BX23 100 hr. comments

[Ken_CT]

BX23 - 100-hour appraisal

After putting on 100 hour on the BX23 these are my thoughts:
This is my first real tractor. I also have a Toro wheel horse used for mowing, leaf pick up, etc.
I realize that this is a small tractor and I did not and do not expect it to do the work of a larger machine. I don’t mow with it, but have been digging up many rocks and stumps, put 27 ton of trap rock on drive, reclaimed wooded areas to lawn, and plow snow. Spread 24 ton of fill (pond silt) & am now spreading topsoil over it. The FEL is very useful for a variety of tasks, from digging for a sidewalk to replacing a wheelbarrow, especially when carrying large rocks. The traction with turf tires for plowing snow was surprisingly good, although with the blade angled the front would occasionally slide sideways a bit. I will be putting loaded AG front tires on for next years snow, hopefully that will correct the side-slipping. The turf fronts will be on for warmer weather. Changing the tires should be easy, as the FEL can lift the front tires off the ground. Changed to 10w30 Redline synthetic oil at 100 hrs, and added a toolbox.

·2004 BX23
·48” XB box blade
·5’ Front 4 Way Hydraulic Plow (BX2763) with adjustable skid shoes
·Quick hitch
·5’ XB landscape rake (gauge wheels not in yet).
·Turf tires, rears loaded
·Front AG tires & rims on order (for snow plowing)

Overall:
I love this machine, and if I were to do it all over again, I’d buy the same model.

Pros:
·Backhoe very easy to use
·Backhoe & FEL come off and on quickly & easily
·Very easy to operate
·Well built
·Parts readily available
·Surprisingly good traction even in snow with the turf tires
·Very good fuel economy
·Very stable, comfortable

Cons:
·Parking brake easy to leave on.
·No tach.
·Not a true cat 1 hitch.
·Ground clearance.

Would be better if:
·Had a large, bright, faceted red idiot light on dash for the parking brake.
·A little more break out force on the backhoe bucket.
·A little more lift on the FEL, ability to lift and curl.
·Had true cat 1 3 pt hitch.

 

[notamustang]

That seems like a very honest assesment of your tractor /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[milkman]

·Not a true cat 1 hitch


What is it that you have found that won't fit? I haven't found anything Cat 1 of appropriate size that won't fit yet, and am wondering what is limited about it.
You said you don't use it to mow, I was wondering why the turf instead of the bar tires? Inquiring minds you know. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Nik]

Milkman

Perhaps the BX should be considered as a limited cat 1 hitch. I am a former B2410 owner and now have the BX23. I greatly miss the position control of the B2410 compared to the BX23. Although you can place many regular implements on the hitch of the BX you definitley lose some range of motion with it comared to a regular B series tractor. That is why I have gone with specific subcompact designed implements for my BX. After owning both series I could see that my BX would have not performed as well with my regular WOODS blade and rotary cutter. It sort of would be like wearing pants that are too big. They may go on okay but trying to run and jump in them and they may affect (limit) your speed and finesse to some degree . The estate WOODs series equipment for example complement the BX size well. Besides the specific subcompact implements are easier to hook up because their pins and frame are at right height for the BX tractor. You may get more lift on them.

 

[Ken_CT]

Except for the snow plowing, the work on the yard involves almost always going across grass. The turfs don't dig up the lawn like bar tires would, and except for the front slipping sideways a bit while plowing I've had absolutely no traction issues. I believe I made the right tire choice. When I put the front bars on for plowing the ground will probably be frozen, so no lawn damage. A lot of my property was woods, but little by little I'm turning it into lawn. Being in New England I have no shortage of rocks, many that were sticking out of the ground enough to sharpen the mower blades on, but too big to dig up until now. The backhoe has been a real help eliminating annoying obstructions that I've been manuevering around for the past 20+ years. My property is way in (for CT) off the road. There is wooded areas behind and to the left off my land. There isn't much reason for me to have woods near the house because of the woods around the property that I don't think will ever be built on. Most of my friends think I'm crazy, but I actually enjoy cutting the lawn. My wife has flowerbeds everywhere, all are bordered by rocks and none of them are symetrical in shape, so the smaller Toro is easier to manuever around them. I also like the idea of not having to remove anything from the Kubota before mowing, then re-attaching for other projects. I could see that getting old real quick. I bought the Kubota as a retirement present to myself /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif, and it is definately keeping me busy and out of trouble /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. As far as the 3 pt hitch goes, I've never tried anything other the KKs XB series so I don't know how a standard 3 pt impliment would fit. I sent KK an email asking what the difference in the spacing between the XB and standard series was (never know when I'll NEED another toy) and they basically said "they're different". Well, DUH /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. As I look around the property, my wife & I continue to see new projects for the Kubota. Life is good.

One thing I forgot about in my original post; I have a magnetic oil pan heater I stick on in the winter. The dealer said I wouldn't need a block heater. He was wrong. The heater makes cold starting much easier, and it sound happier starting too.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> What is it that you have found that won't fit? I haven't found anything Cat 1 of appropriate size that won't fit yet, and am wondering what is limited about it. </font>

Milkman,

There was another recent thread on this exact question.

I think your mention of "appropriate size" gives the answer. If the BX was a true CAT 1 then it would take CAT 1 implements without problem...

Unfortunately it does not take them all...hence the need for " appropriate sized" implements... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Now I don't know what the CAT 1 standard is...but I do know my BX 2200 CAT 1 3PH is a lot smaller than most CAT 1 hitches out there...

Fact of life...I accept it...not crying or complaining...just the way it is...

 

[milkman]

I'm sure your 2910 would hook up to an 84" Box Blade, that sure wouldn't be "appropriate" sized for it, that 's what I meant about size, a 4' std cat 1 Box blade does fine on the BX and is appropriate size. I'm trying to find what is limited, the TPH, or the size of the tractor.

 

[Stef]

Ken

I agree with you about turf tires. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I use these all the time and they've never damaged my lawn. I have bars too (only for winter). I use a 64" rear snowblower and with bars it has never slipped. When I got my BX it came with bars and I waited about 2 weeks to get a turf set. I damaged my lawn here and there with bars (very soft spots).

About the 3PH. I have a B2005 rear blade (60") and I can say that it's too big for a BX23. I had really hard time last summer trying to flip the blade. You have to raise the rear tires about 5" to be able to flip the blade. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Scrounger]

I have bar tires and I was concerned about using them on the lawn, but after the first mow I've not been able to see any damage to the lawn. If the lawn if very wet you might leave some marks, but since the tires are so wide and the bars are not that deep, they dont seem to be an issue at all.

I still might pick up a set of turfs just to have, but I dont see whay folks are so concerned about the bars. Then again, I was one of those folks until I used them.

Time to go fix an hydraulic leak on a 5 hour old tractor. Lovely.

 

[Wood_Butcher_Dav]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Now I don't know what the CAT 1 standard is...but I do know my BX 2200 CAT 1 3PH is a lot smaller than most CAT 1 hitches out there... )</font>

This topic seems to rear it's head often. The specs for the different catagory hitches deal with the 'triangle' geometry and pin sizes. Its does not state what the range of motion is and there in lies the difference.