Buying Advice Choosing between BX1860 and BX2360

[paul314159]

Hello all,
I think I have decide that I am going with a small Kubota. I've convinced myself, for now, that I don't really have any long term use for a backhoe, so I a have ruled out the BX25. I think the BX1860 with a 54" deck and loader will do all I want, but wanted to get some feedback.

The facts:
1 acre lot. 1/2 acre of grass and another 1/4 acre that will be cleared of brush and turned into lawn and gardens.
Will be moving dirt/mulch/rock (3/4" through stone wall size)
Need to mow.
Need to regrade parts of the yard.
Yard is mostly flat with a couple of slight inclines (4' drop in 100')

Attachments I think I may eventually use:
Snow blower
Tiller
Chipper (If I could borrow one from a friend, not a deal breaker)

3-Point attachments (either borrow, or buy)
Moldboard plow
Disk harrow
Box scraper
York Rake

Is there a compelling reason I should be looking at the BX2360 instead of the BX1860?

Thanks.
Paul

 

[bp fick]

I was just about in your shoes a couple years back. I could see no compelling reason to spring for the extra $1500. A PTO chipper would be a stop, look and listen moment, because they draw power, no doubt about it. Snowblowers too.
I absolutely loved the BX1860 and never ran out of power. You'll get lots of support for the larger machine, the wider mowing deck, which allows closer mowing, etc. No doubt all good points.

Then, suddenly things changed for us, big time, and we had to jump up to the biggest BX of them all; the B2320.
You'll find if you are really serious, I mean really serious about working large gardens, that the BX is difficult to manage the ground clearance issues.

But Kubota markets these machines in incremental, minutia step by step by step, upward and upward. Where to stop with precision is what shopping a tractor and discussing the minutia here on TBN is all about. :laughing: Enjoy!!

 

[TripleR]

No, from your description absent any changes in the size of your property, there is no compelling reason and either will serve you well.

 

[sbrown]

I have owned a BX1860 for roughly 6 months now, with largely the same requirements as you. The 1860 does many things well - I love the traction I get in 4 wheel mode, the MMM works quite well, and the loader is great for material handling (spreading mulch, hauling wood.) I haven't yet tried any PTO powered implements.

However, if I were going to do my purchase over again I would definitely buy the larger machine, for a couple of reasons. First, I think with the larger BX you would be able to operate at a somewhat lower RPM, I end up running a lot at 3000 rpm, which is pretty loud. Second, I think you will want more power in the loader, particularly if you're looking at grading. While the 1860 works pretty well at clearing brush and moving dirt, there have been many, many times that I have wished for more power in the loader. Finally, although I don't yet have experience with this, my guess is many of the implements such as the chipper will want more PTO power than the 1860 can deliver, the larger machine just gives you more margin.

Good luck,

Steve

 

[dodge man]

I'd probably also steer you into the bigger machine, but I think you would be happy with the 1860 also. The 2360 has a slightly bigger loader, and will work a chipper better and pull the plow a little better.

 

[sw18x]

I'm in a very similar situation: 1 acre lot, no woods, but an outdoor woodburner with lots of wood to play around with. Needed a high quality tractor that I knew would last, little bit of landscape work, could only justify the Kubota if it removed snow too. Looking down the road 15 years or so, I went with the 2360 because I think it will hold resale value better if we ever downsize. By my calculations, if I can get 4k out of it then, I've pretty much broke even had I just bought throwaway mowers and spent money to have the driveway plowed instead. Hope the backblade works as well as I hope it will, because I couldn't justify another 2500 on the front blower. Good luck with your purchase, mine arrived yesterday and it's an awesome machine!

 

[Habeas Kubotas]

I was pondering the same questions before I spotted a deal too good to pass up on a lightly used BX 1860. My intended uses were maintaining existing lawns and landscaping, and reclaiming around 7,000 sq ft of land that was uneven, badly overgrown with thorns and littered with logs in various states of decay. Having had the BX 1860 for a few months now, I'm in the final stages of the reclamation project and have mowed the yard a couple of times. Overall, I've been delighted with the machine's performance in some pretty challenging circumstances, and I've really never questioned whether I'd have been better off with a 2360. As I've seen in these forums many times (long time lurker, first time poster), I run out of traction long before power. There are certainly occasions when I'd like a little more power in the FEL, but I've found that's pretty easy to work around, and I'm not sure the small step from 1860 to 2360 would make an appreciable difference on that issue anyway. I should also add that I've yet to put the rear PTO to use, so I can't speak to the 1860's abilities or limitations there. For what it's worth, though, my experience with the BX 1860 has been very positive, and I'd choose it again.

One more thing: If you do get a BX, heed the warnings about protecting the HST fan. A stray stick tore mine up the very first (and so far only) time I ran the machine without the MMM attached; I had the Kubota skid plate installed, but it doesn't provide much protection.

 

[paul314159]

Thanks everyone for the input. I went and looked at both again today and drove them around, it finally stopped raining in CT, at least for a few minutes.

I think that 1860 would server my needs, but I could not tell any real difference in the maneuverability of the 2360. Decisions, decisions....

I'll let you all know what I finally decide.

Paul

 

[kubotadriver4life]

Hey, Check out this thread.....http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/207369-tricking-out-bx1860-2360-a.html

 

[JJPP]

I have a bx1850 and have no complaints other than ground clearance. The 1860 will handle everything just fine but if you need the pto hp I would be looking at the bx2660 unless the price is that much more than the 2360? If I had it to do over I would have at least gone with the b2320, I see something more like the b3200 in my future but I am on 10 acres. For an acre the 1860 will serve you well and you could use the extra $$$ for other things.