BX1880 yay or nay?

[PaulL2]

I added an FEL to an older BX2350. The loader was quite expensive to add, and the value of the combined unit after doing it was probably not as high as what I'd spent to do it. Realistically I probably would have been better selling it and buying one with an FEL. I'm not sure I'd add the FEL to a BX1800 v's trading in. I also suspect a 2380 with an FEL would hold it's value better than a 1880. But for box blading, I don't think it'll do more than what you already have.....so a B2650 is probably more logical. Or an older B class machine with a loader.

 

[eubie5]

Thanks for all the replies. Not sure what I'm gonna do. I'm definitely not going to add a fel to what i have. I truly only boxblade once or twice a year, and have been making due with what i have. Not sure how much larger i would want to go. With what i mow, anything over a 60" mmm is too large. Really looking forward to getting a fel though.

 

[PaulL2]

I'm definitely not going to add a fel to what i have.

I agree. New tractor and new FEL, or trade for an older tractor with an older FEL. But new FEL on an old tractor is a recipe for losing money.

I truly only boxblade once or twice a year, and have been making due with what i have.

With a FEL as well it may work out fine. Sounds like you can boxblade fine downhill, problem is the gravel makes its way to the bottom. But with a FEL then you won't need to weight the front (FEL is the weight), and you can lift a couple buckets of gravel back to the top of the hill. That may be all you need to have it work well enough.

Not sure how much larger i would want to go. With what i mow, anything over a 60" mmm is too large. Really looking forward to getting a fel though.

The B2601 is also 60 inch MMM, but no need to change if what you have is enough for what you do.

Ultimately I hear you saying you want what you have but with an FEL. So it makes a lot of sense to buy the same as what you have but with an FEL. And that's cheaper than buying a bigger tractor.

In terms of the 18 vs the 23, they're the same tractor. If you have any tasks today that you run out of HP on, then a 23 would be better. But since the BX is known for running out of traction before it runs out of power, and you're not talking about any PTO applications, I don't really see that you need more HP. To me if you were buying new then it's not a lot more money to get into a 23, and you'll never need to worry. But if that $1-2K matters in your budget, then buy the 18.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Being a person that has traded often I recommend you contact Barlows or a few of your local dealers and ask them how they will trade you for a new BX with FEL and R4 tires. Ask them about the BX1880 and get the price and then ask if you change to the BX2380 and see the difference and decide if it's worth it to you. Both will do the jobs your talking about equally. The BX2380 will resale quicker and easier and maybe even return a bit more of the original cost and maybe not.
The FEL is a requirement for a tractor, it's going from a big high priced mower to a tractor :thumbsup::cool2: and once you've been there you never go back. A tractor (has FEL) with a boxblade and a Piriniha or RatchetRake will have you ready to work those acres. Have the dealer add a hook or two hooks on the top of the bucket which really increases the uses of the front bucket with a chain or tow/lifting straps. There was a recent posting concerning getting a grapple for a BX and those of us who have grapples and can afford the increased cost of the added hydraulics and the grapple say go for it. They are handy and a bit fun. Tractors should be fun and usually are for those of us with under 50 acres that don't farm for a living or count on crop income for extras. If your a Veteran then join the Membership - FARMER VETERAN COALITION Farm Vets Coalition (Free) and get $200 to $500 off a Kubota.
You can save state sales tax on the trade in most states by trading vs selling and buying. I just traded RTVs which cut $600 off my state sales tax on the purchase and I would have had to get $600 more by selling it myself to come out at the same price to me.
If you trade you can also take the money for your trade in in cash from the dealer and finance the entire purchase at 0% for 60 months and use that money to pay off any debt you have that is costing you interest or just use the money to buy that grapple from some one besides your dealer (Landpride). Everything Attachments has what looks like some useful grapples and I recommend the one with the flatter bottom EA sells vs the Landpride clam shell type I bought.
Go forth and make that trade!!!!!!!!:cool2::cool2::cool2:

 

[George the Beagle]

I had a BX 1860 which I traded for a BX 2370. I've used a 54" mmm, a 50" front mount snowblower, and an FEL on both. The only difference I could see was in the slightly increased FEL lifting capacity with the 2370. So I agree with John Thomas in saying that either one will work out for you. If you want more, go for the B. But you will love a FEL no matter which one you get, trust me. Oh, and get the hook welded on the bucket, too. I have one in the center which works just fine.

 

[moparrob]

Im considering the 1880 as well. I have an M59 (love it, but it would kill my lawn) and a crappy Craftsman riding mower which is on its 4th transmission in 3 years. I want a decent mower that can use farm diesel, and it would be nice if it had a loader for cleaning stalls where my M59 won't fit. The smaller BX isnt much more expensive than a small diesel riding mower with no loader, and the 0% financing is appealing also. Does the midmount mower and bagger work at least as well as a regular riding mower?

 

[PaulL2]

Does the midmount mower and bagger work at least as well as a regular riding mower?

Midmount mower, definitely. Bagger I have no experience with, and my usual advice to people is to buy it without the bagger and use it for a while to see if you really need a bagger. The bagger is expensive and cumbersome. On my lawn, I just use the side discharge (no mulching kit), and I just discharge to the centre, and re-mow over it each round. When I get to the centre there's a small pile left, most has gone into the lawn. I have a chain on the side discharge flap, so I pull it up and drive over the grass that's left, it blows up into the wind, and is gone. It also means less fertilizer on the lawn.

I've never felt the need to bag - to be fair I intensely dislike bagging, so I may not be the most unbiased person around. I suspect a lot of views on this revolve around how thick your grass is, how fast it grows, how often you mow, and how fussy you are. Our grass is a buffalo grass of sorts (kikuyu), it grows fast in spring/summer, but I mow twice a week at peak times, and my main concern is that grass clippings not come inside on feet, which they don't. I'd rather mow more often without bagging (I like driving my tractor, I hate emptying grass clippings), you may be different. But you can try without, and if you don't like it on your lawn with your grass etc, then you can buy a bagger at that point.

If it weren't for the stall cleaning, then a Kubota diesel zero turn, or second hand F, would be the best mower. A BX is a good mower, and not having to clean out stalls is definitely worth a little compromise on mow quality and speed.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ I have no use for baggers either, but then I don't live on a country club cul de sac.

I will some times use one on my push mowers if I need to collect clippings for use as mulch somewhere else, but that's only happened once in the last few years.

 

[eubie5]

I loved my 1880. It was a beast n and did everything i asked of it. I just wanted a front end loader. I didn't have a bagger, but sometime used the pull behind lawn sweeper that i paid a couple hundred bucks for. That thing worked great.

 

[eubie5]

^^also, the tractor was great at cutting grass, it's why i bought it.