BX23 PTO

[moonstation2000]

Hi, new member here. I just bought my Dads BX23 with FEL, backhoe and mower deck. It's got just under 500 hours and I've started doing the maintenance that it needs. The air filter bracket is broken, but from reading here thats not exactly abnormal.

Anyway, the biggest problem is that the pto doesn't work. My dad loaned it out to my uncle last year to do some driveway work that it was WAY too small for. He ended up messing up the hydraulics for the backhoe and having to get them repaired. I think he also disabled some of the seat safety switches at the same time. I can't get the pto to engage, either mid or rear. All other hydraulics operate normally, as does the HST. I need to get this sorted out before mowing season, which looks to be next week the way my lawn is growing. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Also, the FEL has always seem a little on the weak side. Should I be able to lift the front end of the tractor off the ground with it? It's never been able to..

Apart from that it's a fantastic machine. I'm looking forward to taking care of it and having it last me for a long long time. My dad is unbelievable hard on machinery so I'm glad I'm taking over this little tractor before it gets destroyed.

 

[radioman]

welcome to TBN. :thumbsup:

as for lifting tires off ground- when you push lever to go down and it stops- I would push again and then it should push more. I would get a hydraulic gauge and start testing pressures.

As for pto switches - first I'd check the pto selector and do a full range of shifting from mid to rear and then engage the pto and see what happens. does the tractor stall what you try to engage pto? Have you checked all 3 safety switches? 2 seats and pto?

 

[moonstation2000]

Thanks for the help. I guess I have to check the pressure for the hydraulics, I don't think it can lift the front end off the ground.

The tractor doesn't stall, or do anything at all. Nothing happens. I'll have to check the switches first.

Also. my dad told me that the dealer he bought it from said that he should run the machine at approx 3/4 throttle when using it. With no tach, he would run the rpms up to max and then back off a little. Is this correct? Any harm to running at max throttle when using the backhoe or FEL?

 

[Delphicoder]

As for lifting the front end, I think it lifts when you "dump" if you had put the FEL's bottom flat on the ground.

I think it should easily lift if you put the FEL all the way in the dump position, and then lower the FEL to the ground. This way the "cutting" edge of the bucket digs into the ground first, at a much sooner rate.

At least that has been my experience.

For the PTO not working, like the previous poster said, the first thing I would check are the switches.

No Tach?? My BX25 had a digital tack, small but at the very bottom of the Easy Dash Control Center.

 

[radioman]

Thanks for the help. I guess I have to check the pressure for the hydraulics, I don't think it can lift the front end off the ground.

The tractor doesn't stall, or do anything at all. Nothing happens. I'll have to check the switches first.

Also. my dad told me that the dealer he bought it from said that he should run the machine at approx 3/4 throttle when using it. With no tach, he would run the rpms up to max and then back off a little. Is this correct? Any harm to running at max throttle when using the backhoe or FEL?

try tilting bucket down a little and try to lift front. then release lever and push again second time and it should lift.
as for throttle - approx 3/4 sounds about right or near wide open throttle for rated rpms. It wont hurt a thing since those BX's WERE designed that way in the first place - not like the larger tractors at lower rpms.

 

[rlsmith]

On my BX23 with over 1300 hours I can only get the front end up if I put the FEL as dumping it, have throttle half to three quarter. Then with the BH stabilizers I can bring the back up also, so all 4 wheels are up in the air.
Check the PTO selector lever out real close and lubricate all the linkage. You might have to slightly engage the pto while trying to move the lever from front to rear pto while it is running. Then if the engine stops start checking safety switches.

 

[Aj10523]

To lift the front off the the ground there are two ways one like everybody else said curl the bucket down and then lower the arms. Second when the loader is all the down (you can see there is no more piston left for it to go down) you can then curl the bucket down. Just pushing fel controls to the right past the detent (similar to float but to the right instead) and it should lift the tractor. Works on my bx23

 

[tshep]

Been a while, but - I think the brakes were in there too. IIRC, the machine needs to be able to roll - back, forward, I don't remember, but try it on flat ground with all brakes off, maybe neutral (hydraulic braking off)?

 

[moonstation2000]

Update: Been using the machine in backhoe mode and it's been fine. Bucket will lift the front wheels at max rpm.

However PTO is still out. I was using another mower but it's time to get this one up and running for the summer. I looked at the mechanisms today and they worked fine. The switch seems to work because once the PTO is engaged the tractor cuts out if I'm not on the seat. Is there anything else to check before I have to bite the bullet and bring this thing to the dealer?