Buying Advice Buying Advice - Kubota BX24 or BX 23?

[Scotty Dive]

I have the ability to purchase from a Kubota dealer a BX24 (LA243 loader & BT600 backhoe) that has the updated plastic and between a BX23 (LA210 loader and BT600 BH). Both tractors are under 100 hours and in very good condition. Price is about a $1000 difference. This will be my first tractor and need a tractor to haul logs up a hill and maintain a small pond and general homeowner landscaping tasks. Would appreciate good constructive pros and cons of both machines and things to watch out for.

 

[timswi]

I have the ability to purchase from a Kubota dealer a BX24 (LA243 loader & BT600 backhoe) that has the updated plastic and between a BX23 (LA210 loader and BT600 BH). Both tractors are under 100 hours and in very good condition. Price is about a $1000 difference. This will be my first tractor and need a tractor to haul logs up a hill and maintain a small pond and general homeowner landscaping tasks. Would appreciate good constructive pros and cons of both machines and things to watch out for.

What are they asking for them? My BX23 is a great machine..never pulled logs with it though. They can do all of the other things that you mentioned. i dug a pond with mine, do landscaping, trenching and gravel spreading with it..Not as fast as a skid loader, but that's the way it is.

 

[LBrown59]

I have the ability to purchase from a Kubota dealer a BX24 (LA243 loader & BT600 backhoe) that has the updated plastic and between a BX23 (LA210 loader and BT600 BH). Both tractors are under 100 hours and in very good condition. Price is about a $1000 difference. This will be my first tractor and need a tractor to haul logs up a hill and maintain a small pond and general homeowner landscaping tasks. Would appreciate good constructive pros and cons of both machines and
*things to watch out for.

I bought a new BX23 in Nov of 2004.
I don't like the BX24 nearly as well and am very glad i bought new when I did.
*The bx24 has the notorious jerking when shifting from forward to reverse .
I would go for the BX23 Hands down/ No Contest.

 

[tommu56]

Welcome !!!

I'm a little biased but I'd take the steel 23 over the 24 plastic and the way the hoe connects the 23 with the snap catches vs the pins on the 24 the 23's got my vote.

I pull logs by clamping them in the hoe to the boom or with a chain on my hoe or loader.


Its allways easier to spend your money than mine
tom

 

[Scotty Dive]

Thanks All - Although I would prefer a later model year (BX24), I hear most owners are happier with the BX23. Do both of these tractors use the same engine/drive train? What problems are either of these prone to?

 

[tommu56]

From what I have read the hydro fan change on the 23 is easier than on the 24 but I put a skid plate on so I don't have to find out.

The motor is the same I think the 24 has 2 petals for forward and revers
23 have one treadle that you heal / toe to change directions Ive never driven a 24 but the one petal is fine for me.

tom

 

[Nik]

I owned a BX23 and had problems with a sticky pedal. This was often talked about on this forum.

 

[LBrown59]

I owned a BX23 and had problems with a sticky pedal. This was often talked about on this forum.

I have a bx23 and 2 bx1500s.
No such problem with any of them .

 

[FritzII]

My pedal stuck on my BX23 also. I told the dealer about it, but it never got fixed. I also had trouble with the real axle lock engaging. Dealer never got that fixed either. When it was new I had no problems with either. I sold it last fall to buy a larger tractor. I had a lot of fun with it and it was a learning experience.

 

[TheFlatlander]

The motor is the same I think the 24 has 2 petals for forward and revers
23 have one treadle that you heal / toe to change directions Ive never driven a 24 but the one petal is fine for me.

tom

Slightly different engines and they both have a treadle pedal. the 23 fulcrum point is on top of the floor pan and the 24 is under the floor pan giving additional foot room.

If it were me I would go with the BX23.

The BX24 has 1/2 more HP. a curved boom, the mediocre plastic body panels, lack of hydraulics at idle, and some serious issues with abrupt reverse.

The BX23 has a straight boom (slight disadvantage) But has the steel body and the best transmission of all of the BX's while lacking the above issues of idle hyd. and reverse. I have had this series BX tractor and really miss it. Additionally, I have driven the BXxx50/24 series and the latest series that I currently own and the BXxx30/23 is the best to drive.

Given the choices that you have given, save the additional bucks and have more enjoyment with the BX23.

 

[RedDirt]

I have a bx23 and it is serving me quite well maintaining 5 ac. I've put almost 400 hrs on it in the past two years. Lots of trenching, digging orchard and septic, fine grading, stump digging and snow plowing. I've skidded some logs but only small ones (incl five 8" x 25' cedars at once).

Only problem has been the clamp for the air cleaner has cracked several times and I keep re-welding...then it cracks elsewhere. There have been treads about this. Eventually I'll just build an entire new clamp assembly.

BH & loader are amazingly simple and quick to take-off, put-on.

I can't compare to the bx24 but I bet you'd be happy with the 23.

 

[BigD23]

BX23 owner here...I've been very happy with the tractor...Have used it for trenching in ground electrical runs, pulling stumps, mowing, grading my 1,000 foot long driveway and other general maintenance around my place...Has been a great tractor.

Don

 

[montelatici]

I have a BX24 and am very happy with it. The BX24 has a little more hydraulic power (1 gpm), 1 more HP and the 3 PT hitch is a little higher making it easier to use some implements. However, these are not worth $1,000 in my opinion, so I would go with the BX23.

 

[shownuff]

hey scotty can you tell us the pricing?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Don't know exactly why but reading this thread spurred me to go trade my B3200 today to a BX25.

 

[LBrown59]

hey scotty can you tell us the pricing?

Curious readers want to know.

 

[escavader]

Bx 23 because its one tough son of a gun Ieven haul around a cab in rough terrain all year long and it still going strong.If you dent it you can pound it out,if it breaks you weld it.If its plastic....Its more apt to break in my opinion.
ALAN

 

[montelatici]

Just to be clear, at the same price the BX24 would be a better deal, bit $1,000 is a lot of money to me anyway.

The BX24

1. It will always have a higher resale value as "updated, more powerful" models usually do.
2. It has a bit more engine and hydraulic power.
3. The higher 3 pt. hitch is an obvious advantage.

Also, the plastic BX24 plastic is plenty tough, I made dents in my steel B5200 with knocks that have not have phased the plastic on my BXs.

 

[KeithInSpace]

Don't know exactly why but reading this thread spurred me to go trade my B3200 today to a BX25.

Wait...I don't understand. Mr. Brown? No, that isn't you...I still see you posting just below. But this is weird. THREE folks now that have a bunch of BX tractors? Does...not...compute...

Congratulations, though. I'm sure you'll 'dig' the backhoe. I love mine, that's for sure.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Wait...I don't understand. Mr. Brown? No, that isn't you...I still see you posting just below. But this is weird. THREE folks now that have a bunch of BX tractors? Does...not...compute...

Congratulations, though. I'm sure you'll 'dig' the backhoe. I love mine, that's for sure.

I knew that was coming when I done it!! I don't have a bunch, only two. One for 86 Kingsview Lane and one for 3345 W Hwy 80. And there's more than three that have more than one BX. There are a bunch of us, the others just won't speak up!!!! Do you know how to determine how many BX's one should have? One for each implement, ask LB.