Prospective Bx 2230 buyer

[birdfan]

I have been reading post at Tractorbynet.com for the past couple of months trying to decide which compact tractor is best for my needs. I am thinking about buying a bx 2230 to do the following things. Grade my 600 foot up hill gravel driveway (large ruts I plan to buy either a box blade or a rear blade for this), Mow a pretty small law, clear snow, and drag small trees out of the woods.

Some background: I live on 4 acres on the top of a hill in Bucks County Pa. Most of my property is wooded (around 3 acres). I don't plan on doing much in the woods besides cutting up a little firewood for the fireplace. In the winter time I have had real problems clearing the driveway of snow. I tried an mtd lawnmower with a snoblower but that machine lost traction on the hills (my drive goes straight up a hill). I am hoping that I can get by with the fel and or a back blade.

What I am considering getting:
bx 2230, 60 mm, fel, box blade or rear blade, and toothbar.

Also, after visiting several local kubota dealers the best price I could get for the bx 2230, fel, mm, and a back blade is 12,600.00 an comments on this price?

I would like some help with the following questions.

Will a bx be able to grade and maintain a driveway?
Box blade or rear blade? (to maintain the heavily rutted gravel driveway)?
Will the front end loader be able to clear snow? Time is not an issue!
How big a tree can a Bx pull out of the woods?
Is this a good price quote (see above)


Thanks for your help!

 

[om21braz]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
Will a bx be able to grade and maintain a driveway?
Box blade or rear blade? (to maintain the heavily rutted gravel driveway)?
Will the front end loader be able to clear snow? Time is not an issue!
How big a tree can a Bx pull out of the woods?
Is this a good price quote (see above))</font>

(1) Just remember you don't have much ground clearance w/ BX
(2) see #1
(3) I'll let other BX owner respond to that
(4) see #3
(5) That price I'd consider very good as it's almost identical to a price quote from my local dealer which is hard to beat.

I'm in a similar position as you, except lots of snow - we get some here in Piedmont area of NC. I have a Kubota TG diesel mower that does good job and was interested in something I could do a little more with than mow. I have since been advised to keep my mower and get a compact tractor for other chores - especially small scale logging. And like a lot of folks here my idea of the perfect machine is getting bigger and bigger. From what I've gathered here it is better to err to the larger side than smaller. Good luck and hope you only have to buy once !

 

[JimMorrissey]

birdfan,

Will a bx be able to grade and maintain a driveway?

-Yes. You will NEED a good "york rake", or landscape rake. It's a must have IMO. I've used a rear blade before and it's a waste of time for grading a driveway.

Box blade or rear blade? (to maintain the heavily rutted gravel driveway)?

-As I said, heavy duty landscape rake (Woods makes a nice one). I had mine shortened to work with BX.

Will the front end loader be able to clear snow? Time is not an issue!

-Yes, but it's time consuming...and depends where you live. I live in Vermont and a loader would work, but definitely not the implement of choice.

How big a tree can a Bx pull out of the woods?

-With the right chain setup, I've pull big logs 14-16" in diameter that were limbed and had a clear path out. The lenghs were about 10 -12'...amazing.

Is this a good price quote (see above)
-Sounds great.

-If you can afford a bigger machine, 7610 or 7800 for example, I'd consider it for what you are trying to do. The BX is an unbelieveable mowing machine...something to think about if you have a lot of grass.

-Jim

 

[birdfan]

Thanks Jim and Braz,

I had been thinking that the rear blade would not get enough bite to grade the driveway. Since I have never used a back blade, landscape rake, or boxblade could some one post a description of the major uses and limitations of each? thanks

birdfan

 

[Jim_Becker]

Birdfan (name also applies to LOML and I...we have 'em inside and out), the BX is a very capable machine. We have 4 acres in Buckingham and both BXs we've owned have been up to the task no matter what the season. Frankly, I use the FEL for grading our stone drive (back dragging), but will likely get a back blade or box blade "one of these days".

Scott, if you want to get a look at the BX up close and personal away from a dealer, let me know.

BTW, with three dealers to choose from in the area, at least you can have fun shopping! My first one came from dealer "H". My current one came from the folks just on the other side of the river as they made a much better deal "up front" without my asking. I never made it to dealer "P"...

 

[Yankee]

"I had been thinking that the rear blade would not get enough bite to grade the driveway."

Depends on the driveway. It was described as gravel. It is really is loose gravel, pea stone, river rock, or anything like that, a blade would work (as would the rake or box), as the stone never really takes a set. If it's crushed rock or crusher run (i.e., mixed with stone dust and fines), the combination of blade on a small tractor doesn't have the oomph to cut into it once set.

The box works because of the scarifiers, which break up the set surface. The blades of the box then pick up the loose material, accumulating it in the box, which then drags it to the low spots, where it drops out. I'm new to using a box, and maybe it's just me, but it's not easy to master. My driveway is crusher run, has set up very hard, and the box sures works, though.

I think a rake would also break a set surface, just not as aggressively as the box's scarifiers (which could be a good thing). I'm going to eventually get a rake, and when I do, I think I'll try it alone on the driveway first. If it works well enough, fine. If not, I'll use the box first to loosen, then the rake to shape. Using the box takes too long for this amateur.

 

[birdfan]

Jim and Yankee thanks for the help,
I have been to “H” and “P” they were both very close in price (only 200 difference). I would rather buy from h as they are only 4 miles from my home. Based on Yankees comments I was thinking that I could use the back blade and the toothbar to break up the stones and use the fell to smooth it out. The driveway is in some places very hard packed.

birdfan

 

[Jim_Becker]

Do get a quote from Gregg at MidState...you may be surprised. Aside from a possible better price, they do all service on-site. (They were net 2 grand better than H on my last transaction...)

 

[birdfan]

Jim,
I have stopped at mid state before but I didn't get a quote yet, based on your comments I will stoping by on the way home from work.

birdfan

 

[hwew]

I had a BX2200 and just sold it and purchased a B7500 to replace it. For me the BX2200 did not have enough ground clearance and the hydrostat and hydralics is not as strong as the B7500,B7510 or B7610 series. I had problems with the hydralics loosing lift strength after 3-4 hours of run time with a box blade. But otherwise the BX2200 was a fine machine for mowing.
The B7500 or 7510 might be worth checking out. Even though it is 1 HP less it seems like it has more power then the BX2200 and that is probably due to the HP on the B7500 and B7510 comes on at lower RPM's. Make the right desision the 1st time and it will not cost you trading in or selling and loosing money on a wrong desicion. Spend some time doing a search on the pro's and con's on the tractor that you might be considering to purchase. Oh and check out and see what service issues the models have. I am glad that I went a little larger this time.The extra ground clearance and extra lift cappacity is what I needed. Before I would get hung up and stuck in soft soil using the box blade on the BX2200 (even with bar tires). and now I have yet ot get stuckwith the B7500. I can now go throuth some swampy soil instead of going around. Oh I only have 1-1/2 acers. Both are great tractors. You just have to figure out what will be best for you.