BX to a B

[Bearcatrp]

Anyone upgrade from a BX to a B? Am considering one. Going to check one out in next few days just to check dimensions and sit on it to get a feel. Enjoy my BX but lifting has its limitations. Everything else rocks with the BX. Thanks.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Anyone upgrade from a BX to a B? Am considering one. Going to check one out in next few days just to check dimensions and sit on it to get a feel. Enjoy my BX but lifting has its limitations. Everything else rocks with the BX. Thanks.

Good day.

I did a few years back (approx 2017). I upgraded when I was in the approach to buy a second property and thought I if I went one size larger I could take care of both properties with a B. (I did not know at that time I was getting an MX a few years later or that I’d rather have a rear mower than a MMM).

A B to me is like a BX with a lift kit…sure it lifts more as a percentage, but it’s not really that much actual weight it you convert it to bags of feed or concrete blocks.

it’s a great machine and does anything you ask it within its limitations and it fits a lot of places a larger machine may not.

if I new I would end up getting an MX a few years later I would have kept the BX. If you want the ground clearance and the couple lbs of lift, then the B is a great machine. Bx was great too. I believe the BX was more stable on a hillside than my B…I don’t have a way to prove it but my tilt-o-meter (calibrated butt) tells me so. iMO I did not get much value with the upgrade to the B…I thought I would avoid getting a second machine. I was wrong. I have three now and eyeing a 4th .

I’d recommend do some math on what you realisticly want to be able to safely lift or run off the pto, unless the ground clearance or just a B is what you really want. All that being said I would not be happy if I did not have at least one of BX or B, unless I have a small L. To me the standard L is the best value for the dollar if not need a MMM and honestly the footprint is not that much larger and they turn pretty sharp. There is a lot of overlap in HP and capability from a BX to a small standard L. JMO. I’d sort of question do you want the maneuverability of BX or extra machine weight of a L2502. (I don’t believe an L25xx has much more(if any) lift capacity than a B, but I believe it would be a bit heavier and much more stable)

if you have the space to store and room to turn and do not require a mid pto, to me standard L makes a lot cents (sense)

What’s your question(s) about the B?

 

[skeets]

Yup Grumpy got it right, a BX with a lift kit,, thats good! Don't get me wrong the B2610 is a good tractor for its slot, Im not real happy with mine, not that there is anything really wrong with it, just wish I would have had them let me play with it over a week end before I bought it. You might look at the lX,, they are the old B 50 series. I don't know what you want to do and the lX is larger than the B2601, that may or may not be an issue

 

[Hoserman]

For me the BX 2380 is perfect for my needs. The B would actually be overkill. I love my FEL and it does exactly what I need it to do. I don't make heavy lifts other than to move snow in the winter and move dirt for the gardens. I have loaded rears and have never felt like the rear end was getting spongy. I have 2+ acres to mow and half of it is winding in and out of trees. A B would be a little cumbersome. I do like the statement that the B is a BX on steroids. LOL.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Thanks for the replies. I went with the BX for being compact. Fits great in my garage. Cuts grass great. Use a rear blade for moving snow Without issues. I put R4’s on for winter duties. They don’t make R4’s for the 1880, but the 23S R4’s match great for the 1880. Love the 2 inches of lift I get from the R4’s. Can’t use them with the belly mower due to rubbing from what I have read. Will still try it when I get time. If they would work, would leave the R4’s on just for the lift alone. My fear getting a B is losing garage space and cutting grass in tight areas. Am just in the beginning of my research to see if it’s worth the higher cost. Have a semi deep ditch I cut grass. Can cut side to side without much worry on my 1880. The B might be pucker factor of 10 on my ditches. My biggest complaints is lifting and removing/installing the belly mower. The entire BX line has the same lift capacity regardless of the engine size. May just keep it and get a second used larger tractor. Going above a B, most of my attachments won’t work. Have a good collection of attachments. Hope to go check out the B soon. I’ll know then if it will work out for me. Thanks again.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

I think whatever you are considering, if you have some unique situation such as a ditch, I’d want to demo one and try if you are not sure. That’d be a real kick in the sack if you upgrade machine and have to go push mower or weed eater to keep the ditch in check.

I really liked my BX. I do think my B ride smoother…again I have no way to prove that other than my tilt-o-meter told me so…I think the larger tires smooth out the ride.

I don’t really think there is a bad choice between the two, it’s whatever you prioritize for your situation. I’d be happy with either one.

if not enjoy MMM is adding a rear mower an option?

 

[Bearcatrp]

Have looked at rear mowers. To tight of areas in back side of house (air conditioner, propane tank).

 

[johnjk]

I went with a B3200 for property maintenance. It handles the brush cutter well and the FEL does everything I need from spreading rock to moving snow and mulch. It aall so handles an 5’ land plane for driveway maintenance. I also bought my BiL’s B1700 with a mmm. Much more stable out mowing the ditch. I don’t have those pucker moments with it. The 1700 mows and moves the chicken tractor around and the 3200 does everything else. For me I don’t need bigger but would like a cab if I upgraded.

 

[Henro]

Or you could do what I did… Buy one first and keep it when you buy the second one!

In my case, I bought my B 2910 first and a year or two later bought the BX 2200. They’ve been my faithful helpers for around 23 years on average now…

With the mower deck on my BX, and foam filled tires, there’s no comparison in stability between the BX and the B 2910. The BX is far superior. One time about 10 years after I bought the B 2910 I inadvertently tipped it on its side. Slow motion event box blading, was not expected, but it happened!

For most work, I prefer the B 2910. As mentioned by others above, the low ground clearance on the BX is a limitation.

 

[chim]

If you can keep the BX, look at L series. My advice is often "Buy your fifth tractor first". I kept the Ford 1210 bought used in '91 or so and it's very handy to have. It was almost replaced with a BX, but the B7500 was more appealing. After 10 years that went away in favor of an L3200, and then 6 years after that I bought this used L4240. It is the largest tractor so far but has the shortest turning radius and is by far the most user-friendly and comfortable.

 

[SDT]

Anyone upgrade from a BX to a B? Am considering one. Going to check one out in next few days just to check dimensions and sit on it to get a feel. Enjoy my BX but lifting has its limitations. Everything else rocks with the BX. Thanks.

B has steering brakes, considerably more powerful engine options, available cab, very good, terrain-following MMM, and, of course, the big one, position control, the lack of which is an absolute showstopper for me.

 

[Steve67]

^^^^ plus with a b series you don’t have that goofy little hydro fan to deal with. If you don’t buy a cover protector for the plastic fan it will get broken

 

[dirtydeed]

Anyone upgrade from a BX to a B? Am considering one. Going to check one out in next few days just to check dimensions and sit on it to get a feel. Enjoy my BX but lifting has its limitations. Everything else rocks with the BX. Thanks.

Yep. That's what I did in 2017.

I had a 2006 BX23 for 11 years. Tough little bugger but really needed some more capability. Went with the large B-50 series (now the LX). It makes for a very capable "landscape" tractor. Fairly light weight but reasonable capacity. It's been a great machine thus far and has fulfilled my needs. I do use it commercially.

One other item that I didn't see mentioned is that B series and above have a 3 speed trans. Add a set of wheel spacers should you decide on one.

 

[RCW]

I've had a BX for 12 years and have shopped a B several times since. Honestly, only once was I serious about a change.

Like you, sometimes the BX just didn't do it.....

Unlike many, a snowblower is important to me. Snowblowers are expensive attachments.

Long story short, I couldn't justify the limited increase in capability given the dollars involved to trade the BX and implements for a B with all new implements/attachments. Of note, when I did seriously shop for a B, I was going to keep my snowblower. Just get a B-compatible front-hitch/mid-PTO for it.

That said, I could almost justify keeping the BX and implements, and getting another B for other duties, like backhoe(?)/loader/dirt work. Then, storage space becomes an issue for me.

Don't get me wrong; love my BX, but I probably should have gone the extra mile for a B-series at the start.

 

[PaulL]

I upgraded from a BX to a B.

I originally bought the BX as my first tractor, because I thought it was all I needed. I bought it second hand (and pretty beaten up when I got it), and used it for 3 years. Then I figured since I drove it more than my car, I could probably afford a better one. Tractors also don't depreciate like a car does, so in some sense a better spend of money.

Reasons to go from a BX to a B:

• It's basically the same footprint - small increase in length and width. It's mostly taller. So it fits anywhere the BX will fit. My shed has a door big enough for a 60 inch MMM, no wider.
• The turning circle is slightly better - because it has turning brakes. But they will chew up your grass a bit if you use them. But even without the turning brakes, I noticed no real difference in mowing around shrubs etc. I think it is a little harder on the turf - someone mentioned one time the steering geometry is a bit different and it tears more, I'm not sure if that's true or if it's just the extra weight
• The bigger wheels make quite a big difference to ride quality and being able to drive over stuff. And the front wheels are substantially different, I don't squish them flat with a lot of weight in the loader
• It lifts a lot more on the 3ph (nearly double), quite a bit more on the loader
• It's way faster due to the 3 speed transmission. I mow in H, and it's about 50% faster. With larger tires it's about the same comfort when going 50% faster
• Much better ground clearance
• I find the drive over MMM way easier to remove than the one on the BX. More ground clearance also means more room to reach in for the drive shaft. And the drive over is a real game changer. It's not the same as the BX drive over - it doesn't auto attach the drive shaft. But it's way easier to take the MMM on and off. Kubota B2601 MMM deck removal and reattach
• Position control, if you do ground engaging tasks. I largely don't, so not a big deal for me

Reasons to keep the BX:

• Money
• It's good enough probably - there's nothing the B will do the BX won't. But the BX is slower and less capable
• A bit lighter

Reasons to go bigger:

• A one model step up isn't that noticeable. An LX or an L will be much more material a change. But if it won't fit in your shed, no point thinking about it
• If you can go to an LX, you'll probably be happier. An L doesn't take a MMM, so probably off the table for you

I love my B, and I'm super happy I moved from the BX. It's a lot better tractor, and fits what I do. I'd sometimes like an LX, but then I remember it won't fit in my shed, and there's nothing I do that the LX would do materially better than the B. The main thing would be the 72-inch deck, which would be nice when mowing larger fields.

I also made this comparison thread a few years ago, still relevant.

BX vs B01 vs B50

A table I had made for BX and B01 when I was looking. I've seen a few questions on differences, so thought I'd post the full table including the B50 series (and now L2501 as well), because lots of people ask about the differences. Really no question or point in the post beyond contributing...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[Zazaofgreenacres]

Have looked at rear mowers. To tight of areas in back side of house (air conditioner, propane tank).

I just got a woodmaxx flail mower for mine to mow native grasses ( nor lawn) does a great job with tighter footprint.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Going to hold off for now. Have to many attachments for my 1880. Maybe look down the road for a larger tractor or get a skid steer. Thanks for all the replies

 

[Hoserman]

I know the B is a very viable unit for sure IF you have the room to use it effectively. I don't, and I'm totally glad I have the 2380. I've had garden tractors before, and the BX eats them for breakfast. The BX is perfect for size alone. I don't do any heavy duty type stuff at all. But what I do get into is way more than a simple garden tractor can handle. If I didn't have an abundance of trees, and a soft ex-river bottom or flooding to contend with, the B would probably be sitting in my yard as we speak.

 

[Bearcatrp]

My 1880 works great for what my needs are. My only issue is lift capacity. But since I’ve only had that issue a few times, I’ll just deal with it. Everything else this little tractor far exceeds my expectations. Where my old cub cadet work choke cutting grass in thick areas, my 1880 chews right through it without breaking a sweat.

 

[PaulL]

My 1880 works great for what my needs are. My only issue is lift capacity. But since I’ve only had that issue a few times, I’ll just deal with it. Everything else this little tractor far exceeds my expectations. Where my old cub cadet work choke cutting grass in thick areas, my 1880 chews right through it without breaking a sweat.

For purely lift capacity, the answer sometimes is to be more cunning. You can use your tractor to pull a rope on a pulley system. You can cheat and use the curl function to just get something just off the ground (with proper ballasting), if you just want to push things around. You can skid things instead of lifting. And I had a set of 3ph pallet forks with my BX, and a loading ramp - I could then use the 3ph to lift some things (pallets of stuff). The BX still doesn't lift a lot on the 3ph, but it's more than on the loader.

And then all the usual farmer tricks: ramps, levers, endless chains etc.