BX Capability

[Anonymous Poster]

Has anyone out there put teeth on a BX bucket?

How about short forks 18" to 24" on the bucket to move brush and small logs?

doggman

 

[Old_Wanker]

Have you tried the jobs without the toothbar or forks?

Loaders arent the best implement for digging if thats your plan for the toothbar - especially on small tractors like the BX. You may be better off tilling or ripping up the ground and the using the loader to scoop up the loose stuff. Backhoes are the real digging kings.

As for the forks you may find yourself exceeding the limits of the BX FEL if you fill those 24 inch forks with heavy brush. Dont forget theres only a single cylinder on the BX FEL and loads that arent well balanced wont be kind to it. Again Id try it without the forks first and see how well it works.

I dont have the FEL on my BX but have used excavators plenty of times. Perhaps one of the BXers with the FEL will also chime in.

 

[TresCrows]

Chime in--of course. I would not worry about the single cylinder on the BX, the BX loader is stiffer for it's size than the LA352 on the 2410. The BX LA211 is extremely stiff as evidenced by no cross bar and the extremely heavy square tube center cross bar. You will also notice the frame mounts for the BX have a double bottom, the 2410 does not. The BX will smash the heck out a pile of tree debris. The loader easily lifts around 500 lbs. If the BX is the future of Kubota design expect more single cylinders and BX like loader design and other BX innovations also--just a hunch--from the crows. J
J

 

[Jeff396]

<font color=blue>The BX LA211 is extremely stiff as evidenced by no cross bar and the extremely heavy square tube center cross bar. </font color=blue>

Looking at your pictures it occured to me that it may have more to do with the fact that the fel towers on the BX are a lot shorter than on the B series. That alone should have the affect of less stress and twisting of the fel frame. That in addition to the lower lifting capacity is more likely the reason a cross support on the BX is not needed.

Jeff

 

[doggman]

Mr. Crows:

So here I am struggling with the choice of a BX versus a B7500 or equivalent and in following you posts I am getting the impression were you to have to choose one tractor BX or B2410 you would go with the BX.

So which would you pick for your use and why.

Thanks again.

doggman

 

[TresCrows]

Mr Doggman, don't let me overly influence you. When I got the 2410 I gained a lot of utility but I also lost some. There is no perfect tractor for me. I would really like the muscle of the 2410 and it's extra weight squashed down into a smaller tractor with a better MMM --wait--is that a BX? The BX is a much better mower with the usefulness of a compact utility, the 2410 is a much better utility tractor that doubles as a mower--sorta. Yes, there are times I wish I had never heard of a 2410 but when I originnally went to get a tractor I went to get a B1700, it was no longer made and in the interval between forays to the tractor place I decided I wanted a 2410, my wife decided I wanted a BX when we first saw it. I always harbored in the back of the mind that I wanted the larger tractor and now that I got it I am not so sure I needed it. Now I am looking at Cub Cadet mowers. I guess the only thing I am saying is that to many people sell the BX to short without really knowing anything about it.
Yes, changing subjects, the lower lifting capacity I am sure is relfected in the loaders design--the LA211---but what I am saying is that if I walk up to the loader and grab hold of it my 190ish lbs can flex the LA352 more easily than I can flex the LA211. Either loader is very strong for it's purpose, I think the LA211 is very robust for it's capacity--more so than the LA352. Lift height of the two loaders is very similar as I demonstrated and it says so in the brochures--an old argument from some time back. Since the 211 is slightly more compact and has as heavy steel as the 352 and it has a heavier cross piece because the single cylinder works against it and also because the 211 sits closer to the tractor center line--these things make it very torsionally stiff. J

 

[doggman]

Dear Crows:

Thanks for your reply. It sounds to me like you are saying that you are going to keep the 2410 for the utility work and mow the lawn with a Cub....do I have that right?

So where would the BX let you down on the utility work?

I can tell by your observations that you understand tractors. There are some hard core Kubota people out there that claim two things about the B7500 and B2410 that is contrary to the BX craze......they feel really strongly that the B MMM is all of the mower that the BX mower is. In fact many of them feel that the caster type mower does a better job on the lawn. In addition, they claim that the ease of putting the MMM on and off of the BX versus the B is overrated. They say that once you get used to the B you can do it just as quickly. In addtion they claim that the B is more comfy and has just about as tight a turning radius. Boy this makes it hard to make a decision.

On another note. I notice that you are reading the Power Trac posts. What is your take on the PT425? It looks like a winner to me and I hear that they are going to come out with a model at the end of the summer that will have higher lift on the loader.

Thanks,

doggman

 

[TresCrows]

Doggman, thanx but I am hardly a tractor expert. I am just a guy who got a BX cause I needed a tractor and then fell in love with it. The BX never let me down or dissapointed me--you asked, the 2410 has more loader and is easier to work the brush cutter on and it also pulls my boxblade better--of course--it is a bigger tractor. Yes, I am considering a Cub Cadet but while the BX is a far superior tractor for lawn mowing the 2410 is not entirely terrible. I am beginning to learn to live within it's different set of capabilities. No--the BX MMM is much easier to remove and reinstall--much, much easier. There is simply no way a 2410 or 7500 could be as manuverable as a BX and my measurement of 72 inches vs 36 inches (approximate) proves it on the uncut circle. Not only that but the mower sticks out farther to the side of the more narrow BX (when comapred to the 2410) so it is easier to trim close. You should really try them for yourself rather than listen to me. I definitly do not like the MMM design of the castoring ground contact type--it is not as bad as I once thought and I may discover some good points but the suspended type is superior. Oh, one thing--on my 2410 it is very diffucult to install or remove the MMM without using the FEL to lift the front wheels--this is not needed on the BX.
The Powertrac--I have nothing against it, frankly, I know very little about it. It seems like a good concept for a multipurpose unit. If there is a dealer in your area maybe you should investigate. I am going to stick with more conventional tractors for now but who knows.
Again, I think you have reached a point that it is time to go kick some tires--but don't buy anything. Sit on your thoughts and then when it is clear--as mud--go for it. Surely there is a Kubota dealer who will let you demo a BX/7500/2410 in the parking lot. J

 

[Jeff396]

Here's some more food for thought. I think I've had my B7500 long enough now to evaluate my purchase decision after using it for mowing and for hard digging.

My conclusion is that the 7500 is not really the best machine for mowing my 2.25 acres. I should have gone with the BX for this job. The castor mowing deck is putting quite a few ruts in my lawn where the ground is a bit softer. It especially seems to be a problem when the tractor is on uneven ground. The funny thing is that I was all concerned about the R4's ripping up the lawn. That has turned out to be a non issue as they haven't made a mark even where the mmm is doing its damage. The BX would have also been better at making me feel at ease on my many slopes. As far as mmm removal, I don't find it all that difficult but would rather say that it is a bit involved. I wouldn't want to do it without the fel though....I don't think it will come off without lifting the tractor some as the clearance is too tight between the front and rear wheels. I can't tell you how it compares to the BX as I have never seen it done on that model.

Here's the real problem that I think prompts Trescrows to suggest a Cub for mowing duties. I really wish the 7500 was better with the fel. I could really use a good bit more weight and power to do the work I need to do. Traction seems to be the big drawback for me. I know the phrase "take smaller bites" comes up quite often but I would rather not do that as my time outside the house, being a stay at home dad for a 4 and a 7 year old, is quite limited.

So for me I think there is no perfect machine. I need a lighter machine to make less of an impact while mowing the lawn and a much heavier machine for digging. I like the idea of getting a lawn tractor for the grass and a big tractor for digging but I still require 4wd for mowing what with my rather steep hills. That's what steered me toward this whole compact utility tractor thing in the first place. I'm pretty sure (read positive) that I could not have talked the CFO into a BX and a 2910 or something larger to cover both bases./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jeff

 

[RocketJSquirrel]

Yeah, I see this as the big compromise. If you are mowing a wide open area like a school yard, a compact tractor is fine. But if your yard is only an acre or two and has more than a few complications, you'll likely find that using a compact tractor for mowing can get frustrating. I'm glad I have my 50" Simplicity garden tractor for doing the finer mowing duties. After we get the yard expanded I'm looking forward to getting a new one. PS to TC: a Simplicity will produce a nicer cut than the suspended deck tractors. We have a Cub Cadet 46" at work, and all my neighbors have Deere garden tractors. I look at all the cuts, the Simplicity is just plain better. Their dealers are supposed to offer tests on your lawn. Don't know if they are sold out there in the desert SW though.