New to me BX2200 with FEL loader

[3v0]

Hi

I am the proud owner of a new to me BX2200 with 940 hours on it. It came with a FEL, 60 inch belly mower and a box blade. The tractor is my personal toy. I want to build a few water garden ponds and my back is not up to the digging.

There was some minor front end damage as the hood has a small dent and the headlight lens was missing. It looks like the air cleaner mount is broken but it is wired in place and seems to be doing the job. No hydraulic leaks in the battery area and the fuel tank can be filled to full. These have been pointed out as problems.

I did see a bit of hydraulic fluid leak at the bucket dump cylinder. Does not seem to be steady Maybe the hose is going.

The FEL seems to have too much play in it. Wondering if maybe a set of replacement pins would help. Not sure that it got all the grease it needed. I have yet to take the loader off.

I really like the little tractor and have used the FEL to clear a mess from a lot we own so we can use it for a garden. I have also used the bucket to clean the snow from my drive. I have put about 50 hours on it so far. I will post an image soon.

I also purchased a tow behind Dirt Master backhoe from KWIK-Way manufacturing. It seems to be the same unit DR Power used to sell but made by KWIK-WAY. I got the upgraded version with the hydraulic lifts front stabilizers and joy sticks. I have read about peoples complaints about tow behind backhoes. There are limitations but with it attached to the BX200 for additional stability the limitation is hydraulic pressure rather then issues about not being mounted to the tractor. I have also found that if one uses the buck curl rather then pulling in on the boom to dig you can do a lot with it free standing. The thing has about 20 grease fitting (aka zirks) so I am in the market for a nice power grease gun. Tired of putting up with the air pockets on the ones I have.

 

[TripleR]

Congratulations, we have a couple of BX's one of which is a 2003 BX2200, it is a great little tractor. The broken air cleaner bracket is pretty common on them, I cut down on vibration by bumping it up to where the engine doesn't vibrate much and mine lasts for years, some people just use the strap or bungee cords, someone on here fabricated an improved bracket, but it is on an old thread. I put a set of Bro Tek plates on mine to protect the HST fan and filter, BXpanded also makes them and other owners build their own.

 

[kensnelling]

Welcome from Oklahoma.

Ken

 

[mguitas]

:welcome:

 

[3v0]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.

The BX2200 is uncommon in rural areas and I wanted a small tractor to get in and out of tight spots. I found the tractor on tractorhouse.com at non dealer tractor trader in Longview TX. I had it shipped home after an inspection trip.

@TripleR I recall reading about not running at low idle and try not to. Thanks for the heads up on the skid plates for under the tractor. I think I will be OK so long as I leave the belly mower on?

I did find a hitch I like at BXpaned, . It should move the backhoe back so the tractor wheels do not rub with the body of the backhoe which is also the oil tank.

@Ken and mguitas: I am in the Oklahoma panhandle. Thanks and I updated my profile to include that.

 

[TripleR]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.

The BX2200 is uncommon in rural areas and I wanted a small tractor to get in and out of tight spots. I found the tractor on tractorhouse.com at non dealer tractor trader in Longview TX. I had it shipped home after an inspection trip.

@TripleR I recall reading about not running at low idle and try not to. Thanks for the heads up on the skid plates for under the tractor. I think I will be OK so long as I leave the belly mower on?

I did find a hitch I like at BXpaned, View attachment 296442. It should move the backhoe back so the tractor wheels do not rub with the body of the backhoe which is also the oil tank.

@Ken and mguitas: I am in the Oklahoma panhandle. Thanks and I updated my profile to include that.

My son in law managed to break a couple of blades off my fan with the deck on. The good thing about the BX2200 is the fan is easier to replace than on later models. I had mine in the shop getting the front steering fixed, also by my son in law and while it was in had them g over it and they replaced the fan. It wasn't itemized, but the mechanic said it was no big deal as they had to take the deck off to fix a hydraulic hose anyway.

 

[3v0]

My son in law managed to break a couple of blades off my fan with the deck on. The good thing about the BX2200 is the fan is easier to replace than on later models. I had mine in the shop getting the front steering fixed, also by my son in law and while it was in had them g over it and they replaced the fan. It wasn't itemized, but the mechanic said it was no big deal as they had to take the deck off to fix a hydraulic hose anyway.

Sounds like I should order the skid plates and remove the mower deck when it comes. Need to figure out which to get.

 

[TripleR]

I bought mine before BxPanded came out with theirs, so I am not familiar with their, but it's worth considering.

 

[Briana03]

Welcome to TBN

I moved your thread to the Kubota Owning/Operating forum.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Welcome to TBN Orange Country.:thumbsup:
My first Kubota was a BX2200 MMM FEL. It got me started down a long road of Kubota ownership about 10 years ago. It was an amazing workhorse for someone that was just hunting for a life time 4wd mower.

 

[murphy1244]

:welcome:

 

[thavil]

Sounds like I should order the skid plates and remove the mower deck when it comes. Need to figure out which to get.

BXpanded sells great goodies for our BX models (I have many different items myself) but looking at their website, they do not make an Under Armor for your tractor. You can contact Harry at BXpanded to make sure but it looks like you should get the Bro-Tek plates since they still make them for your older model. I've had both and each work great. On the Bro-Tek plates, you have to purchase both the front and rear plates for full protection but the rear plate can stay on when you have your mower attached.

 

[RaydaKub]

BXpanded sells great goodies for our BX models (I have many different items myself) but looking at their website, they do not make an Under Armor for your tractor. You can contact Harry at BXpanded to make sure but it looks like you should get the Bro-Tek plates since they still make them for your older model. I've had both and each work great. On the Bro-Tek plates, you have to purchase both the front and rear plates for full protection but the rear plate can stay on when you have your mower attached.

What most of us refer to as the Bro-Tek front plate is now the middle plate and there's a 3rd one for way forward. I just bought the rear one and had a chunk of 1/2" old plywood (real plywood, not osb). I put a couple metal strips down with a ready-rod across between the sides of the frame. The front of the wood rests on this bar, then the back of the plywood is supported by the mower hangers. There isn't a lot that is gonna puncture this old plywood where I'm going and not a lot left to get hurt under there if it does. The rear plate is great though.

To the OP, welcome aboard. You'll wonder how you ever got along with out your BX.

 

[sandyc]

Welcome!! I had a 2200 for a few years and found it to be bullet-proof. Upgraded to a 2620 this year for more power as well as for back hoe

 

[TripleR]

BXpanded sells great goodies for our BX models (I have many different items myself) but looking at their website, they do not make an Under Armor for your tractor. You can contact Harry at BXpanded to make sure but it looks like you should get the Bro-Tek plates since they still make them for your older model. I've had both and each work great. On the Bro-Tek plates, you have to purchase both the front and rear plates for full protection but the rear plate can stay on when you have your mower attached.

I checked for my 2200 and they don't make them.

 

[GolfAddict]

...
I did find a hitch I like at BXpaned, View attachment 296442. It should move the backhoe back so the tractor wheels do not rub with the body of the backhoe which is also the oil tank.

I don't know if you've already ordered the hitch, but I noticed on the BXpanded site it doesn't list the hitch as fitting the BX2200. I don't know if that's an oversight or it really doesn't work with the 2200, but you may want to check with Harry at BXpanded to verify before ordering.

If you do get this hitch, one thing to be aware of. There is an interference between the rear BroTek skid plate and the hitch, but not a big issue to overcome. If you have the rear skid plate mounted, you can't slide the hitch on to the draw bar. The back of the skid plate mounts solidly to the draw bar, and the thickness of the skid plate added to the draw bar makes it too thick to slide on the hitch.

What I did was cut out a notch of the skid plate just large enough for the under-side of the hitch bracket, then mounted the skid plate underneath the tractor. Then you are able to slide the hitch into place on the draw bar.

 

[3v0]

BXpanded does not have a hitch for the BX2200 but I was told as soon as they can get their hands on one they will create one. Very nice company to work with.

@RaydaKub my back has gotten better since I got the BX.

I found a picture of the old girl.