From Deere X585 to Kubota BX24 w/mods

[RayBo]

Hello all,

Decided to sell my beloved Deere X585 and move up to a BX24.. Had the BX for 3 weeks now and it is awesome, although the Deere was more comfortable to sit on.. oh well, it is a tool, not a highway cruiser.

The first thing I did was put lights on the ROPS, 2 forward trapazoids and one rear flood, seperate switches. OK, I disregarded the decals for idiots that do silly things and welded the light brackets on the bar, snaked the wiring through the ROPS for neatness and drilled three 1/4 inch holes through the center of the light brackets to pull wires through. I have an engineering backround, and those 3 little holes in those locations wont do squat to the bar strength.

Rather than spend close to $2K for the Kubota power angle plow set up (and have to remove the grill guard!) I adapted my Deere plow set up to the BX24... Some steel, welding, kubota grey paint and hyro hoses.. works like a charm! Also welded on a hitch receiver to the plow frame bracket so I can move a trailer around when an implement is hooked to the rear (like the bagger).

Attached some pics ..

Am now in the process of converting a tow behind dethatcher to 3pt, fabricating a 3pt for an electric ATV spreader, 3pt ball hitch and some lift forks..

What do you think? Should I paint the plow orange? or does the yellow give the package character? Ditto for my JD Green dethatcher!

 

[KennyV]

Looks great… you do good work. Leave the colors as you have them… KennyV.

 

[_RaT_]

Very cool Ray, good job.

 

[KB9UDE]

I see that you put the loader on a rolling platform. I am not familiar with the process of taking the Kubota loader off. Do you have to pick up the front end of the tractor with the loader as you are removing\installing?? I like your idea for easy storage.

John

 

[Dusty]

Looks great. Only thing that I would do with the plow is to remove the Deere decal and put a Kubota one on instead. That should get everyone talking! Kubota making yellow plows...

 

[LBrown59]

Hello all,

Decided to sell my beloved Deere X585 and move up to a BX24
\
(like the bagger).
now in the process of converting
Attached some pics ..

Am a tow behind dethatcher to 3pt, fabricating a 3pt for an electric ATV spreader, 3pt ball hitch and some lift forks..
dethatcher!

I would not have done that !

 

[RayBo]

I see that you put the loader on a rolling platform. I am not familiar with the process of taking the Kubota loader off. Do you have to pick up the front end of the tractor with the loader as you are removing\installing?? I like your idea for easy storage.

John

The loader removal/install is so easy I could not bielieve it! The instructions in the book are right on the mark, but I cheat and dont shut the engine off the 3 or 4 times as they recommend.. just once to relieve the pressure by moving the joystick before uncoupling the hydro lines. I made 2 dollys; one long skinny one for the bucket part and one for the stand. Because you need to lift the weight of the tractor front a bit and curl the bucket, removing directly on the dollys would be tricky with either a one or two piece set up. I just drop the loader on the ground, then push down on the boom (pivoting on the stand) to lift the bucket enough to kick a corner of the dolley under it. Once there, you can slide it under by hand by slightly lifting the bucket. I then go to the end of the booms again and lift to kick the other dolly under the stand. I used all swivel casters so I can manuver the thing just about anywhere (on a hard surface)

 

[RayBo]

I would not have done that !

I know, I almost kept both but there was a lot of overlap between the machines.. I had the Hydro Johnny Bucket Sr for the Deere, which I liked so much I needed *more*.. which is why I got the BX. Although the Deere was a little tank with it's 4WD, the Kubota is really a better built machine where it counts. The only pain in the ***** with BX is getting use to the ROPS being in the way (don't ask about my garage door opening first time entering.. ouch!) asd the hydro pedal arrangement. I must say the twin pedal set up on the Deere's is much nicer, especially for quick forward to reverse action.

 

[Singlecoil]

That plow looks fantastic. One thing I've learned reading these forums; since I am now a tractor owner, I'm going to have to learn how to weld. iiiii

I hear you about the garage door. I still haven't fixed the ding on the trim above mine...

 

[LBrown59]

1*The only pain in the ***** with the BX is getting used to the ROPS being in the way
and
2*the hydro pedal arrangement. I must say the twin pedal set up on the Deere's is much nicer, especially for quick forward to reverse action.

********
1* I haven't noticed it that bad.
2*I just got a CC GT2554 with a fwd pedal and a separate reverse pedal. I find quick forward to reverse action somewhat more awkward on the CC than it is on the BX23 with the treadle pedal.
At least on the BX23 you always know where the pedal is cause your foot's always on it.