Mowing Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change.

   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change. #11  
My L2550 had a MMM, but I continue to use my Toro Timecutter. Consumer's Reports rated the Gravely best, and Toro 2nd best, of all zero turns rated. I paid $3K for the Toro vs about $5.5K for the Gravely, a year ago, so your option doesn't have to cost $8K. Unless you've got some steep hills on your property, ZT is the route to take.
You may also be able to recapture some of what the MMM cost you, on some unsuspecting tractor owner who is not a careful buyer.
 
   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change. #12  
When I bought my tractor, one of the must-haves was the ability to attach a belly mower. I was very lucky to find a dealer that was in it for customer satisfaction. He took the time to explain to me why and why not on all the dreams I had for a tractor. I actually followed his advice and made good decisions based on his experiences.

I never did get the belly mower but did pick up a Kubota diesel ZT which has been running for 10 years without issues. I have to mow around 4.5 acres of the typical rural field grass we also call our lawn.
 
   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change. #13  
Not sure what else you need a tractor for besides snow blowing, but if I were gonna upgrade it would be to a B2601. Be easier to get the deck on/off and well just better for everything over the bx. I understand the only having space enough for one. I can't really use a ZT anyway, barely have any flat yard. If you do decide to go ZT make sure it has suspension or you won't really be saving much time, getting banged around goin too fast on rough areas is just as bad
 
   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change. #14  
So I finally have had it with Kubota’s BX answer to John Deere’s drive over deck. What a POS. After dealing with the deck not staying level every year, the deck always dropping while mowing (tractor staircase adjuster), the pain trying to get it on, let alone off, and the pain in the $&@%# to clean the deck with the second lift carriage, I’m think I’m done.
Question is, do I get a new old style deck that you roll under to attach, or get a zero turn?
Mowing about 1-1/2 acres. A fair amount of trees. Takes about 1-1/2 hours with the BX. Would the Z422FW-54 be a good choice? The deck for my BX would cost $3,500+. The Z about $8,000. Will I actually get a better cut? Save time on this size yard?
Yup, I know you’ll spend my money, but I’m looking for thoughts from others living my dream.
If you have the $$, get a ZT even a 48" walk behind. It will cut you mowing time way down. Not because of faster cutting but because of ease of getting close to the trees. No reversing a thousand times.
 
   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change. #15  
You may want to factor projected fuel costs into your purchasing plans.

I mow about 4 acres and have a B2301 with a 60 inch deck--drive on/off--and find it pretty handy, though a bit tough to get under the trees. After having a larger Cub Cadet with a mower that was a pain to mount and dismount, I find the Kubota B-series pretty slick.

Last year, I came into an older Husqvarna lawn tractor by way of family--cost me next to nothing. I found it does a better job on the obstructed portion of the lawn, and leave less markings on some tight turns than the Kubota, so I use it there. I still use the Kubota for the bigger open areas.

As a bonus, which may be a bigger concern in the next couple years, the Husqvarna uses less than 2 gallons of gas/per use if I do the whole lawn; the Kubota about the same--that's about $18 in savings so far this year, and it's only May. The cost of diesel is projected to rice by about 50% by summer's end.
 
   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change. #16  
I considered the same thing you are. We had a BX2350 with pull under mmm, FEL and front snowblower bought new around 2008. I thought about getting a ZT instead of a new tractor and just leaving the snowblower on the BX all year unless I needed to mount the FEL which was rare. But I also have a space problem. All of this equipment is in a 10.5' wide shed. Pulling the mmm down off the wall, I would stand it up on one end for the winter, and then having to pull it under the tractor with about 2-3 feet of space on either side was a nightmare. Would have to park the tractor on a 45 degree as much as possible and pull the mmm under and then have to try to straighten the tractor back up so I had just enough space to crawl under to hook it up and hook up the driveshaft with one hand. All this with the mower rolling around underneath while I shimmy the tractor back and forth. I am not a young man anymore, almost 70. But, we ended up just getting a new BX2380. There are so many improvements that covered almost all of my previous problems. We also got the roll over mmm. We got frowns from the dealer and heard so/so remarks elsewhere as well. But it should be 5 times easier for me to mount and dismount which was my main concern with our limited space. It was delivered with the mower already mounted so I haven't had to change it yet, until fall. So far, it cuts just as well as our old mower, maybe even better once we got or heights set etc. It is a hard decision with lots of money involved although it would have been cheaper to go the ZT route. Good Luck.
 
   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change. #17  
So I finally have had it with Kubota’s BX answer to John Deere’s drive over deck. What a POS. After dealing with the deck not staying level every year, the deck always dropping while mowing (tractor staircase adjuster), the pain trying to get it on, let alone off, and the pain in the $&@%# to clean the deck with the second lift carriage, I’m think I’m done.
Question is, do I get a new old style deck that you roll under to attach, or get a zero turn?
Mowing about 1-1/2 acres. A fair amount of trees. Takes about 1-1/2 hours with the BX. Would the Z422FW-54 be a good choice? The deck for my BX would cost $3,500+. The Z about $8,000. Will I actually get a better cut? Save time on this size yard?
Yup, I know you’ll spend my money, but I’m looking for thoughts from others living my dream.
Get a z. You won’t regret it
 
   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change.
  • Thread Starter
#18  
I’ve looked at so many options. I think I may buy the ZT first, then consider selling the BX with all the implements I have and buying a B2601 with the loader. I primarily mow 98% of the time, and remove snow in the winter. That’s now. It’s a pain to put the loader on the BX to use the bucket or forks for a few minutes, and then take it off to mow. Id rather have the loader mounted ALL the time and use it when I should instead of manhandling things at my age.
 
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   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change. #19  
Belly mowers are at the top of the list of tractor regrets (according to Messicks, I believe).

Having said that, they sell for a reason - storage space concens being one of them.

Your choices are:

New belly mower - probably not going to be satisfied with modest if any improvement
Zero Turn - need more space, possibly more costly but way more maneuverable.
Flail mower - doesn't hang out as far as a bushhog, doesn't cost as much as a ZTM, assumes you have a rear PTO, unless self powered. Takes up a bit more space.
 
   / Fed Up w/ BX Drive-Over Deck. Making a Change. #20  
Before I bought my JD I had aBX2350 for 10 years. Mine had the old style roll out deck. Was it easy to take off and on, not really. I always used the word awkward, mainly getting the pto off and on. It’s one of those things that probably took me 10 minutes to do but felt like it took 40 minutes. I’m one of those people that like mid mount mowers. The JD I have now is pretty slick with the auto connect

I thought they offered a drive over deck but not Kubotas version of the auto connect for the BX? That way you don’t have to mess with turning the gauge wheels sideways and dragging the deck out.
 
 
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