Tires which tires for bx 23?

[Ken_CT]

I'm planning on buying a bx 23 without a mmm (for now). I will be on lawn much of the time, but it will be used for plowing a relatively long drive, and some woods clean-up. Which tires will not tear up the lawn, but still give decent traction in snow & dirt?

 

[jim_wilson]

From the dealer you are only going to have two choices - the Turf tire or the Ag (bar) tire. There have been a number of postings about the turf tire not having very good traction when using the FEL so if you going to be doing mostly earthmoving you probably want to get the ag tire. When I bought my BX23 I didn't get a MMM either since I intended on mostly using it for backhoe and FEL work doing excavation initially. I can tell you that just driving across the grass with the bar tires - at least on my lawn - even if I am in 4WD ( which I am always in) - I don't tear up the grass. However when I drive over the same patch again and again I do kill off the grass and start to dig up the lawn once this happens. The bar tires I have found have more than enough traction to bog down the tractor if I have good soil underneath or dig a hole if I am dry clay when I am digging with the FEL. There have been a number of postings about people mowing with bar tires and the consensus from what I remember is that if you go carefully in 2WD the likelihood of tearing up the lawn with bar tires is pretty low.
As far as I can tell there are basically four different types of tires you can get for tractors:
- turf tires
- ag (or bar) tires
- industrial tires
- HDAP tires

When I was in the buying stages for my BX23 I looked around to see if I could get industrial tires in the correct sizes for the BX and could not find any. I have seen posts recently that you can get the Deere 2210 with the HDAP tires. All of the subcuts - the BX, the Massey GC, the Deere 2210, and the NH TZ's take the same size rear tires and one of two sizes for the front tires. The GC for instance takes a 2" larger diameter front wheel with the tire being the same overall diameter. BX uses 18x8.50x8 , GC uses 18x8.50x10 front tires. The bolt pattern on the wheel is the same. I believe the JD 2210 uses the same size front tires as the Massey but uses a 5 lug front wheel. I was at one point thinking of getting some GC front wheels for my BX and putting some bar tires with more plys on the front to handle the FEL work I was doing but the 4 plys that came with the tractor have been fine so far.
Sorry to be so long winded but to end this I guess my point is that your easy options are turf or bar tires from the dealer. If you think you need industrial or HDAP tires those are possibly an option but you will have to find a source for the tires and you will have to possibly get rims with a different diameter for the front ( from say a GC ) if you could only find industrial or HDAP in the 18x8.50x10 size.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I can mirror that the AG treads are not very deep and will probably be okay on your yard.

 

[SeymourBota]

I have not had any issues with turf tires and use of the FEL. I have chains for the rear and just bought a set of ag tires/rims for the front for $96 They are the same size as the turf tire (same diameter) so you can interchange the fronts quickly. I plan to use the ags during the winter and if I am using the FEL extensively.

 

[Henro]

I have a BX2200 with no loader. I bought it last year with turf tires since I intended to mainly finish mow with it.

I think I should have started with bar tires. A set of either costs the same $296. I just bought a set of bar tires last week. Since you are not mowing with the tractor, I think bar tires would be the best choice. Better too if you are going to get into wet clay.

Either way, it is not that expensive to get the other type if that is what you find you need to do after you take delivery of your tractor. Changing over a larger B series would cost almost $1,000 from what my dealer tells me. For me that would mean what I buy is what I live with. But with the BX you don't have to worry as much... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

From what I have read here many BX owners are using bar tires when lawn mowing without problems.

I have not put mine on yet so I don't know personally. I hope they work well for me too!

Oh, in case anyone wonders...I have a 2 acre hillside that I just cleared of brush, standing dead and some of the smaller trees. I intend to make it more park like, and get some green stuff growning there, which I will have to cut regularly. My b2910 had done the work so far, but the bx feels so much more stable on the slopes, that I plan on using it for both "grass" cutting and if necessary some rotary cutting (have to see about that part, as I will have to buy a smaller cutter).

I had the front bar tires foam filled and will liquid load the rears. Hopefully the extra weight will not adversly affect the way the tractor work on my normal yard...we will see... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[boustany]

I asked about this for the wife's BX2200, and went with the bar tires. Traction seems much better and they don't harm the lawn when I cut the grass.

Plus, they look /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif!

 

[LBrown59]

I have ag tires on my bx-23 .
No problem with mowing.

The key is don't mow when wet or on soggy soft soil.</font>

 

[keywest]

Hi Guys,

I used to run a Case # 530 & 580 for a living years ago & we had Bar tires for all work done. So, when I bought this new "baby" backhoe - BX-23, I was a little nervous about Turf tires bieng installed but a lot of the time I'll be on grass....
Lately I've been extending my driveway & digging in heavy damp loam. The BX has really (pleasantly) surprised me! The little thing can really dig & move some earth & this has been done @ lower RPM's due to the break in period.
Problems do begin when I clear off all the loam & get into clay especially wet, soft, clay...I've gotten myself out of several messes already ok but I was glad for the little back-hoe.
So, for regular diggin - Turf's are ok, wet work - you will slide around a bit.
I do really like this BX a whole lot..Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif