Putting my BX1870 to work splitting wood

[Tomtint]

Pics ?

I will get some up tonight

 

[General Lee]

I suspect he may have an 1870-1, the new version, where the ROPS goes straight up without the flare-out. Kubota changed that, and added a fold-over that goes most of the way down. I suspect they took a lot of heat for the ROPS on the original 1870. I bought one of the last 1860s because I didn't want the 1870's ROPS. Very happy with the non-folding ROPS on the 1860, BTW.

How new is the new version? I just bought mine 2 months ago.

 

[Tomtint]

I will get some up tonight

View attachment 380463

A bit dusty but it has been in the garage for a few years

 

[SteveNH]

Hi Steve,
Would you post some closeup pics of your splitter setup? I am considering a similar project for a similar sized tractor (BX1860) and wanted to see how you handled a few things.
Thanks
wrooster

I'll try to take some tonight after work. The only gripe I have is that the top link is a tight fit, I should have made where the top link connects to the splitter a little higher up, the top link has to be all the way retracted and I have to do some finessing to hook it up. Shouldn't be to hard to fix, I just haven't gotten around to it. Other than that I am happy with it. The table comes off so it has a small footprint for storage. I have some heavy duty casters mounted to the draw bar and I use one of those snow mobile dollies (the ones that go under the track/skis) for under the jack foot plate and that allows me to maneuver it around without too much trouble.

 

[SteveNH]

FWIW, I have a very nice pto splitter that I used on my BX22. The cycle time as I recall, was 10 seconds or so. It was plenty fast enough for me as I don't think I wanted to work much faster anyway. I no longer burn wood and if someone here wants it 850.00 will take it away.

FWIW my pto pump alone was $560 so that seems like a more than fair price.

To answer the ROPS question, its the 1870-1. I had the dealer order one since the ROPS on the 1870 would make for a tight fit in my shed. If that didn't work I was just going to order the 1860 ROPS through whole goods.

As a side note, I had to add suitcase weights to the front with the splitter mounted to the back to offset the weight.

 

[SteveNH]

Hi Steve,
Would you post some closeup pics of your splitter setup? I am considering a similar project for a similar sized tractor (BX1860) and wanted to see how you handled a few things.
Thanks
wrooster

Here they are. Hope they help out with ideas.

 

[SteveNH]

Steve, great set up. A couple of questions if I may:

How did you get your ROPS to fold down that much? They don't go that far on my 1870

Second, Only if you feel like it LOL, could post a pic of how your steering lines on routed on the left side of the motor? You will have to slide off the engine cowl/surround. I'm curious to see if they run behind a GRAY bracket that supports a motor mount. Mine were and because of that, they ruptured at 20 hours. Just curious how other 1870's are routed.

I took a quick look with just the hood open but couldn't see anything. When I do my 50 hour service I'll try to remember to snap a few pics.

 

[SteveNH]

How new is the new version? I just bought mine 2 months ago.

I think the only difference is the ROPS. I have a BX25 and wish they kept the brake pedal on the same side in the 70 series.

 

[craigbaill]

I think the only difference is the ROPS. I have a BX25 and wish they kept the brake pedal on the same side in the 70 series.

Ok, maybe it is the beer but didnt he have an 1870.... And now a bx25?????

 

[SteveNH]

Ok, maybe it is the beer but didnt he have an 1870.... And now a bx25?????

Sorry, after I read it I see the confusion, I was trying to answer 2 questions at once. What I was trying to say was the difference between the 1870 and the 1870-1 was the ROPS. As far as how do I like it - overall I like the tractor, I also have a BX-25 and wish they kept the brake pedal on the same side for the 70 series. I rarely use the brake pedal on either tractor other than for engaging/releasing the parking brake but it would be nice if they were the same.