BX1500

[Ogg1]

I own a BX1500. I bought it years ago with an end loader, a drag blade and the small belly mower. I used the belly mower a few times and decided that it wasn't for me. It deprived me of the opportunity to get a little "lawn aerobics" using the push mower. So now the mower deck, with less than 20 hrs on it just sits there. That's kinda stupid. Someone out there, maybe you. could actually use that mower. If that's the case, we should talk. The **** thing is just sitting there in my way.

There are a few other issues that have been festering for more time than I want to think about relative to my little tractor. Most of them are probably issues that some of you have already solved. I'll just list them:

1. I need a backhoe for this little thing. Yes, I know that it is too small for a normal backhoe. I'm thinking more along the lines of a small step up from my hickory handled earth moving machine. Anybody worked this one out yet?
2. I have quick disconnect hydraulic lines for my end loader that are controlled by a real nice lever operated four way valve. There has to be some way to use that to power a log splitter. Once again with this small of a tractor you can't think about the normal sized log splitter but just a step up from my sweat powered Fiskars splitting axe.
3. PTO driven generator. I can't find one that is small enough to run off my little tractor. The closest one is that 10KW unit Northern Tool sells for around a $1000.

Well, I could go on but I hear my spading fork calling. It's telling me that I need to get the ground ready for my cucumbers and acorn squash. So I have to go now.

 

[Jeff F.]

Welcome toTBN! It sounds like a BX25 would be perfect for you

 

[Ogg1]

Jeff, I appreciate where you are coming from but I just don't agree. That kind of thinking is what has gotten this country in the mess it is in. It seems that our only solution to any problem is throw more money at it. That's why **** near everyone we both know (probably ourselves included) is drowning in debt just like the government is. I take a different view. I want to get the work I need to do done just as cheaply as I possibly can taking all resources including my time into account. This leaves me more resources to use on things I really want to use them on.

I honestly believe that if more of us thought this way we would start seeing this country turn around and start heading towards a more realistic, more stable and less reactionary direction. Or to put it another way: It's OK to be cheap where you want to be and throw your money at your favorite toys. In fact, that is a pretty important part of having freedom in the first place.

 

[radioman]

I own a BX1500. I bought it years ago with an end loader, a drag blade and the small belly mower. I used the belly mower a few times and decided that it wasn't for me. It deprived me of the opportunity to get a little "lawn aerobics" using the push mower. So now the mower deck, with less than 20 hrs on it just sits there. That's kinda stupid. Someone out there, maybe you. could actually use that mower. If that's the case, we should talk. The **** thing is just sitting there in my way.

There are a few other issues that have been festering for more time than I want to think about relative to my little tractor. Most of them are probably issues that some of you have already solved. I'll just list them:

1. I need a backhoe for this little thing. Yes, I know that it is too small for a normal backhoe. I'm thinking more along the lines of a small step up from my hickory handled earth moving machine. Anybody worked this one out yet?
2. I have quick disconnect hydraulic lines for my end loader that are controlled by a real nice lever operated four way valve. There has to be some way to use that to power a log splitter. Once again with this small of a tractor you can't think about the normal sized log splitter but just a step up from my sweat powered Fiskars splitting axe.
3. PTO driven generator. I can't find one that is small enough to run off my little tractor. The closest one is that 10KW unit Northern Tool sells for around a $1000.

Well, I could go on but I hear my spading fork calling. It's telling me that I need to get the ground ready for my cucumbers and acorn squash. So I have to go now.

First welcome to TBN. Second - about your mower deck - I am sure there are people who need a deck, but what size is it? how much? third, you can get a woods backhoe for the BX 1500, but I think the BX23 or BX24 or BX25 is a better way to go as it has a BH built in and easy/easier to take off then the 3 pt models.
Fourth for a wood splitter, it has been done with the BX, but keep in mind it will have a slow cycle time due to the size and gph of hydrualics of the BX. as for pto generator - you might want to google 7k pto generators. Tiger power used to advertise here and sell for the subcompacts like yours but not sure what happened to them. You might be able to run a 10kw head, but you most likely will not be able to use 10kw worth. There is not engouh PTO HP for a 10kw head. A 7kw is much more sensible.

 

[Ogg1]

First welcome to TBN. Second - about your mower deck - I am sure there are people who need a deck, but what size is it? how much? third, you can get a woods backhoe for the BX 1500, but I think the BX23 or BX24 or BX25 is a better way to go as it has a BH built in and easy/easier to take off then the 3 pt models.
Fourth for a wood splitter, it has been done with the BX, but keep in mind it will have a slow cycle time due to the size and gph of hydrualics of the BX. as for pto generator - you might want to google 7k pto generators. Tiger power used to advertise here and sell for the subcompacts like yours but not sure what happened to them. You might be able to run a 10kw head, but you most likely will not be able to use 10kw worth. There is not engouh PTO HP for a 10kw head. A 7kw is much more sensible.

Thanks for the info Radioman. As you might have guessed from my questions I don't really know much about tractors. I sure do like my little orange tractor though. Tiny as it is that puppy sure has saved me a bunch of work. Based on your info I did a little digging:

Kubota BX1500 15 hp, 10.6 PTO hp; 5.5 gpm hydr
Kubota BX23 22 hp, 16.7 PTO hp; 5.5 gpm hydr

I also went to a site that sells PTO driven generators and they said you need 2hp/kw at the PTO. With only 10.6 HP on tap it looks like I need to find a really small (like 5KW) generator.

As for the log splitter, just as long as it isn't waaaaay slow that's OK. At least I won't have to swing it and it probably will unstick itself from the locust I cut a lot of around here. So if anyone has cobbled together anything in the way of a splitter that uses the pump and control valve I already have I sure would like to hear about it.

Now the backhoe is another story. I understand that three point hitch mounted hoes are not the way to go. Too much slop in the system and you run the risk of destroying your hitch. What I was looking for is something that actually mounts to the tractor. Now I realize that I'll probably need to make it myself since there isn't enough demand for a commercially produced one this small. Well, that would give me an excuse to buy a mill/drill/lathe machine, an iron worker and one of those inverter tig machines. I'm sure those toys would come in handy for other stuff. So if anyone has built or bought something that actually works I'd sure like to hear about it.

 

[rbarker]

I had a Woods ground breaker series hoe on my Bx2200. It worked pretty good for its size and went on and off pretty easy. Don't know off hand if they make a frame kit for the 1500 but I can tell you it wasn't cheap. It was about $5500 several years ago. I now have the BX25 and it is an overall better package. On the generator, if you are going to buy a small one to run off your pto check and see how much the powered units of the same range are. For $1000 I'm pretty sure you could get 8k self contained and then your tractor would be free for other tasks.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[radioman]

Al yelvinton did a post on a 3 point splitter on his bx. he used his power beyond port for his bh. You can use your fel but you will need alever

 

[RaydaKub]

Welcome to TBN.

Jeff, I appreciate where you are coming from but I just don't agree. That kind of thinking is what has gotten this country in the mess it is in. It seems that our only solution to any problem is throw more money at it. That's why **** near everyone we both know (probably ourselves included) is drowning in debt just like the government is. I take a different view. I want to get the work I need to do done just as cheaply as I possibly can taking all resources including my time into account. This leaves me more resources to use on things I really want to use them on.

You evidently came here for advice. Yet when you get it and it isn't exactly what you want to hear, you beat it down with a political angle.

Now I realize that I'll probably need to make it myself since there isn't enough demand for a commercially produced one this small. Well, that would give me an excuse to buy a mill/drill/lathe machine, an iron worker and one of those inverter tig machines. I'm sure those toys would come in handy for other stuff. So if anyone has built or bought something that actually works I'd sure like to hear about it.

So, it's ok to throw you money around to buy a lathe and welder, and throw your time into building one to do the job you want, but not throw money at a tractor that someone recommends for the task you describe. Hmmm. Do you not see the irony of your 2 posts?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

You can,for enough money and time which should have some value, make lots of things do jobs poorly. Your not alone. Go for it. I to believe you got some good experienced advise which you rejected then went on about spending more money. Hasn't it occured to you that there are different sized tractors for different jobs like almost all tools? After you spend that money you'll have something probably no one else on earth would give you any money for it, For sure no one that knows anything about tractors. Good luck with your BX1500 which was one of my finest mowers.

 

[radioman]

In the generator story -- I also have a standalone genny - another motor to maintain - but it allows me to put it in my vehicle instead of trailering my whole tractor daily to take to my rental property for cleanups. I always wanted a pto genny, but in this case, sometimes standalone convenience just trumps the use of pto hookups. If you wanted to , they do have diesel models which would allow you to use same fuel as your BX . :2cents:

 

[SPYDERLK]

I own a BX1500. I bought it years ago with an end loader, a drag blade and the small belly mower. I used the belly mower a few times and decided that it wasn't for me. It deprived me of the opportunity to get a little "lawn aerobics" using the push mower. So now the mower deck, with less than 20 hrs on it just sits there. That's kinda stupid. Someone out there, maybe you. could actually use that mower. If that's the case, we should talk. The **** thing is just sitting there in my way.

There are a few other issues that have been festering for more time than I want to think about relative to my little tractor. Most of them are probably issues that some of you have already solved. I'll just list them:

1. I need a backhoe for this little thing. Yes, I know that it is too small for a normal backhoe. I'm thinking more along the lines of a small step up from my hickory handled earth moving machine. Anybody worked this one out yet?
2. I have quick disconnect hydraulic lines for my end loader that are controlled by a real nice lever operated four way valve. There has to be some way to use that to power a log splitter. Once again with this small of a tractor you can't think about the normal sized log splitter but just a step up from my sweat powered Fiskars splitting axe.
3. PTO driven generator. I can't find one that is small enough to run off my little tractor. The closest one is that 10KW unit Northern Tool sells for around a $1000.Well, I could go on but I hear my spading fork calling. It's telling me that I need to get the ground ready for my cucumbers and acorn squash. So I have to go now.

Runs fine on a BX1500. Youre just limited to about 7KW.
larry

 

[Ogg1]

Runs fine on a BX1500. Youre just limited to about 7KW.
larry

All right now Larry I'm a little slow sometimes. Mostly when I'm awake. So let me be sure that I understand what you're saying. I take it that you have a BX1500 and one of those 10kw generators from Northern Tool and you run that off the PTO on your BX1500. Furthermore you don't have any problems with that setup except that you can only get 7kw out of it. Now, have I got that straight?

Sorry about the being slow crap. I just have to be sure I understand things.

 

[SPYDERLK]

All right now Larry I'm a little slow sometimes. Mostly when I'm awake. So let me be sure that I understand what you're saying. I take it that you have a BX1500 and one of those 10kw generators from Northern Tool and you run that off the PTO on your BX1500. Furthermore you don't have any problems with that setup except that you can only get 7kw out of it. Now, have I got that straight?

Sorry about the being slow crap. I just have to be sure I understand things.

Yes. I took measurements and established that as the buckling point. The advantage of an oversized gen is that it doesnt buckle electrically - which is an instant thing. ... Mechanical inertia in the system will still give a very brief high surge to kick a motor into action before the engine loses too many RPM. We ran our whole house and barn with it for 2 days last winter. I turned off the elect water heater in the barn but that still left the tack room heater, 3 refig, 1 freezer, microwave, oil furnace/fan, gas water heater exhaust fan, bench mill, bandsaw, grinder, lights, TV, computers, etc. -- All cycling indiscriminately. Never a problem until I experimented and tried to start the 3HP fountain - A running load of 3.5KW. No dice. It will start when the gen is driven by the L2550; just too much sustained surge load for the underdriven gen.
... The BX drive is quiet, fuel efficient and adequate in a non "all electric" abode.
larry

 

[Ogg1]

Yes. I took measurements and established that as the buckling point. The advantage of an oversized gen is that it doesnt buckle electrically - which is an instant thing. ... Mechanical inertia in the system will still give a very brief high surge to kick a motor into action before the engine loses too many RPM. We ran our whole house and barn with it for 2 days last winter. I turned off the elect water heater in the barn but that still left 3 refig, 1 freezer, microwave, oil furnace/fan, gas water heater exhaust fan, bench mill, bandsaw, grinder, lights, TV, computers, etc. -- All cycling indiscriminately. Never a problem until I experimented and tried to start the 3HP fountain - A running load of 3.5KW. No dice. It will start when the gen is driven by the L2550; just too much sustained surge load for the underdriven gen.
... The BX drive is quiet, fuel efficient and adequate in a non "all electric" abode.
larry

Larry, I sure do appreciate your taking the time to explain all this to me. I have a stand alone generator out in the garage but it is a gas burner. Pretty darn expensive to run all day long. I'm thinking a PTO unit run with my BX1500 would be a lot cheaper to run. I won't be running near as much stuff as you do so I should be all right with this setup.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Yes, it was running about 3HRs on a fillup [before I got scared and refilled] during the heavy use daytime. ~ 1gph. :confused3:

 

[dex3361]

I agree with Larry. I have a BX1500 and I actually hook up my 15KW generator and it will do 7kW -7.5KW before it starts dropping off from loss of power.

 

[CHDinCT]

Regarding your backhoe question - if you search for a thread started by member Blackmajicwomen you'll find a lengthy thread on his mounting a Woods ground breaker BH on his BX1500. Woods makes/made a subffame for your tractor, so it's doable for a price assuming they still have the subframe available.

A secondary benefit would be the addition of two hydraulic ports at the rear of the tractor to run a 3PH splitter. I would recommend a bidirectional type version like Northerntool sells to compensate for the slow cycle times. I had one mounted to my old BX1800 and it worked fine for logs up to about 15" diameter.

 

[CHDinCT]

Correcion to my Last post. My old tractor was a BX1860 - still, 18hp engine.