Tractor size and attachment advice.

[whistlepig]

I would get a removable tooth bar and take it off in the winter. Most loaders "float" these days. Asphalt would be a bit easier with a loader than gravel. It's not that hard to peel some gravel off when pushing snow with a loader.

 

[whistlepig]

I would love a bx but once I add MMM, toothbar and possibly box blade I feel it may be out of my price range.

Try the loader and tooth bar. You can get a remarkable amount of work done with this setup. You can always go back for the box blade later. I wouldn't even consider not having my loader.

 

[Don87]

Does anyone use or have experience with a loader on asphalt for snow removal? I've seen some heavy plastic tooth bar placement add ons and wonder if they are really needed.

I have an asphalt driveway, and while the bucket does leave scratches on it, it does no other damage. And I angle my bucket when pushing snow................If damage can be done, I could do it.

 

[Don87]

I would love a bx but once I add MMM, toothbar and possibly box blade I feel it may be out of my price range.

You don't need a toothbar right away for your application..........just a tractor, FEL and boxblade will do what you've described. Along with the Mid Mount Mower.

 

[whistlepig]

A box blade costs considerably more than a tooth bar. When the leveling project is done the least expensive unused implement sitting idle in the barn kind of pays for itself.

 

[94BULLITT]

I would go with a BX2370, 60" MMM, Loader, QA for loader, and the QA snow blade.

You can look around and find a used Box blade and save some $$$$$.

You could probably live with out a tooth bar. You could always get it later.

I suggested a snow for the loader because with a bucket you have to dip the snow. That would be slow on a BX.

I recommend you check the price at 3 dealers or more. You may be surprised at the prices.

If you pay cash on a BX70 you get a $700 rebate.

I think if you finance a BX60 you get a $500 rebate.

 

[PhysAssist]

A box blade costs considerably more than a tooth bar. When the leveling project is done the least expensive unused implement sitting idle in the barn kind of pays for itself.

Hi,

I have to agree with Mr. WhistlePig .

With either a BX or B Kubota, a Piranha Tooth Bar will make digging and leveling very easily doable, and you can take the PTB off easily in the winter to use your loader for plowing.

However, in my opinion as someone who has used bushhog mowers in the past, and has a MMM now for mowing several acres of (not really lawn) mixed terrain, if you can find a Bush Hog type mower for your 5 acre area, you will find it meets your needs better than the MMM.

If the ground that you want to work is very hard packed or otherwise difficult to dig, a box blade with scarifiers can loosen that so you can dig and level it easier, and adequate quality used ones are often available.

Roger's post also provides some well thought out options, and he has (if I recall correctly) experience with the BX models, which I do not, except by reading here on TBN what people have been able to accomplish with them.

Happy tractoring and be well,
Thomas

PS: Can anyone here help me understand the multiple recommendations for a BX rather than a B? The ground clearance and 3-point lift capacities are the significant differences I can see in the specs.??? Is there a major price difference as well?

 

[chim]

PS: Can anyone here help me understand the multiple recommendations for a BX rather than a B? The ground clearance and 3-point lift capacities are the significant differences I can see in the specs.??? Is there a major price difference as well?

I was thinking the same thing. In an effort to "buy big enough" I skipped the BX series 11 years ago and went with a B7500. Last year the B7500 was replaced with an L3200. This one's a keeper. With a 6' RFM it comfortably handles about 2 acres an hour. The tractor is quite beefy without being cumbersome. It handles work with ease that taxed the capabilities my B series.

Our snows here are anything but consistent. Winters can range from a few dustings to occasional blizzard-like conditions. For small snows it usually works OK to drive through the snow with a rear blade dropped and set at an angle to cast it to one side. For about 10 years before getting the B7500 my loaderless little Ford did it that way. For big snows I rotated the blade and pushed backwards. With the B and L having loaders I often drop the loader to float and push straight through first. Loaders haven't damaged the driveway beyond a few scratches as mentioned in another post.

 

[Don87]

Hi,

I have to agree with Mr. WhistlePig .

With either a BX or B Kubota, a Piranha Tooth Bar will make digging and leveling very easily doable, and you can take the PTB off easily in the winter to use your loader for plowing.

However, in my opinion as someone who has used bushhog mowers in the past, and has a MMM now for mowing several acres of (not really lawn) mixed terrain, if you can find a Bush Hog type mower for your 5 acre area, you will find it meets your needs better than the MMM.

If the ground that you want to work is very hard packed or otherwise difficult to dig, a box blade with scarifiers can loosen that so you can dig and level it easier, and adequate quality used ones are often available.

Roger's post also provides some well thought out options, and he has (if I recall correctly) experience with the BX models, which I do not, except by reading here on TBN what people have been able to accomplish with them.

Happy tractoring and be well,
Thomas

PS: Can anyone here help me understand the multiple recommendations for a BX rather than a B? The ground clearance and 3-point lift capacities are the significant differences I can see in the specs.??? Is there a major price difference as well?

Op stated in post number one he wants a subcompact. A larger model will be more expensive than a subcompact.

A subcompact will do what he needs, just not as quickly as larger models.

OP does need a boxblade for leveling. I don't think I would attempt to level an entire acre of ground with my Piranha Tooth Bar and my loader.

 

[Grandad4]

Pictures would sure help visualize what the OP is trying to do. However, I'm with Don on this about the boxblade. OP says he want to level out some drop-off's and fill in holes over an acre, presumably with natural turf or some kind of lawn. If it's mostly fill-in work... digging and carrying soil over to areas that need filling, sure the FEL great for that. I actually prefer our little BX over the bigger tractor for that kind of work because it's very precise and nimble. But if the work involves cutting down high areas, the box blade rules. You can do it with the FEL, but it takes time and skill to do a clean job of it, especially when you're cutting into hard, sod-covered ground. If you have the FEL in front and the box in back, you can do fill and cut effectively.

I would suggest to the OP that bringing in a few truckloads of decent topsoil to use as fill-in material may speed things up quite a bit. Also, cutting away even a couple inches from anything more than a small area generates an unbelievable amount of material and takes a lot of time. My neighbor had a Bobcat working for more than a week cutting down not much more than a foot from a 1 acre area and dispersing it to an adjacent 1 acre plot.