New member to BX club

Bowhunter · Sep 7, 2005

I just returned from closing the deal on trading my 1986 B9200 for a 2002 BX2200. I test drove the BX Saturday at home and was very happy with how much nicer it mows than the 9200. All I can say is power steering kicks butt. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif It's in great shape for 3 years old....only 152 hours when they delivered it. The engine purrs like a kitten compared to the 9200 engine also. It has a 60" MMM, but unfortunately no FEL.

My first question for BX owners....what does everyone use for front weight when using rear implements like rotary cutters or tillers? The weight bar on front is so close to the grill and frame that it's hard to imagine weights fitting on it, and I hate the thought of scratching such nice shiny unblemished paint. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Junkman · Sep 7, 2005

I use the front loader. If I understand your post correctly, there is a front weight bar already mounted on the tractor? If so, what happened to the weights that went with it? I would ask the dealer for the weights. Could you post a picture of the weight bar for us to see????? Enjoy your new machine..

RonR · Sep 7, 2005

Congrats on your "new" BX.

If you search the Bota forums for "grill guards", you should find some that guys have made and/or purchased. There are some nice ones out there, like BX23 imitations, that can be had for cheaper than OEM.

I built my own grill guard, but since I have an FEL, I didn't make it to attach weights. A decent welder should be able to fab you something pretty easily that can be both a grill guard and a weight bracket. If I were to take my FEL off and need more weight, I could easily mod my guard to hang some steel off of for weight.

See pic (nevermind the spacer I have in there right now--new to do a little torch trimming!)

Have fun,
Ron

Bowhunter · Sep 7, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I use the front loader. If I understand your post correctly, there is a front weight bar already mounted on the tractor? If so, what happened to the weights that went with it? I would ask the dealer for the weights. Could you post a picture of the weight bar for us to see????? Enjoy your new machine.. )</font>

I do wish that I had a front loader, then this wouldn't be an issue. I assumed the front steel was a weight bar but it may just be part of the frame and not intended for weights at all. In the picture attached to the last post, the steel I'm referring to is what Ron bolted his brush guard to.

I will most likely look into making my own instead of buying. Thanks for the info.

Mike_C · Sep 8, 2005

I question whether you need any weight on the front to use an implement such as a tiller. Here's why: I do have a FEL on my bx-22, and I have a backhoe and a tiller. When I want to move the tiller out of it's storage room, I put a chain on the backhoe and lift the tiller with it, so at that time I have the weight of the tiller (600 Lb) and the weight of the backhoe (another 600 Lb) all hanging off the back of my tractor. This just puts the tractor on the edge of tipping backwards so I usually put some gravel in the FEL to add some weight to prevent that from happening, but the point is, if it takes 1200 Lbs with a FEL to make it tip, and the fact that the FEL doesn't weigh all that much (maybe 200?) then a 600 Lb tiller may not require any counterbalance at all.. ?

Junkman · Sep 8, 2005

The front loader weighs 430 pounds. It isn't the weight that is the problem, but the distribution of the weight. If the tiller is 4' behind the axle, then it will have a mechanical leverage advantage that you need to overcome. If the tiller is engaged with the ground, then there is no mechanical advantage no matter how far behind the axle the tiller is. As with all things mechanical, there is alway more than just weight that will come into play.