Feedback on BX grass catcher

[ChuckinNH]

I need some updated feedback on the new BX grass / material collection system.
How well does it work?
How easy is it to install / remove once you get used to it?
Would you buy it again?
Thanks!

 

[Jabroni]

I got the grass catcher. I've only used it twice, but it looks promising. The heat of summer has slowed the growing up here. I have a lot of pine cones and needles along with the grass, and it did a great job of sucking them up. The unit itself is extremely heavy, but goes on the tractor very easily. You use the top link of the three point hitch to crank the unit into place. It rocks backwards on its stand until it sits on the backhoe cradle. Continued cranking of the top link rocks the unit backwars and into place. Once up on the tractor, you retract and stow the legs under the catcher frame. If I had a criticism, it would be in those legs. They seem flimsy, and I wish it had wheels to roll around on. This heavy frame sits on tubular legs that are only 12" wide. It's a two person job to move it around for storage.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Thanks for the input, especially on the install procedure. I had only seen info on the older version.

 

[KeithInSpace]

I have the older version and it sounds like they've improved the installation procedure.

Nevertheless, I would presume performance to be similar.

Works very well in 'normal' conditions. Truckloads of wet leaves clogs the chute up a bit...just need to take smaller nibbles on really large runs of leaves. Also, if you happen to suck up twigs/sticks and they make it into the orange chute before they get chopped up by the blades, the stick can easily get lodged sideways in the orange portion and create a 'log jam' that you need to clear.

I've never had a grass catcher anything like this (only used push mower catchers) so I don't know how frequent these things are on 'normal' riding mowers.

At the end of a mow, I will say there is very, very little litter left. No little bits of grass on your shoes. Nothing. Very effective.

Only wished it could suck up acorns. I think I get a few of them, but the rest get mashed into the ground by the wheels. Then I end up with 10,000 oak trees in the spring. But that's another story.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Thanks Keith,
Yea, and Oaks wait until you are done cleaning up in the fall to drop their leaves....... or leave them packed, and wet for spring pickup! Some things are the same where ever you live. The new version sits in the cradle for the BX24 backhoe, or has a similar mount if you have a BX2350, etc. I doubt that you could use one with your Woods subframe on.......
The log jams you mentioned don't happen on my Simplicity collector because the impeller is right at the mower deck..... though it certainly plugs there sometimes. I have to take small bites of large quantities of leaves too, and picking up wet ones doesn't work so well. I love the way my collector mounts, and would just use that except that I really believe that I have a "late Friday, or early Monday" machine. With only 400+ hours I'm now developing more "slop" in the hydrostatic transmission, and don't know why. I wanted a larger tractor for some things, but now I think I should replace my mower, and might as well gain some capability in the process.

 

[KeithInSpace]

You've got me interested in this alternative mount, now. I only use my BoxBlade occasionally and my PHD never, so generally speaking the only reason I put the 3PH stuff back on is to go through the pain and suffering of mounting my bagger.

If I could make up some pins that drop into my BH mount and rig that to the bagger...that'd be cool. Nothing a little angle, rods, and welding can't take care of. Might need a new driveshaft unless I design it just so.

Of course like Mr. Jabroni, the heat has murdered my grass...can be a good thing sometimes since I planned on a comprehensive "RoundUp" treatment and reseed in the fall...and as a result I've only mowed twice this season. Seems like I mowed 2 inches off every week last summer. Strange. Global warming?

Shame about your current machine. Always hate to HAVE to spend money. Especially since Kubota is pretty proud of their stuff. So you don't have a mower deck either? That's OK if you don't. Your outlay for a deck AND bagger would still be around what you'd pour into a high end Craftsman, for example.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Keith, if you can't find a mounted grass collector on a BX to look at, look closely at the BX24 backhoe mount. The grass catcher mount is identical except the "subframe" is made from thinner material. They now use a threaded top link for pulling the catcher into position. Once the two bottom pins are resting in the "U" shaped receivers (not sure how the height matches up, or how you actually get catcher there) you can use the top link adjustment to align the top two pin holes. ( Too bad it doesn't come with stabilizers like the bh! )

 

[Jabroni]

I can take some pix if you'd like. Let me know. The grasscatcher sits on adjustable legs that have a rocker in them. You back the tractor up to the catcher so the horizontal mount pins of the catcher are sitting above backhoe cradle. You attach the top link to the tractor and grass catcher and start twisting the top link in. The whole thing begons to rock forward and the mount pins make contact first in the cradle. During this process, you have to make sure the PTO coupling aligns properly on the spline shaft. Once the catcher is up tight againt the tractor, you slide pins into the same holes used for securing the backhole, except the pins are slightly smaller. They supply reducer bushings for the smaller pins. The assembly is very secure, and is unlike any lawn tractor grass collector I've used before. I have to ask myself if the collector warrants the $1650.00 they ask for it. I guess it's a matter of supply and demand. Kubota probably makes a fraction of the number of collectors that say, Cub Cadet makes for their lawn tractors. There's certainly not a great deal of value in the material and parts that go into the Kubota collector. I think it weighs in around 200 lbs so it's no doubt a heavy duty design.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Jabroni, Thanks for the accurate description of how the collector is mounted! That is what I was looking for. I have seen one all mounted, but it sure looked heavy if you had to lift, or wrestle the thing on. It sounds like it really isn't too bad as long as you can back up to it. The price is about the same as I've seen for any of the Simplicity/Deere, etc. collection systems with any kind of blower....... and I agree, it's too much, but that's the way it is, and they sure save a lot of raking time.

 

[woodster300]

I have mine mounted on the machine all summer long.

works great sometimes a pain in the ***** to mount but once its theres no problems

Marc