BX23 Help Please

[Robocop5626]

I bought a BX23 last year specifically to use the MMM. My two acre yard was too large and steep to safely use a regular mower. The tractor also included a FEL and BH. I figured at 22hp it should be able to climb my sloped back yard easily. However I found it had difficulty after operating it for about and hour. When I climbed the slope and reached the crown, the tractor would actually stop and chatter. Not too safe at all as I usually had to back down the hill again. I changed all of the fluids and filters using SUDT in the HST. However, after an hour or so thte tractor will not climb the slope in my back yard. My smaller mower would climb them easier but hte danger of upending was high. I removed the FEL & BH and it still has issues climbing the yard. Is this a case of needing a bigger tractor? I am not a small fellow at 300+ pounds. My wife has agreed on trading this tractor in and buying larger if it will prevent me from being rolled over! :laughing:
I would appreciate any thoughts...

John

 

[TripleR]

John, I had a BX2200 and now have a BX2660 and something is definitely wrong as your tractor should not stall out. Either of my BX's would climb until they lost traction and in low neither one has ever stalled out unless I was using the loader with a lot of weight going into a pile and usually they would just spin.

Sadly, I don't know enough about mechanical issues to determine the problem, but in my opinion, you don't need a different tractor when a BX23 is operating properly.

Larry

 

[keyman1808]

I agree with Larry. Something is amiss with your machine. Almost sounds like its not picking up fuel. Maybe junk in the tank?? Did you change BOTH fuel filters?? Hydro Filter?? Clean the hydro screen?? No to any of these questions could be your culprit.

Good Luck
Jim

 

[dodge man]

Are you using low range, which has the turtle next to it on the shifter? Mine will just about climb any hill that is within reason of being safe, but it has to be in the low range. It will also work better if you back off the HST pedal a little bit when climbing a steep hill. This goes against instinct, which is to press further down on the pedal when climbing a hill, but letting off on the pedal some is like using a lower gear on a gear tractor.

If none of this helps, something is amiss and you may need to take it to the dealer.

 

[vrman]

Parking brake off? j/k!
Really sounds like you should have the dealer look at it. I have a BX23, and it has never had a problem with hills or ditches.

 

[SARG]

Yup ... Mine (NH T1030) also has to be in low range.

 

[Robocop5626]

Thanks for all the input. I always use low (turtle) gear. To date I've splintered a deck spindle, crunched an aluminum downspout with the FEL raised to clear my fence and almost pulled my mailbox down with a BH outrigger, so I ALWAYS go really slow and careful, tho' my wife would no doubt disagree.
I changed oil, air, both fuel and HST filters. I learned much about the fuel system when I inserted the new filter and turned on the key to prime it with fuel. First I learned the right hose spews the fuel and I had the filter in the left. But at least diesel fuel doesn't burn the skin much.. Lying under the tractor I used vise grips to clamp one of the hoses and pulled the filter free. The opened hose must have come directly from the tank as it was quite a gusher until I got that old filter back in and clamped the correct line. Now I did not clean the hydro screen. I have both manuals but hated to get diesel fuel all over them at that moment. I believe it is buried near the bottom behind the right rear tire. Could that screen cause such a problem? Is it accessible without removing the rear tire? I can get the MMM off, the FEL off and the BH off, but I dunno about a tire..

John

 

[Robocop5626]

Also, if the tractor was running as expected should it carry me and all of hte attachments up the slope or do I still need to keep it bare minimum?


John

 

[timswi]

You can remove the screen without removing the tire or the MMM.

Are you sure that the brakes aren't dragging?

My BX23 will climb anything in low range with the FEL,BH and MMM attached without even a hint of rpm or speed drop. As others have said, it runs out of traction before it runs out of power. I've had mine 6 years and never even came close to stalling it.

There's definitly something going on there. Did you replace the air filter as well?

 

[Robocop5626]

I will try to get out to the garage and try to remove and clean the HST screen tomorrow if possible. If it's where I think the manual shows it, that area is pretty tight fit even if you don't have big hands..lol. I did notice some inprovement when I used the SUDT after changing all hte filters, but it still stalled after running for awhile.

Thanks again,

John

 

[timswi]

Getting that screen out is no big deal John...Looks worse than it is. I would remove the BH...That would add a whole new dimention. You might want to have something handy to plug the whole. Not sure how much fluid you'd lose as I always do mine after draining it.

Use some brake cleaner..That does a quick job of it.

 

[rdsaustintx]

You shouldn't be mowing with the backhoe on anyway. The mower linkage is part of the 3ph hitch system, and that hits the footplate on the backhoe. No way around that, you shouldn't mow with it on. It is easy to take on/off with practice. Doesn't even get your hands dirty.

BX23 should climb any hill you dare. Everything said on here is good advice. It is probably something simple. Run at WOT, keep fuel system clean, do NOT push the HST pedal on hills, check parking brake, make sure 3ph isn't stuck in up position, etc.

The hydro filter screen is on a banjo bolt behind the left rear wheel, can't miss it. 22 or 24mm (I think). You can clean it without losing much SUDT and the wheel can stay on.

Oh yeah. Use SUDT

 

[timswi]

You shouldn't be mowing with the backhoe on anyway. The mower linkage is part of the 3ph hitch system, and that hits the footplate on the backhoe. No way around that, you shouldn't mow with it on. It is easy to take on/off with practice. Doesn't even get your hands dirty.

BX23 should climb any hill you dare. Everything said on here is good advice. It is probably something simple. Run at WOT, keep fuel system clean, do NOT push the HST pedal on hills, check parking brake, make sure 3ph isn't stuck in up position, etc.

The hydro filter screen is on a banjo bolt behind the left rear wheel, can't miss it. 22 or 24mm (I think). You can clean it without losing much SUDT and the wheel can stay on.

Oh yeah. Use SUDT

1000000% correct on every point.

 

[Robocop5626]

Hmmm! I did not know about the BH/MMM contact issue. My BH is off now it did appear to be covered in fluid at the bottom. I hope I didn't pinch a line using the MMM while BH attached. I will also check the position on the 3PTH. I have never used it as I lack any toolsfor it. But it could have been raised when I was trying out the levers. The 3PTH lever stays in the raised position when I use it to raise hte MMM. I did also note an issue using the FEL when MMM is fully raised too. I did use SUDT last change a few weeks ago with the new filters. I may drain it all out to clean the screen and then refill to cut down on the mess.

Thanks again for the great guidance. It's really educating me on my machine. I love my tractor!:thumbsup:

John

 

[LBrown59]

Getting that screen out is no big deal John...Looks worse than it is. I would remove the BH...That would add a whole new dimention. You might want to have something handy to plug the whole. Not sure how much fluid you'd lose as I always do mine after draining it.

Use some brake cleaner..That does a quick job of it.

I use a 26 MM socket :
No need to remove the wheel or the BH .

 

[rdsaustintx]

Hmmm! I did not know about the BH/MMM contact issue. My BH is off now it did appear to be covered in fluid at the bottom.

Whoa. This is something you need to look into. Not enough information to guess what's wrong, but you should not be losing SUDT. Anywere.

Coincidentally, I have pinched the BH return line before, bad enough to cause a leak. Not sure how I did it, could have been BH mount or the 3ph arms. After I noticed the dripping I found the lower BH plate was covered with hydraulic fluid and the protective sleeve was soaked. Replacement of the line took 15 minutes at a local supply house.

Doubt this would directly cause a problem with HST drive, but you do NOT want to let hydraulic fluid level get low. Ever.

 

[LBrown59]

Hmmm! I did not know about the BH/MMM contact issue. My BH is off now it did appear to be covered in fluid at the bottom. I hope I didn't pinch a line using the MMM while BH attached.
1*I will also check the position on the 3PTH.
2* I have never used it as I lack any tools for it.
3*But it could have been raised when I was trying out the levers.
4*The 3PTH lever stays in the raised position when I use it to raise the MMM.
5*I did also note an issue using the FEL when MMM is fully raised too.
6*I did use SUDT last change a few weeks ago with the new filters.
I may drain it all out to clean the screen and then refill to cut down on the mess.
John

**********
1*Are you talking about the 3 point control lever or the 3 point hitch itself ?
2*My 3 point hitch has never been installed on my BX23.
3*Where the 3 point is don't matter , but the position of the lever does matter.
4*The lever is supposed to return to the center position after lowering or lifting.
5*That's because the lever did not returm to the center position .
6*You should have done that when you changed the fluid .
Would have made things a lot simpler for you.

 

[CHDinCT]

The 3PTH lever stays in the raised position when I use it to raise hte MMM. I did also note an issue using the FEL when MMM is fully raised too. John

Don't have a BX23, but if you're saying that the 3PH lever is not returning to neutral after raising the MMM, then you've loosing pressure due to the valve staying open. I don't know if this would impact drive power in your HST, but I'd think so. Maybe I misread what you're saying, but after raising/lowering the 3PH/MMM, the lever needs to go back to neutral. This would explain your FEL issue for sure.

 

[LBrown59]

Don't have a BX23, but if you're saying that the 3PH lever is not returning to neutral after raising the MMM, then you've loosing pressure due to the valve staying open. I don't know if this would impact drive power in your HST, but I'd think so. Maybe I misread what you're saying, but after raising/lowering the 3PH/MMM, the lever needs to go back to neutral. *This would explain your FEL issue for sure.

Yesterday I just tried lifting my bx23 fel bucket with said lever in the up position.
FEl would not move til i put that lever in the center /netural spot.

 

[TroyR57]

Yep with My BX 23, if the Lifting lever is not returned to the center, I have all kinda hyd problems. sounds to me like that is the problem.