While picking up a replacement tire for my BX24, was checking out the new machines and noticed the new mower decks have improved nicely.. this might not be new news but it was to me.. the belt appears to be well over an inch wide and the gearbox (cast iron) looks like it can take a beating. I have the 54" fine cut, and never the cast aluminum home depot tractor-ish gearbox, especially since it leaked since day one. Must say overall the newer machines appear to be much more sold than my 2006.. hope Kubota stays on that trajectory with these little machines.
New BX mower decks are much nicer!
- Thread starter RayBo
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jesseb3@att.net
Silver Member
My BX is from around 2005 or 6 and I think it has a cast iron gearbox. What's yours made of again? Aluminum? I have the 60 inch deck, but would've thought they'd be the same.
Hi Jesseb3, I think you have the standard deck - that had the cast iron box. I opted for the "fine cut deck", which I thought would be the same as gearbox at least (they didn't have one at the time I ordered the machine) and to my surprise it was aluminum. I think both the fine cut and standard decks have cast iron now. I don't have an issue with cast aluminum, done properly.. it's just that the gearbox I have doesn't look like it will hold up and it leaks!
timswi
Elite Member
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I've had my 54" since 2004 and still have the original belt..The only thing I've replaced is the blades.
TripleR
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Tollster
Veteran Member
Same here for my 04 BX 23. I do recall at the time of purchase, they suggested checking the grease on all spindles. (IMO, I believe many Kubota products where just starting to be made more cheaply right around this time, I know when the BX24 came out..I was glad i did not wait any longer to buy it!)
Fxfymn
Silver Member
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- Kubota L4060 HST, FEL; Kubota BX2660
When I bought the BX 2660 my salesman told me to purchase the standard deck. He claimed the fine cut was designed for southern turf varieties such as St. Augustine.
Volfandt
Veteran Member
There were several posts from the early 50 series BX MMM's (the MMMs' were also redesigned from the earlier 00 & 30 series) that the spindle nuts/bolts were either not torqued correctly at the factory or not installed correctly and that they would work loose causing the entire spindle assembly to wobble during operation. Some wallowed out the mounting holes while others would cause the belts to jump off the spindles. when caught in time there was no damage and new lock nuts fixed them right up. Kubota eventually found and fixed the cause and it doesn't seem to be a problem anymore.
My 04 BX23's 60" MMM hasn't let me down yet and it is my primary finish mower. Everything on it is still OEM factory (double belt, pulleys, bearings etc) and they look to last for quite awhile longer.
I stow my MMM up vertically on axle stands during the offseaon and I noticed the PTO shaft seal on the gear box started leaking last winter when stowed. I changed the gearbox fluid (SUDT factory fill) to 80w90 this spring when I put it back into service and it never leaked during operation and thus far hasn't leaked since I've stowed it this winter. Should it leak I'll go on ahead and replace that seal before spring. If it doesn't leak I'll not fix it
Other than that it's been a good hard working implement thats only requred greaseing Dave
MessickFarmEqu
Super Member
The AL gearboxes push oil out the breather really easily, that maybe what your seeing. We get alot of people who ask about it. It does not seem to case a problem, other than making a mess.
