BX Mower questions

BANDAMAN · Mar 13, 2004

I have been doing a search and the info has been very useful, but I wanted to get everyones opinion on the following: Using a Kubota BX, Can you mow with AG tires? Will they tear up your grass? Are the turf tires adequate for everything you want to do? Is it worthwhile to have both sets? (Ags Loaded, turfs empty for mowing?)

My dealer has told me that for my 1.2 acres (flat with long berm on one side) the best setup is a 54 " MMM with a mulch kit. (This is based on the fact that I am currently using a JD LT180 with a dedicated mulching deck.) He says the mulch kit takes a lot of power and the angle transistions at the berm will require the 54". I have read that the 60" or 54" does fine without the mulch kit and that the 60" gets up closer for trimming. I have also read that the 60" is a better deck, but my dealer was not aware of that. I really like the way my lawn looks after using the JD with the Freedom Series mulcher and/or my Lawnboy pushmower with the mulching kit. Will I be satisfied with the cut if I use the regular side discharge 54" or 60" MMM on a BX?

I am planning on test driving a BX1500, Bx2200, and B2230 tomorrow to try and make my final decision.

THANKS FOR THE HELP!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

r0GuE · Mar 13, 2004

I don't think you are going wrong with the 54 or the 60. Personally I love my 60 as I get done faster! Also I can stick it under the hedge line so no weed wacking is needed. The deck is a heavier gauge steel too! Win win win. You don't need a mulcher trust me on this... If you mow as often as a mulcker requires, then you will have pretty small clippings anyway.

Now for the tire question (the reason I am really replying), I started with turfs, but I got worried about the upcoming winter so the dealer switched me to Ags for free when I bought my loader. Well, they really didn't rip up the ground/grass, but the do dimple it and what I must assume would eventually compact the soil. I now have both sets/. Turfs for summer, and ags for winter snow plowing. With the amount of snow we had this year, I alsmot didn't make it back to the shed. If I'd of had the turfs, my tractor would have spent a few weeks in the middle of my yard.

The extra set is surprisingly cheap... less than $300 including the steel wheels.

JWE · Mar 13, 2004

I have a BX2200 with a 60-inch MMM. I live on a hillside with many angulations. In my opinion, the 60-inch mower does an outstanding job (no scalping or stepping). If I were you, I would go with the 60 inch mower.

I also have AG tires. The only time that AG tires leave their trademark is when the ground is soupy wet. With my lawn the marks are gone within a couple of days after I cut the grass in wet weather. If you have very soft ground to begin with you may have different results.

Another piece of free advice is.... Get a FEL if your budget will allow! I have found that next to the mower the FEL is the most used implement that I own. I wasn't going to get one but fellow TBNers talked me into it. I sure am glad that I listened to them.

John

r0GuE · Mar 13, 2004

A hundred AMENS to the FEL. There was one summer 2 years ago when I used the loader probably twice as much as the mower. You'll find yourself doing lots of stuff you'd just not consider before. In fact last year I moved ~50 ton of river rock with mine (in a day)!!!!

2 years ago I did a few tri-axles of soil and mulch!!!

I always use it for snow (in conjunction with an inexpensive rear blade).

How about carring heavy thoings from the car to the shed or basement doors.

hauling leaves

lifting the front of the tractor to put the turfs on in the summer, ags in the winter.

on and on and on...

art · Mar 13, 2004

I think you would be hard pressed to find a better deck then Kubota is building. I've taken several of the LT Deere's in and I've never had a customer bring up anything to do with a lower quality mowing job. The Kubota decks do offer some different blades for different amounts of suction on some models but I've only had to make some adjustments for commercial operators and golf coarses from the standard blades. This is normally just for operating in inclimate weather. On the tires I don't think that you would notice to much difference as they are a very low cleat and unless on near sandy conditions I have not seen any turf tearing while people are mowing.

Henro · Mar 13, 2004

Another difference between the 54" and 60" is that the 60" has a feature called the "Self-Balance Suspended Linkage" which is supposed to "Reduce the stepped difference in cutting height when mowing rolling terrain."

I have the 60" on my BX, but have never used a 54," so I have no idea whether this added feature makes any difference or not. But it is there... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

rosey · Mar 13, 2004

Bandman...The Ag tires will give you better traction all the way around especially in snow. When I bought my BX the salesman talked me out of Ag. tires but I quickly found out that if you are going to do any loader work..snow, etc., that the Ag. tires (loaded) are the way to go. I don't have a problem with them tearing up my lawn as long as you're not doing 360's /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif with the tractor. Do a search on ag. tires in this forum....have been several posts on this topic before.

rosey · Mar 13, 2004

Bandman...one other thing...prior to getting my new BX, I had a JD LX277....the cut of the Kubota is OK but nothing like the cut of the John Deere. Don't get me wrong....I absolutely love my Kubota but don't think that it leaves as "manicured" of a cut as the Deere did...just my opinion.