Peer review/help for BX size tractor as multipurpose yard tractor

[JOHNTHOMAS]

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Seems like we are doing the same things John aside from the 2nd FEL. I'm sure owning 2 small Kubota tractors might seem foolish to some people...with or without a 2nd FEL. Do you feel foolish with 2 tractors? As you said...your 3200 could do every thing your BX is doing or maybe vice/versa. I'm not sure the 2nd FEL up here around the house for light duty would upset me or my neighbors. The 3200 will be in the barn out of sight. The 41 acres behind me will see it more...until I see the need for an M or Grand L for the other poultry farm.


What aerator are you using with the BX John....3-pt style plugger or pull behind spike? Would you consider selling your BX now that you have the new 3200?

I do not feel foolish with 2 different tractors. With a 5 acres residential lot I would feel foolish with 2 of the same tractors, maybe not foolish but at least wasteful. Even if I had to much money. I don't believe I picked up on your 42 acres before. I'm sorry, I must have just missed that detail in your post. My BX can not do what my B3200 is doing. I had a BX2200 FEL MMM and due to the terrain of my land and the work I was doing the BX kept getting hung up, to low ground clearance. That's why I ever went to the B model to start with. I then went to a L3240HST and it was to large for my 5 acres residential hillside, gullied, rocky and treed residential lot so I went back to a B model. I have had a BX model for the 5 years I have had tractors. After trading the BX for a B I bought a BX1500 MMM no FEL and then traded it for a BX2350MMM no FEL. Again, I have a 5 acres residential lot. I don't have an additional 40 plus acres to do something with. If I did I would have kept my L3240HST FEL and my BX2350MMM no FEL. I have a Ferguson Overseeder spiked for overseeding. I used it once for also fertilizing but didn't do to good of a job for me so I have the funnel fertilizer now.
No, the BX2350 is not for sale.

 

[LBrown59]

-->For grass cutting, aerating, seed and fertilizer spreading, mulch moving and general "around the house" maintenance.....which BX or older B model would you suggest while keeping my initial cost low?<--

Seems like we are doing the same things John aside from the 2nd FEL. I'm sure owning 2 small Kubota tractors might seem foolish to some people...with or without a 2nd FEL. Do you feel foolish with 2 tractors? As you said...your 3200 could do every thing your BX is doing or maybe vice/versa. I'm not sure the 2nd FEL up here around the house for light duty would upset me or my neighbors. The 3200 will be in the barn out of sight. The 41 acres behind me will see it more...until I see the need for an M or Grand L for the other poultry farm.

I just need to supplement my back a bit, so if I DO find an older BX with FEL, it would make sense to me. Seems the original BX2200 can't be beat based on other conversations. I just need to find one in the right price range.

What aerator are you using with the BX John....3-pt style plugger or pull behind spike? Would you consider selling your BX now that you have the new 3200?

Oh yeah....who is JBrown anyway! lol

Here are some photos my BXs in action.
Pictures of my tractors at work
BX23


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BX1500

 

[LBrown59]

I think this is the best thing to do, aside from not getting anything additional. But replacing the SCAG with a BX seems like a very sensible thing to do.

All BX machines come with HST, so don't worry about that. The BX1500 would probably be the least expensive, but you can't get them with a 60" mower deck. For it to best replace the SCAG, I would think a 60" mower to be a must-have. That would put you in 1800/1830/2200/2230 range for the least expensive machine. Any one of those machines would/could have a FEL and do a grand variety of tasks for which your B3200 would be overkill.

A 54'' would be pretty close.

 

[bandit67]

Aside from the paperwork and logistics, the B3200 is a done deal. I will use it for pasture duties, fence work, stone work, large garden plowing and such. The more I have been thinking and researching....I think I could benefit more by having a smaller BX model for my grass cutting around the house, yard spraying, mulch moving, and other landscape work.

Boy, you must have a bunch of money burning holes in your pockets! Good for you, especially in this economy.

That being said, I can't see how your 3200 can't accomplish all of the BX tasks around the house. You can put the 6' mower deck on it, and so long as it is the new floating type deck, will do a beautiful job on the lawn. The 3200 is only 400 lbs or so heavier than the BX, so is a pretty lightweight machine. Not really sure it would make that much more of a mess in the yard than the little BX.

I kind of like having just one machine, rather than 2 or 3 similar sized machines. I could see having something like a B3030 and an M59. But for the smaller machines that are much closer in size, I just like being able to "bond" more with my one machine. I moved up from a subcompact to my current compact, and can't say that I miss the subcompact in the least. I seem to regularly appreciate the fact that I made the move up.

 

[imajeepnut]

Your B3030 is 1852lbs bare and the BX2200 comes in at 1300lbs. 552lbs difference. But I look at how my 3200 will be equipped. I will have the tires loaded which should be around 500lbs. +/-...haven't done the final math, so someone may correct me there. So now I'm 1,000lbs. heavier with no equipment. I would leave the FEL and BH on the 3200 most always so the weight of the BH would be factored in. Even if I left the BH off, I'm still packing my yard with another 1,000lbs +/- over the BX. And....if I leave the FEL off the BX, I'm even lighter for mowing duties and such. Also...the R4 tires would damage the turf more than the turf tires on the "little" BX machine. Having one machine is fine if it suits your needs.

I don't know why everyone thinks I have money laying around...heck....do what I'm doing....pay your 15% down and finance the rest at 0%! Let your "other" money earn a little interest in the bank...maybe. Then, sell your SCAG mower, and a banjo, and buy a BX! Don't wait til the Gov. buys the tractor corporations too....then we WILLl be in touble...and we won't need a tractor to get us out!

 

[imajeepnut]

OK....I've found a BX2350 near me for $7000 with 54" mower, and low hours. I've read nothing but good about the BX2200's, but seem to recall something about the HST forward and reverse having "issues" on other models. Is this BX2350 just as good a tractor as the 2200? If not, which "newer" BX model would compare to the 2200. Not the NEW BX models, but newer than 2002 I guess I should say. This BX2350 I found is a 2005 model I believe.

 

[TheFlatlander]

OK....I've found a BX2350 near me for $7000 with 54" mower, and low hours. I've read nothing but good about the BX2200's, but seem to recall something about the HST forward and reverse having "issues" on other models. Is this BX2350 just as good a tractor as the 2200? If not, which "newer" BX model would compare to the 2200. Not the NEW BX models, but newer than 2002 I guess I should say. This BX2350 I found is a 2005 model I believe.

For the 22-23hp BX series: The BX2230 was between the BX2200 and BX2350. It was a very good tractor, with improvements over the 2200. The bx2350 had some issues. Plastic body and abrupt stop issues- do search. Those issues had fixes except the abrupt stop. the next series out was the new BX2360, which seems to address all concerns on the previous model and went back to steel body. If I were to be looking used the BX2230 would be my first choice.

 

[dodge man]

I have a BX 2350 and the problem is when backing up in the high range, if you let off the HST pedal, it stops pretty quickly. Its a non issue in low range, and even in high range, you get used to it. Mine does have the plastic hood, and it looks fine and has held up well, it just doesn't fit that great with the cowl area in front of the steering wheel. A pretty minor issue in my book. $7000 sounds like a pretty good price. When I bought mine new, they had a BX2350 used with 1200 hours they wanted $7000 for.

 

[LBrown59]

For the 22-23hp BX series: The BX2230 was between the BX2200 and BX2350. It was a very good tractor, with improvements over the 2200. The bx2350 had some issues. Plastic body and abrupt stop issues- do search. Those issues had fixes except the abrupt stop. the next series out was the new BX2360, which seems to address all concerns on the previous model and went back to steel body. If I were to be looking used the BX2230 would be my first choice.

These are the only model BXs that had those issues.
1850
2350
24
All other model numbers built both before and after those models are free from those issues.
I would add these models to the choices.
BX1500
BX1830
BX23

Any of the current BX models either new or used would be fine also.

 

[imajeepnut]

Thanks everyone. I did read about the abrupt stop and start issue in another forum and would prefer to steer clear of those models if I can...so thanks for the updated lists. Guess I'll do a little more searching.

Thanks again.