Intangibles: BX23 v. B7510

[jhb]

Hello, I am considering a TLB and was thinking about a BX23. My needs are for a "light" BH, but I want to move rock to make stone walls and regrade my property so I wanted a stronger FEL.

What does rock weigh? Do I really need to lift 600lb over the 450lbs of the BX?

I have looked at the specs on BX23 and B7510 with L302FEL. I would probably put a Woods BH on the B tractor, to save money.

What are the real world differences between the BX23 and the B7510. I mean, other than the 4 inches in length and the more powerful FEL.

I want to try and keep this under 15k, so am looking at used as well.

JD 7** series is also an option, as well as the MF GC2310.

 

[jim_wilson]

The weight of the rocks you move is going to depend (mostly) on how big they are /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif - I say mostly because different types of rocks do weigh different so you can't go purely on size. My experience with the BX23 is that you can lift pretty much any rock that you can get into the bucket. The FEL lift capacity the Kubota puts on their specs for the BX is at the full height of the FEL - in other words you can lift that weight to the max lift of the FEL. At lower lift heights you can lift significantly more - I took the FEL on my BX23 and filled it up with weightlifting weights and was able to get about 650 pounds up to half height (about 2 1/2 -3 feet) off of the ground.
If you look at the specs for the Kubota FEL on the B7510 they are somewhat higher than the BX but not a lot. If you think you are looking for significantly higher FEL capacity over the BX you should try the B7610 (and whatever the higher capacity FEL is that goes with it). When I was shopping for my BX23 I looked at the B7510 and B7610 with backhoe's and the thing that turned me off was the way the subframe mount hoes hang way off the back of the tractor. I really liked the way the BX23 hoe unit attaches and is integrated into the tractor. It makes for a much more compact unit. If I could have gotten a B7610 with an integrated hoe like the BX23 has I probably would have gotten that instead.
Take a look at the Massey GC2310 too - when I was shopping for a tractor I looked long and hard at the GC before I bought the BX - there were some minor things that swayed to the BX in the end but the GC is a nice tractor.

 

[jhb]

Most of the rocks are already in stone walls, and I will be moving them, so I could always ust carry fewer rocks when per load. Its only 3/4 an acre.

Intersting point about the weight being at top. I did not know that.

I have some larger rocks, but again, I have no idea how large a 400 lb grnaite rock is!

What did you find the price difference between the GC and the BX to be?

 

[btolle]

I started to nuy a BX2230 and changed to a B7510 and am glad I did.

My biggest concern is that I spend a lot of time in the woods and the ground clearance on the B7510 is much higher. Looking under the belly of the BX I saw a lot of things that could be damaged by sticks including a plastic fan that several people have had to replace when sticks got into it. The B7510 does not have nearly as many vulnerable items underneath.

I don't want to offend anyone, and please don't flame me, but the more I looked at and sat on the BX the more it reminded me of my Sears 42" riding mower. It really didn't feel much bigger than the mower. If you park a BX next to a B7510 you will see that it looks much bigger. I do NOT have a backhoe on mine.

I don't use mine for mowing the yard so I didn't need the extra manuverability that the BX may have. If you are not concerned about ground clearance the BX would probably be a good choice.

One thing you might want to consider is that the ROPS on the BX23 is foldable and the seat turns around (or flips over or something) when you want to use the backhoe.

I think I would prefer the Kubota backhoe even at a higher price since the BX23 is made with the backhoe integrated into it. I wonder what difference it would make on resale, Kubota vs. Woods?

Bill Tolle

 

[cmhyland]

JHB,
Garanite is heavy. A 400lb hunk of granite is about 12"X30"X8". I had a granite step delivered 30"X60"X8" and I was told it was at least 1200lbs.

I have a B2910 and have moved some heavy rocks. I used a rock the was granite. It was roundish about 48"X30"X6" it weighed way over the 800lb lift of the B2910... I could lift it but only about 10 inches off the ground.

With 3/4 of an acre I'd go with the smaller machine..

I'm going to get rear pallet forks for the heavier rocks... I have a couple of doosies to move... I'd guess about 2000lbs...

Regards,
Chris

 

[jhb]

Ground clearance should not be an issue, I do not have to clear anything, just move a lot of dirt and re-grade.

I also might add a mower to it, but honestly, the lot is so small that once the heavy work is done in a few years (at my own pace) I will probably sell it and buy a boat or something!

I like the idea of having the integral backhoe too.

 

[jhb]

to cmhyland:

Now that's info I need. Sounds like either machine will be inadequate for that type of lifting. I guess I'll just have to split anything that big before moving it. Or drag/roll it or something. I guess they will just have to be the base of the walls!

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">What are the real world differences between the BX23 and the B7510. </font>

I guess I have to agree...the BX size tractor seems to match the 3/4 acre property size...

Aside from the ground clearance issue, with the BX there is the issue of a plastic fan that begs to be damaged by a small stick, and a filter or two hanging out down under just daring a rock or something else to puncture it, or knock it off...fact of life. I have a bX. I live with it.

The MAJOR pain in the back side with the BX is that the 3PH is not standard sized. It is very limited, in my opinion. It does work, but it is not as functional as something found on the B7500 and larger tractors. Fact of life. You can make a modification that improves the lift capability, but it is still limited.

I also think, but don't know for sure, that the smaller tires on the BX somehow affect traction, along with weight maybe. My B2910 on paper is not that much heavier than my BX, but the ability to pull something is WAY different.

I don't have a B7510, so I don't know for sure. But my guess is that the larger B7510 (Tire size, if nothing else) would in the end be able to do more work than a BX would/could. Just a guess. I don't have B7510 experience...

 

[DanR67]

jhb -

Let me throw this out there:

If you will only be doing "part time" backhoe work - why not simply rent one? Then spend the rest on a good-sized CUT - with the FEL capacity you need?

I agree with btolle in regards to the ground clearance issue - if mowing is not planned - I would recommend going with a B-Series (or similar from other brands).

I certainly dream of having a BH - but know that while it would come in handy "once in a while" - I could not justify one myself - and certainly not to the *finance commitee* /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

That being said - I *held out* and got the B7610 - with the LA352 FEL - this has approximately 150# more lift capacity than a B7510s' LA302 - 925 lbs at the hinge point I think.

If you don't need to mow - and only need the "occasional backhoe" rental - I'm pretty sure you can get into a B7610 w/ LA352 FEL for less than $15K - new. If you can find a *barely used* one (ex < 50-100 hrs) - you can maybe save some more. While I got a MMM & my final total price was higher - I think I was quoted @ $14,100 for the B7610/LA352 combo last year around this time...

I am very satisfied with my B7610 purchase - I know that I was right in getting the larger FEL - check out the pics on my website:

BIG rocks

If I remember reading somewhere correctly: 1 cubic foot of granite weighs 168 pounds!

Hope that helps!

Cheers,

Dan

 

[jim_wilson]

My guess is that if all you are doing is moving rocks that are already located in existing walls then you most likely will be able to use the FEL on the BX to move them. If for some reason the FEL does not handle there are always other methods. For instance I have been able to use the backhoe on my BX23 to move rocks around that the FEL could not even budge. I seem to remember posts here on tractorbynet in the past where people used "rock sleds" where they put the rock on a sled of some sort and then just dragged it.

Sounds like I am in a similar situation to you - I have 1/2 acre and bought my BX23 for the same reasons - I have a lot of digging and regrading to do, I want to build some stone walls, and later when all the heavy work is done I wanted to possibly use the tractor for general maintainence on the lot. Anything much bigger than the BX would pretty much be total overkill once the heavy work is done and I would have a really hard time justifying keeping the tractor.

If I remember correctly the two dealers I talked to about the Massey GC2310 were actually a little bit more expensive than the BX23 ended up being. If you want to look at the GC2310 it is worth the trip up to Northwood Power - they had a really good selection and although they were closed when I went there - so I just walked around the lot looking - other people have recommended them. Not sure where you are located in MA - I am in Chelmsford - so it was about a 40 minute trip up Rte 3 to 93 and then some backroads.
A SubCUT sized tractor is the right size for a 3/4 acre lot - and before you decide once and for all on a BX23 I would take a long hard look at the GC2310, the Deere 2210, and the New Holland TZ's. Since Woods now makes the backhoe for SubCUT's you can get a backhoe put on any of these tractors. The Deere does have one distinct advantage over the other SubCUT's - you can get a quick attach on the FEL bucket - none of the other SubCUT's have this.