bx2200 operating opinions

[richfromPA]

hey all,
even though i have been biased towards getting a b7500, im not totally against the bx2200. i was wondering how all you operators of the bx feel about some things:
how do the baby ags work in the snow and tearing up turf?
does the loader pickup full buckets of dirt, mulch, stone easily?
does anyone move snow with a 60 inch rear blade, and hows well does it push?
what does it take to bog it down?
does the lower ground clearance haunt you alot?

thanks rich

 

[Charliebrn]

Rich,
My BX has turfs, so I can't give you an opinion on the Ags. However, moving full buckets of snow around on a gravel driveway was not an issue. I had need to move some dirt and compost around last weekend, and I had no trouble picking either up with full buckets. I did have a Box scraper on the back for ballast, though. My land is relatively flat, but I don't see an issue with ground clearance, in fact i like the lower center of gravity...it gives me some confidence when i have to do my ditch bank. The tighter turn radius is nice too.

Some have made an argument that the BX is actually a step up from the 7500, and I think a lot of what they say holds water. See if you can try them both out on your land....

 

[TresCrows]

Rich you ask some good questions and several comparisons have been made on this site. I would and did get the BX over the 7500 for MY purposes. I need a tractor that is a good mower and has excellent stability, for this the wide low stance of the BX is an asset and coupled with it's clever packaging that produces a very compact manuverable machine for in tight mowing. The BX2200 has more horsepower than the 7500, weighs 1300 lbs stripped vs 1367 for the 7500--not much difference in size is there? The FEL is not as "powerful as the one available for the 7500 but it nonetheless works very well and will lift a full bucket of mulch, driveway gravel, soil etc. It will even dig into hard clay. My BX pulls the Kubota 48 inch box blade well, I am still learning to use it effectively. Anyway, the loader is an excellent unit. When I bought my boxblade the dealer used a forklift to put it in my truck, I used the FEL and a chain to do the same. The BX will need rear weight for maximum duty loader work--either wheel ballast or install a boxblade even better than ballast. The BX is my first "real" tractor but it is a fine unit. I looked at the B2400 also and could not justify it in addition to the fact it would not get in close on my beds and landscaping like the BX can. Here I do not have a lot of snow but we had a pretty good amount this year and the BX and FEL kept my driveway clear. I have the "baby" bar tires. They provide excellent traction and I have found that by slightly reducing pressure and removing the FEL for mowing they do not tear up the grass at all as long as I make sure to stay off the yard when it is wet. Not a tractor pulling expert here but I bet the BX has at least as much pulling power as the 7500 confirmed by the fact they are rated for essentially the same implements on the Kubota implement chart. It pulls the 48 inch box blade with a full box and teeth down. The wheels break loose sometimes but it keeps going. I guess my point is that the BX 2200 is not really a step down from the excellent 7500, just a side step or even for some uses a step up. Ground clearnace, the BX gives up to the 7500 but when I demoed the 7500 it felt tippy on my ground and the BX does not. If ground clearance is an issue for FEL work remove the mower deck. Still for in the "rough" use the 7500 has the edge and if FEL work is your primary concern the 7500 has the edge. If you want a slick little utility tractor that is an excellent mower, stable with it's wider lower stance and very powerful with an excellent and very useful FEL then the BX should be favored. For me manuverability was the winning point thus I stepped UP to the BX over the 7500. They are both excellent units--good luck with your decision. Attached, my wife on the Baby "bota with collies last Spring. J

 

[richfromPA]

hey guys,
what do you use your box scrapers for other than tearing up the soil? can you push snow with them?

rich

 

[RobS]

Rich, I used my box scraper to push snow this winter because I don't yet have a rear blade. It works OK, but without the angling feature it's not too useful for long runs. The snow either builds up to the point where it won't move it any more (tires spin) or it rolls off each side creating windrows that need to be cleaned up (pushing in reverse).

But there are numerous other uses for a box scraper. FEL counterweight, poor mans tiller with the scarifiers down, dozer blade pushing backwards, material transport etc. I'm sure some of the real pros can list many more uses.

Hope this helps /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

I think the most common use, at least in my area, is for spreading, smoothing, and leveling dirt, sand, gravel, etc.

Bird

 

[Roy]

I also run turfs. No problem moving or excavating with the BX. If it can fit in the FEL, it has handled it.

I have used two blades, a 5' loaner last winter (from the dealer until the FEL's were first shipped), and a 4' I have purchased since then. I should have stayed with the 5'. BX treats them both equally (no problems what so ever). What I miss is the extra width and weight. The 4' is too close to the tractors footprint, so after you clear a high, dry snow, the wall will collapse back in onto the tire tracks. No traction problems, but it makes for a slightly messier job.

 

[watersjj]

I have the BX but about the only disadvantage I've noticed is the maximum lift on the FEL between the two tractors. The BX because of it's lower profile does not have the same clearance as the B7500. This might be a problem if you are attempting to load over the side of a dump truck ect. I built a ramp out of scrape material to give my BX more dumping clearance. I used some steel tubing and expanded metal to keep the ramp light. I can move the ramp with my box blade and chain or the FEL. Some advantages of the BX is easy refueling and the lower dismount. The BX is a fun little tractor to drive.

 

[Thomas]

Great looking picture..also a tad jealous of the spring green grass you have now. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Thomas]

rich,
Breaking up ice in the driveway..but gentle.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif