Comparison BX 25 or B3200

[jim_wilson]

Jim,

Are you getting the Backhoe on your new 3200?

Yes I am.

I got the B3200 setup like so:

BH77 backhoe with 16" bucket
Kubota Quick Attach on the FEL
60" bucket on the FEL
R4 tires (filled)
high amp alternator
spacers on the rear wheels
toothbar on the FEL bucket


I also got the pads for the backhoe arms and I picked up a weight box.


I'm looking forward to getting the tractor. One of the big reasons I wanted to get into a bigger tractor is that I want to put in a bunch of stone walls around my property. And the BX didn't have high enough lift capability - or the ability to add hydraulics easily. I spent about 13 hours up at an abandoned quarry this weekend - that is owned by this retired guy who harvests and then sells the tailings and pieces from the grout pile as stone to build stone walls. Working with him I loaded up a 20 yard dumpster with blocks to be used to build the wall. This will all get dumped at my house - and then I'll have to move it. The larger tractor will be helpful because some of the pieces are just going to be too big for the BX to handle.

That job will be the first one waiting for me when I get back next week.

 

[jimmeehan99]

Sounds like you got your work cut out for you. My back hurts just thinking about 20 yards of block. Good luck with it and your new tractor, nice.

 

[jimmeehan99]

Just got the word from the dealer, the parking brake had some kind of safety failure. He fixed the L45 and is bringing it back for me to use all day tomorrorow. I took a day off from work so I'm good to go. More stumps and some garden work.

 

[jimmeehan99]

Jim,

What is the spacers on the rear wheels and the tooth bar on the FEL?

 

[Carl_NH]

JIm W,

No Thumb on the BH - did you just forget to post that? Or do you have other plans for a thumb?

Also for Jimme - The toothbar is a bar with teeth (smaller than the BH teeth) attached to the FEL makes digging and rooting things out easier. Then for grading/smoothing dirt use the back of the bucket.

NO big deal on the tooth bar - you can add one later but if you want to have the dealer add one do it now - also get the thumb Jimme if you havent already on your 3200.

Glad your dealer set you up for another day with the L45 - sounds like a good bunch you are dealing with.

Carl

 

[jimmeehan99]

Thanks Carl, I figured it was something like that. The dealer has been really decent so far. What about the confused rear wheel spacers?

 

[Ductape]

Thanks Carl, I figured it was something like that. The dealer has been really decent so far. What about the confused rear wheel spacers?

I've got them on my 3030, and love them. They make the tractor feel much more stable. They add 3 inches to the width of the rear tires (1.5 inches each side). Last I looked I think the pair was around $300 ish?

 

[jimmeehan99]

Removed another 15-18 large stumps yesterday. Average diameter about 12-14" with one about 20". I'm pretty good with the backhoe now. I'm not so good at leveling with the FEL. Could use a few pointers on that. I tried to level out a garden area and I made a bit of a mess. Pulled out some old water sprinkler lines too. Going down to our Mountain house in Western NC for a few days, leaving Thursday and when I get back on Tuesday I should get the new 3200.Hope its not a disappointment after using that L45, but I don't think it will be. I know I can't expect to do the same things with the 3200. Bottom line is it will be mine! Feel like a kid getting a new toy.

 

[displacedPA]

nothing like a new tractor feel be sure to post pics!!! or it never happend!!! hahaah

 

[jim_wilson]

Jim,

What is the spacers on the rear wheels and the tooth bar on the FEL?

Kubota apparently has an option for spacers on the rear wheels. Spaces them out a little wider for better stability.

A tooth bar is basically a metal bar - that runs across the width of the bucket - and on each end it bolts to the sides of the bucket itself. Then there are "teeth" that stick forward - and each tooth typically sort of fits over the front lower lip of the bucket.

The teeth look similar to the teeth you would see sticking out of backhoe bucket.

The teeth help with digging. But they're also good for other stuff. I was unloading some chunks of granite from my trailer the other night - and I was able to use one of the teeth on the toothbar on my BX23 to carefully get under one of the granite chunks and lift it up enough so that I could get a chain around it.


Here's a toothbar - this one looks very similar to the one I have on my BX23:

http://www.dontscrapit.com/Hawaii-/Freeshpg-60-tooth-bar-toothbar-4-skid-steers-loaders-partpic.jpg

 

[jim_wilson]

JIm W,

No Thumb on the BH - did you just forget to post that? Or do you have other plans for a thumb?

Also for Jimme - The toothbar is a bar with teeth (smaller than the BH teeth) attached to the FEL makes digging and rooting things out easier. Then for grading/smoothing dirt use the back of the bucket.

NO big deal on the tooth bar - you can add one later but if you want to have the dealer add one do it now - also get the thumb Jimme if you havent already on your 3200.

Glad your dealer set you up for another day with the L45 - sounds like a good bunch you are dealing with.

Carl

I just forgot to post it. I ordered the BH77 with the mechanical thumb. What I REALLY want is a hydraulic one - but that's a project for later.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I'm not so good at leveling with the FEL. Could use a few pointers on that. I tried to level out a garden area and I made a bit of a mess.
I know I can't expect to do the same things with the 3200. Bottom line is it will be mine! Feel like a kid getting a new toy.

As with the BH the FEL takes time and practise to do smoothing out. I dig forward and level backing up. Using the back edge of the bucket sort of packs the dirt and tilting the front bucket till the front edge is what's hitting the ground will do a bit better spreading out the dirt and leveling.
I bought a tooth bar with my first tractor and it was more of a bother than a benefit. I sold it to my neighbor and he never installed it and I think I bought it back from him and sold it to Milkman or his brother.
With a BH with teeth to dig rocks and stuff up I'm not convinced the toothbar will be worth the money. If you've got a bunch of it, go ahead. If you don't have a bunch of it you'll have to learn what implements are the most useful for you and not someone else on TBN.
For me and my uses of home landscaping my most used (besides FEL and BH) attachment is the RatchetRake. Only Tractor Supply sells them now. They can be put on in 2 minutes by yourself and taken off in less time, by yourself. To me the by myself is an important consideration. They will remove brush and under growth fantastic going forward with the front teeth and level out your ground to ready for seeding using the smaller teeth while backing up or just leveling it out smooth.
.Ratchet Rake, LLC - Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holland, Bobcat, Fire safety,

 

[MW66]

I've had my B3200 for about 2 years now. I own about 19 acres with most of it wooded, but the front of the property is about 3.25 acres of grass. Before I bought the tractor it was an old farm field. We built a house 2 years ago and I tilled up the entire frontage eventually turning it into my current lawn. There was some old scrub brush that I had the dozer guy clear while he was working on the grading for the house. Additionally, I have 14 fruit trees that I planted prior to getting my B3200. I have a FEL, MM60" mower, rear snow blower, humongous lawn roller, and a tiller. My advice would be to get the stump removal done by a professional and then till everything up. You really don't need a BH to plant trees, especially fruit trees. However if you are planting full size ones that have huge root balls, then of course a BH would be useful. I'm happy with all of my attachments, but I plan to sell my box blade. I used it originally to get the field turned into my lawn, but now it just sits. The only issue I had with my B3200 is that I blew the hydraulic line twice while I was doing some heavy duty tilling. They finally replaced it with a much heavier hose connection than the OEM. Last week, my battery died. Other than that, after 147 hours, it has been very good to me. Good luck, I think you'll enjoy your B3200. Also, I bought the Quick hitch from Harbor Freight and that has made attachment/detachment of the implements a breeze.

 

[jimmeehan99]

I guess I got about 3/4 of the stumps out of the 2.5-3 acres with the L45 and they were the bigger ones. I do have a friend that has an excavating company and he will probably come down to my house for a day with a bulldozer and finish it off for me. Once I get a few bucks together I'll give him a call.

I'm in Western NC about 15 miles north of Asheville in a small town named Barnardsville. Beautiful country here and it seems every 1/2 mile or so someone has a Kubota here. Can't wait to get mine delivered and play around some when we get back to So. Jersey.

 

[jim_wilson]

I guess I got about 3/4 of the stumps out of the 2.5-3 acres with the L45 and they were the bigger ones. I do have a friend that has an excavating company and he will probably come down to my house for a day with a bulldozer and finish it off for me. Once I get a few bucks together I'll give him a call.

I'm in Western NC about 15 miles north of Asheville in a small town named Barnardsville. Beautiful country here and it seems every 1/2 mile or so someone has a Kubota here. Can't wait to get mine delivered and play around some when we get back to So. Jersey.

There's some weird coincidences going on here. You're getting a B3200 at the end of the month when you get back. I'm getting B3200 at the end of the month when I get back. You're in North Carolina - I'm down in South Carolina right now. (Charleston area - haven't seen any Kubotas yet).

 

[jim_wilson]

As with the BH the FEL takes time and practise to do smoothing out. I dig forward and level backing up. Using the back edge of the bucket sort of packs the dirt and tilting the front bucket till the front edge is what's hitting the ground will do a bit better spreading out the dirt and leveling.
I bought a tooth bar with my first tractor and it was more of a bother than a benefit. I sold it to my neighbor and he never installed it and I think I bought it back from him and sold it to Milkman or his brother.
With a BH with teeth to dig rocks and stuff up I'm not convinced the toothbar will be worth the money. If you've got a bunch of it, go ahead. If you don't have a bunch of it you'll have to learn what implements are the most useful for you and not someone else on TBN.
For me and my uses of home landscaping my most used (besides FEL and BH) attachment is the RatchetRake. Only Tractor Supply sells them now. They can be put on in 2 minutes by yourself and taken off in less time, by yourself. To me the by myself is an important consideration. They will remove brush and under growth fantastic going forward with the front teeth and level out your ground to ready for seeding using the smaller teeth while backing up or just leveling it out smooth.
.Ratchet Rake, LLC - Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Skid loader, Kubota, Skid steer, Landscape rake, Brush remover, York Rake, Harley Rake, Rock Rake, Tractor rake attachment, Construction attachment, New Holland, Bobcat, Fire safety,

Thanks for posting that RatchetRake - I think I might get one of those -it's exactly what I need to smooth out my driveway.

 

[ChiefLoneWolf]

Thanks for posting that RatchetRake - I think I might get one of those -it's exactly what I need to smooth out my driveway.

I second this. Looks like a neat add-on to fix and level my gravel roads. I think it might even work better than a blade or a box. But what do I know ...

 

[jimmeehan99]

JimWilson,

You forgot we are both Jim too. I'll check out that ratchet rake too. The grass here is about 3' tall as we have not been here since February. Its on a mountainside so I couldnt use the tractor even if I had it, way too steep! I only have an acre here but its going to take me three days to cut this grass, its hot as **** here too.

 

[MW66]

JimWilson,

You forgot we are both Jim too. I'll check out that ratchet rake too. The grass here is about 3' tall as we have not been here since February. Its on a mountainside so I couldnt use the tractor even if I had it, way too steep! I only have an acre here but its going to take me three days to cut this grass, its hot as **** here too.

If one of you guys lived closer, I would sell you mine. I used it the first year that I cleared my property, but really not all that much. Now it just sits in my garage.

 

[jimmeehan99]

MW66,

You probably would have saved me some money but I financed it at 0%. I'm sure you could sell it. How many hours on it? How much would you want for it? I might be able to find a buyer for you!:laughing: