Not Again! BX2200 vs B7500

[JudeK]

Well, I’ve narrowed my choice down to orange, the BX2200 or the B7500.
Now I know there has been volumes of discussion on this topic in the posts on this board, and I’ve also read Muhammad’s book, but I still can’t decide which one is best for my situation.

I own about 12 acres, with 1.5 to 2 acres of lawn. The terrain is mostly hills, with a few flat spots here and there. There are quite a few rocks and ledge, but it’s not like a minefield. My gravel driveway is approximately ¼ mile long with many potholes and, now, some “potatoes” sticking up which aren’t so nice to the underside of our vehicles.

Presently, I own a small mower (22”) and it takes me four hours to cut the lawn. In the winter, it runs me about $75 to have the driveway snow plowed, and each spring I end up with a few tons of ¾ inch stone on my lawn.

The main use of the tractor would be cutting grass and plowing my driveway. I also want to be able to remove the stone from my lawn and put it back on the driveway with out breaking my back (currently use a rake, shovel and wheel barrel and it takes a couple of weekends) and I’d like to be able to clear an acre and put clear some paths around the rest of the property. My wife also wants to expand her garden and flowerbeds around the property (again, most work has been done with a wheel barrel and rakes and shovels.)

I have priced out the BX2200 with implements as follows:
1. LA 211 - Loader with Standard Bucket (grill guard included?)
2. RCK60B22BX - 60" mid-mount mower
3. BB1548-42- Land Pride 48" Box Blade or
Woods GB48 Box Scraper
4. LR1560- 60" Land Pride Landscape Rake w/wheels or Woods LR72 Landscape rake

I have the use of a brush hog, as needed, and I’m wondering if the items listed above are best for my situation.

Is the additional $$$ for the B7500 worth it, or can I “make due” with the BX2200?

Will I be able to level off and repair my driveway with the implements mentioned, or should I look at some other implements? Land Pride or Woods?

Can the BX tear out small trees and saplings, or will I be spinning my tires? Turfs or R4’s?

Can I move large rocks with the loader over hilly terrain or will the BX “bottom out”? Is the standard bucket OK, or do I need a heavy-duty bucket? Can the “cutting edge” of the Kubota standard bucket be replaced w/o welding? Can I do a little “digging” with the standard bucket?

Am I asking too many questions?

 

[TresCrows]

I think given your list of chores and not being there to see it for myself you need more than a BX or more than the 7500--you need the 2410. The BX would do your work but might be a tad small on the trees pulling and rock removal--how big are the rocks and ground clearance might be an issue. I know it starts a "my tractor can pull your tractor" war but the 7500, in my opinion, other than added ground clearance and a bit more weight is not a great leap above a BX, just about a 4 inch higher step up! I will tell you this, A BX or a 7500 are both "game" tractors and will give it their best and compared to what you have now--nothing--would be a quantum leap forward. Oh, about 350 lbs is about all you would want to put on the BX for a boxblade, some of those Woods units weigh about 500 lbs in that size I think. I think some of your expectations for any small tractor are not realistic possibly? Maybe use your truck to pull those rocks and stumps--my Toyota could pull a couple of BX's and a 7500 all together backwards through a mud hole (possible small exaggeration), point is you may need more than one piece of machinery. J

 

[GlueGuy]

Roger on the <font color=blue>"Oh no! Not again!"</font color=blue>! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif.

I would say to make your decision based on your expected priorities. If you do more than 50% mowing, then lean toward the BX. However, if any of your rocks weigh more than 700 lbs., then I would argue with TresCrows and suggest that you look at one of the larger B series. A 700lb. rock is not very big....

BTW - Did some stump pulling with my B7500 last night. It was struggle, but baby came through! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif The stump I was working on was like an iceburg: 10% showing and 90% underneath. That and the rocks made for an interesting time.

The GlueGuy

 

[JudeK]

Glueguy - thanks for the info -

Right now I plan on doing more than 50% mowing, but then again, I was first looking at a garden tractor! I'm sure I'll find more to do with the machine the more I get used to using it!

I was wondering about the stump you pulled - how big in width? And with the rocks - is a "kitchen sink" size rock weigh over 450lbs? How big a rock are we talking about?
width x length x hieght = 450lbs?

Again, thanks for the help!

 

[Roy]

JudeK; There was a thread in Tractor Projects talking about rock mass (http://www.tractorbynet.com/...38976. Dependent on rock type, project between 100 to 200 lbs per cubic foot. So, a rock 4.5 cu ft will weigh at least 450 lbs, and one as small as 2.25 cu ft (2' x 1' x 1'-3", for example) may weigh 450 lbs!

And no, grill guard not included with FEL.


Roy<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Muhammad on 04/10/01 04:28 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Ingo]

It sounds like your situation is very similar to mine. 11 acres, mostly wooded, a couple acres to mow, 1/2 mile gravel road that needs work, might clear trees, clear trails, etc., though I don't usually have to worry about snow (expect Jan 2000 when we got 20"). I've been reading this board for over a year and I'm still not sure what I want/need--considered a BX to the 2910--even thoughts of an grand-L series). I currently have a 30" Honda mower and it takes 5 hrs if I mow all the shoulders plus the field. I started out thinking of a lawn tractor with a small FEL.

I figure if I blew up the Honda today I might be able to justify the cost of a BX to my wife. However, I couldn't do that to my Honda--17 yrs of abuse and still going strong--and I figure the 2410 is probably the best compromise. I'd probably settle for a BX2200 because I could afford it sooner, EXCEPT for the ground clearance--6" ain't enough in the woods. But if I'm going to go with the larger frame, I'll get the extra power and position control of the 2410 compared to the 7500. I think that the position control in of itself would justify the 2410 if you're plowing a gravel driveway.

Good luck with your decision.
John

 

[skent]

Before I bought my B7300, I had seriously been looking at the Troy-Bilt GTX20. I have a 14HP Troy w/Hydro, it's been going strong for 12 years, but my gosh the GTX20 (Only one in their line that has a FEL) was $7,000, plus $3,000 for the FEL - - -and you still only have 2WD! Got me looking at Kubotas. And I still have the Sears (27 years old) that was supposed to be retired when I bought the Troy! It has a snow blade and gets used for clearing around the outbuildings.

My problem was that I was waiting for my lawn cutter to 'die' before buying a new tractor . . . . and they never would!!

 

[Roy]

Muhammad... So I don't push the page out again for long url's how did you do that? That is, what should I being doing? Thanks for taking care of it.

Roy

 

[Eagle]

Jude,
I am struggling with the same decision. I really like the BX2200 but all the dealers here in Utah have steered me towards the B7500. They say it has stronger axles, and is better suited for large acreage. Also I noticed under Carver's tips (www.carver.com/tips/tips.htm) that they say the B7500 is twice the tractor as the BX2200. It's a tough decision, the BX looks like a great little tractor.
Eagle

 

[Muhammad]

Use the url= markup tag, and between (in brackets) url=http://www.tractorbynet.com/... and /url, use a shorter URL that will be what actually displays as the link. See the FAQ section on linking for a clear exaple.