Buying Advice Downsizing from B3350 to BX2680 or BX23S

robstaples · Dec 23, 2019

I love the B3350 cab model with A/C and heat. I pickup my grass with the rear pto driven bagger. Works great using the 60 deck. But the machine is too heavy (2400lbs) and constantly tears up the lawn. Not full sun so weak grass.
DPF issues have been solved for me but I know I will take a hit on trade in.

Looking for suggestions on the BX series. Will probably get bagger and 60 deck and Curtis cab. Thinking about the bh and loader on the BX23S to go places my L39TLB can not. L39 does snowblowing but is not maneuver friendly in tight spaces.
Have a hill to cut so I need 4WD. So no zeroturn.

Slowpoke Slim · Dec 24, 2019

How about just putting turf tires on the 3350? 2400 pounds doesn't really sound that heavy to me.

chim · Dec 24, 2019

Are you constantly in 4WD with the loader on? Your ground must be a whole lot softer than mine or we're doing something different. My lawn mower is a 4240 HSTC with R4's, a 90" Caroni RFM and filled rear tires. I never had it on a scale, but my guess is almost twice what the 3350 weighs. It works very well and there's a creek that keeps a good part of our property on the damp side. It floods briefly a few times each year and I can get on it a few days later.

I have a grandson who looks forward to driving grandpa's tractor when they visit here about 4X a year. He really only steers around the yard erratically and needs to have either me or my son in the cab. Last visit the loader was on and my son was helping. Apparently the little fella stepped on the 4WD lever and I noticed some chewed up turf where he made one of his famous lock-to-lock turn patterns.

The loader (frame and all) are very easy to get on and off, so it's only on when I need it. My L3200's home-built cab has good heat. Heat is simple, but A/C isn't. It would be awful hard to give up the A/C now that I've had it for a Summer.

Slowpoke Slim · Dec 24, 2019

Agree with Chim,

I wouldn't give up my heated and A/C cab either. And my tractor with loader, bucket, and 6' brush hog (with filled tires) weighs 7100 lbs. I'm running R-4's as well, and with my sandy loam ground, I'm only tearing up the ground if it's wet, or if I've left it in 4x4 and making turns.

Rosseasu · Dec 24, 2019

My BX 23S weighs about 2800lbs without a cab, so would not be a big savings there. But it is very good in tight spaces.

redman135 · Dec 24, 2019

As others have asked, do you need 4x4 ALL? the time.

2ndly try doing large radius turns at the end of a cut. The lazier the turn the less transmission windup to tear up the grass.

Also, how fast are you going, a fast turn will tear grass where a low speed turn does not.

robstaples · Dec 25, 2019

I have a loader but took it off years ago based of members comments. I have turf tires , not weighted, and only use the 4wd going up and down the hill. In and out of 4WD up and down, in and out......
I guess the 2400 doesn’t include 700 lbs for the deck and vacuum. So total is around 3100.
I see the BX23S under 1600 lbs in the specs . Not sure what the difference is.