun but I didn't get much accomplished. I struggled using the FEL and I think that had a lot to do with positioning. I seem to always be traversing the slope where I could... trying to make it level (roll wise). Not sure I am explaining my predicament well yet but I could sure use some tips and encouragement!!! :confused3:

Pictures of the area will help a lot for giving specific tips but in general, don't despair! It takes a bit of practice to figure this all out. One day isn't really enough. One comment from your avatar, your loader should never be that high while moving unless absolutely necessary. Even empty it makes for stability issues. Low and slow is the rule to live by!

Good luck and have fun

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[WaxMan]

Go straight up and down hills and keep your bucket as low to the ground as possible while traveling :thumbsup:

 

[Deano]

More you use it...the better you will get!!:thumbsup:

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Keep at it and learn your and the tractors limits. I have a BX25, past model of yours but I just looked at the 25D and ii is almost identical. Ballast: read your operators manual under Tires, Wheels, and Ballast. The BX tires are small, I use suitcase weights hung low as I can adjust in 45# increments. I do not use ballast for that reason. I can use them on both ends as needed. If I tell you what it says you won't read it. Remember the old saying, "when everything else fails read the instructions". The manual is very good for inexperienced new owners, old guys like me too. During the warranty period you want to follow Kubota instructions to the letter to avoid a dispute on "caused by owner error, sorry no warranty". The wheel extenders are not condoned by Kubota. My dealer would not even sell them as part of a new sale for that reason. If you are serious about doing your own maintenance; spend the $100 to get the shop manual. It has in 3 seasons (900 hours) saved me $1000 by keeping it out of the Dealer shop. How far you go depends on your mechanical abilities. I buy all my lubricants and filters at NAPA. I get the Fleet discount of +/- 40% as my military discount. I have hilly forested property (21 AC) also and now have my pucker factor down pretty well. The BX25 is a real work horse. Have fun and enjoy your work safely.

Ron

 

[dragoneggs]

Pictures of the area will help a lot for giving specific tips but in general, don't despair! It takes a bit of practice to figure this all out. One day isn't really enough. One comment from your avatar, your loader should never be that high while moving unless absolutely necessary. Even empty it makes for stability issues. Low and slow is the rule to live by!

Good luck and have fun

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

Hi RBarker, yeah I should probably change my avatar... I know about COG, etc. I was excited upon delivery of my new tractor and wife snapped this photo. I do look like a rookie and it's true. Believe me I am definitely staying low and slow... even on my tractor! I will provide pics soon. I hope I don't bore you all.

 

[dragoneggs]

Keep at it and learn your and the tractors limits. I have a BX25, past model of yours but I just looked at the 25D and ii is almost identical. Ballast: read your operators manual under Tires, Wheels, and Ballast. The BX tires are small, I use suitcase weights hung low as I can adjust in 45# increments. I do not use ballast for that reason. I can use them on both ends as needed. If I tell you what it says you won't read it. Remember the old saying, "when everything else fails read the instructions". The manual is very good for inexperienced new owners, old guys like me too. During the warranty period you want to follow Kubota instructions to the letter to avoid a dispute on "caused by owner error, sorry no warranty". The wheel extenders are not condoned by Kubota. My dealer would not even sell them as part of a new sale for that reason. If you are serious about doing your own maintenance; spend the $100 to get the shop manual. It has in 3 seasons (900 hours) saved me $1000 by keeping it out of the Dealer shop. How far you go depends on your mechanical abilities. I buy all my lubricants and filters at NAPA. I get the Fleet discount of +/- 40% as my military discount. I have hilly forested property (21 AC) also and now have my pucker factor down pretty well. The BX25 is a real work horse. Have fun and enjoy your work safely.

Ron

Hey Seabee, I was hoping you would chime in... we are neighbors! I assume you do your business at Kitsap Tractor? I definitely want to get the shop manuals... I am fairly mechanical (engineer). Just have to slip the shop manuals in with all the other toys like a quick hitch, forks, MMM, post hole digger, and... Wife cannot read this. Oh and not to mention the shop/shed I need to build as my garage is supposed to be housing her car!

Did read the owner's manual cover to cover a couple of times while on a business trip before I could finally jump on. I am really on the fence with filling the tires. not sure I want to go that way but I am thinking maybe a good thing until I am landscaped and mowing regularly. Then I could buy a set of turf tires on rims and switch them out? More $$$. When you say not condoned... I assume that as long as I don't break an axle, Kubota would acknowledge a warranty claim?

I can already tell that traction is my weakness, not power.