So I settled on a like new 2008 BX25 with 172 hours (I know, right!) backhoe, FEL, and belly mower.
I spent 12 hours on it this weekend putting it to work back filling 400 feet of 3' deep trench (rented its step brother; a KX121-3 mini-ex to dig the trench) with the FEL (wishing every second I had an angle blade), digging a couple holes with the backhoe, and moving 15 ton of pea gravel with the FEL.
Wishing the FEL was a little stronger, but I was only running 2700 RPM on average. A bucketfull of pea gravel seemed to be close to its limit. Backhoe use seemed to like ~3000 RPM to move at a non-sluggish pace.
The prior owner would probably have a heart attack seeing what his garage queen looks like now, LOL. The FEL bucket is missing paint in the places it should, inside from moving rock, and the bottom from smoothing that rock out on a driveway. Backhoe is dirty, and whole machine has some "tree-generated pinstriping", but not too bad.
Got familiar with a grease gun too, see why people buy a battery powered model.
I found out that the quickest way to blaze a path throu 1-2" diameter pin oak saplings it to ground level the FEL bucket, crank the RPM, and lock the rear diff, cause a bulldozer is coming thru! A stick that is jammed right above the front right tire can find and knock out the molex plug into the starter loose, I'm thankful the stick was still wedged in there, I don't know how long it would have taken me to find that plug. Also had a sapling fight back and come thru the hole in the floor under the forward hydro pedal, and push my foot off the pedal,that was a surprise (and could have been bad if it was sharpened, probably an omen to stop playing sapling bulldozer and use my Stihl brushcutter, or buy a 3PH rotary cutter).
In saying all that, wondered what mods/fixes are recommended for this series (60 series?)?
The oil and hydraulic filters have been changed at somepoint because they are white, not factory gray. I am contemplating a sheet metal guard box/skidplate for around the hydraulic filter underneath the machine, too vunerable IMHO as I have removed the belly mower. I bought an air filter from the dealership as the one in it was pretty dirty.
Also curious how those of you with one have made mods, custom changes. A mounted toolbox is high on the priority list, but trying to find a place to mount it with the backhoe on is proving tricky.
I spent 12 hours on it this weekend putting it to work back filling 400 feet of 3' deep trench (rented its step brother; a KX121-3 mini-ex to dig the trench) with the FEL (wishing every second I had an angle blade), digging a couple holes with the backhoe, and moving 15 ton of pea gravel with the FEL.
Wishing the FEL was a little stronger, but I was only running 2700 RPM on average. A bucketfull of pea gravel seemed to be close to its limit. Backhoe use seemed to like ~3000 RPM to move at a non-sluggish pace.
The prior owner would probably have a heart attack seeing what his garage queen looks like now, LOL. The FEL bucket is missing paint in the places it should, inside from moving rock, and the bottom from smoothing that rock out on a driveway. Backhoe is dirty, and whole machine has some "tree-generated pinstriping", but not too bad.
Got familiar with a grease gun too, see why people buy a battery powered model.
I found out that the quickest way to blaze a path throu 1-2" diameter pin oak saplings it to ground level the FEL bucket, crank the RPM, and lock the rear diff, cause a bulldozer is coming thru! A stick that is jammed right above the front right tire can find and knock out the molex plug into the starter loose, I'm thankful the stick was still wedged in there, I don't know how long it would have taken me to find that plug. Also had a sapling fight back and come thru the hole in the floor under the forward hydro pedal, and push my foot off the pedal,that was a surprise (and could have been bad if it was sharpened, probably an omen to stop playing sapling bulldozer and use my Stihl brushcutter, or buy a 3PH rotary cutter).
In saying all that, wondered what mods/fixes are recommended for this series (60 series?)?
The oil and hydraulic filters have been changed at somepoint because they are white, not factory gray. I am contemplating a sheet metal guard box/skidplate for around the hydraulic filter underneath the machine, too vunerable IMHO as I have removed the belly mower. I bought an air filter from the dealership as the one in it was pretty dirty.
Also curious how those of you with one have made mods, custom changes. A mounted toolbox is high on the priority list, but trying to find a place to mount it with the backhoe on is proving tricky.
