Snow removal options with BX2200

[huckflynn]

I don't recall the specifics on the 455 either -- but I took a long look at it and was comparing it to a top of the line Cub Cadet. I had never heard of the BX. I was doing all my research through a forum like this but geared toward garden tractors. Somebody mentioned that I should check the BX before going with a 455. I did and here I am. Why? It was a lot more tractor for close to the same money.

I don't know if JD has lowered the price on the 455 since a year ago -- or if they've redesigned it and extended the warranty on it to compete more favorably with the BX. If they haven't, I'd make the same decision today that I made a year ago. I'm very pleased with my decision on the BX.

Huck

 

[pcmem]

Has anyone tried the electric or hydraulic chute controls
for the front mount snowblower? I'm thinking this would be
a useful option abet expensive. Does anyone know if it
can be added later or is cheaper to buy with the blower?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[RichNJ]

My 1 cents worth-
I use a front mounted single stage 4 ft blower on an old 12 hp Cub Cadet to clear my 500 ft driveway. Most of the time it takes 15 - 30 minutes for up to 6 inches of snow. I've done up to 18 inches of heavy wet snow in 1 hour.
I've considered getting a blower for my L4310 but decided to continue using the Cub Cadet. If I were getting a blower I'd save the $$ and get the rear mounted one. An 80ft paved driveway would clean up real quick and the FEL would be real handy to pile up snow after repeated snow storms.
The only down side that I have found with a snow blower is when the wind is blowing. You can only blow the snow with the wind or you'll look like Frosty The Snowman in minutes.
Another consideration when using the FEL on the BX is a counter weight on the rear. I know the L4310 is very stable on level ground and does not need any weight on the rear hitch for a full load in the FEL. On the BX - I don't know. But I always think safety.

 

[pcmem]

I'm looking at the BX w/ blower to replace the two Ariens
GT's we currently use. The 4' blower work great but the
upkeep on the Ariens is getting spendy. I haven't been
able to checkout the BX blower but hope it works as well
or better. I just figured I'd better decide soon or I'll
have an order for one with delivery expected next year.

It sounds like the dealer has never ordered the power
chute options (elect or hyrdo) and didn't recall how the
manual worked.

For convienence and safety we're focusing on the front
mount blower and with repeated loops you'll need to keep
moving the chute to stay with the wind as you pointed out.

If we go with a cab I'd think the remote blower control
would be a must. Someone said the electric wasn't much
to write home about. I liked the idea of using the 4way
valve to work the blower up/down and chute lf/rt.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[BXmark]

Charlie,
What kind of price did you find on the JD 455? My Father-In-Law just bought one with the 60" deck and paid $9,400 + tax. I tried to tell him the Kubota was the better deal but JD gave him $3,900 for his JD325 and Kubota would only give him $2,900. I told him it was because they were getting him on the price of the 455.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I have the front mount blower on my BX. It works awesome. I live in southwestern BC where we can get several feet of snow. I also have the FEL, but the blower did such a good job last winter that there was never any need to put on the loader. My drive is about 500 ft with a large parking area. I keep my 5 ft rear blade on to pull out snow from tight areas where there is no where to aim the blower and also find it saves time when the snow is 3" or less to windrow the snow to the center of the drive and whisk the pile away with the blower since the snow flies better when there is a substantial amount to feed into the blower. I do have the electric chute rotator but am a little dissapointed with it because it works quite slow and sometimes you want a quick change of the chute direction and it takes quite a while to do a 180 change. The unit is little more than an automotive power window motor with a mounting bracket and adaptor sleeve. IMO Kubota could have come up with a hydralic unit that utilized the other unused hydralic circut of the FEL control. I guess I'll have to design that one sometime and send it back to Kubota.

 

[pcmem]

stephen,

I'm looking at buying a BX or B7500 and the dealers have
quoted me both the electric and hydraulic chute controls.
The hydraulic is more dollar wise, which was dissapointing
as I hoped it would be simple and cheap to use the 4way
valve. I can't speak for performance as I haven't been
able to find a blower to check out much less the controls.
Thanks for the info on the electric unit.

Michael

 

[Charliebrn]

Sorry about the delay, with all that's happened, I've not been around. The JD 455 with the 60" deck was $9500. And that was without the 3pt, which, if i remember right, was a Cat 0, not a Cat 1. By the time you added the real light duty FEL, the price was quite a bit higher than the BX that was built much heavier and had 4WD.

 

[wdn]

Greetings all this is my 1st post so bear with some newbie questions...

I too am looking at the BX2200; would the FEL by itself be suitable for shoveling a 200-300' flat driveway? I could dump the snow on either side of the drive. We get 6" to 12" wet snow not infrequently here in southern New Hampshire.

Also technique: would I 'plow' the snow like I would with a plow blade, or do I scoop it up a bucket at a time with the loader and dump it?

If the bucket is full of wet snow is the FEL strong enough to lift the weight of it? Thanks.

Do you gentlemen use tire chains or is it enough with just the 4wd

Bill

 

[frank_f15]

BILL: i live in western ny(buffalo area) i have a b2400 with fel and rear blade. depending on the amount of snow and type of snow u can use the fel as a plow or if it is to deep and heavy then pick and dump, till u can plow. i don't have chains just rely on 4wd and r4 tires, no problem for me. guess u just have to experiment, but part of the fun of owning a tractor/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif