Looking to trade . . . down

[QCTEXAS]

As I advance in age, I am considering trading down to a BX23S. I bought my 40hp Mahindra 4035 about 12 years ago when I owned a much less developed piece of property in SE Oklahoma. Added the Bradco 485 BH to it about a year later. Plans were to build our retirement home on this land. Well life happened and plans changed and we ended up buying a different place in NE Texas. This is much more developed. While I still use the 4035 here I don't use it nearly as much as I would if I still had the place in OK. And it seems harder to get up and down off the Mahindra as time goes by.

On our rural place we have about 4 acres that we mow. The mowing is currently down by my wife (she enjoys it) using our Cub Cadet 44” riding mower. (We also have about 12 acres of woods with trails that I maintain with the tractor. And about 12 acres of field that a neighbor cuts and bales for hay in return for a small amount of cash.)

At first I was just thinking of a smaller tractor since I rarely really need the 40HP the Mahindra offers me. But the thinking came around to the BX23S with the BH. And then my wife asked about the MMM options. So now considering the BX23S with the 60 inch drive-over mower deck.

All financial considerations aside, I have some questions:

Drive-over MMM – good idea or bad? Can I mow with the BH and FEL installed?​

R14 Tires – opinions? Seems like the obvious choice to me.​

Anyone have a canopy on their BX tractor? Suggestions? Can I fold the ROPS with a canopy installed?​

​

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Martin

 

[Donystoy]

The best thing I did when replacing my B7200 was to forget a mmm and just purchase a zero-turn dedicated to grass cutting. The mid mount mower was just too much of a pain to put on and remove. I love the R14 tires on my new tractor but would not want them for mowing. I sold my lawn roller after purchasing the LX2610 since rolling only works when the earth is a bit soft but is also wrecked by the R14 tires.

 

[Tractor Gal]

I have a BX23D...cousin-in-part to the BX23S. This machine came with a FEL, BH and MMM. Each piece of equipment has worked out well. However, attaching/removing the MMM is a bit of a chore. No, actually, it is more than a chore...it is a pain in the neck! While wanting to use the BH and FEL in the woods, I removed the mower and added the Under Armor to protect the HST fan.

I have used the MMM with the FEL and BH attached and it is not a big problem. But, I have purchased the Bxpanded dollies for both the BH and the FEL. They are not currently on the tractor so I am doing the mowing with only the MMM attached. I enjoy the 60" cut and the ease of handling the tractor.

After putting the mower back on this last time, I have been thinking that perhaps I won't take that mower off again until necessary. Much of the maintenance of the mower can be done while it's still attached, although not quite as easily.

Others have mentioned using either a bush hog or a finish mower as a pull behind. That has some merit but you'll need to assess your family's needs. It was a little cumbersome to mow around the house with the FEL but workable with caution...didn't want to clip anything!

Hope you can figure it out and make the right decision.

Tractor Gal

 

[hagrid]

BX23S must remain upon teh manicured lawn exclusively.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

OP, good day.

I am not familiar with a BH on a BX, but I can say that on an MX the BH makes the steering pretty light going up a grade (even with loader on) and even a little off camber ground tickles my tiltometer. I would think that might be applicable for a BX with BH. Key point here might be to consider the lay of the land you plan to use the BX and does that make sense to keep the BH installed for all your chores(I suspect it would change your COG). JMHO.

If the primary reason for a BX is ease of mounting the machine, have you considered adding after market step and / or grab handle for your current machine? Or would ease of mounting change the machine you are considering? If mobility is a factor in getting a BX, ask the dealer if they let you put the mower on and off before you buy the MMM. The MMM in my B has not gotten any easier to on/off since I bought it.

As far as canopies, I only have experience with one, and it’s an Artillian (aluminum). It’s billed as easy on / off, but IMO it helps to have an extra set of hands…it’s just awkward due to the size (I have an XL). If you plan to trailer your machine very far, I’d recommend one that can be easily removed. Artillian is reversible. I’d buy my artillian all over again, but if I added for my B machine I would get a smaller size I think. I’d consider a rino brand that tractor Mike markets if I could see one in person or a reliable recommendation. They seem pretty decent to me as well and look like you could use forward setting for the normal use and maybe be able to turn around for when using BH? I am not certain so maybe check if that matters. Artillian can be used for forward or reverse setting. I suspect the rino would be just as awkward as Artillian on a windy day. YMMV.

Good luck.

 

[McMXi]

I have a BX23D...cousin-in-part to the BX23S. This machine came with a FEL, BH and MMM. Each piece of equipment has worked out well. However, attaching/removing the MMM is a bit of a chore. No, actually, it is more than a chore...it is a pain in the neck! While wanting to use the BH and FEL in the woods, I removed the mower and added the Under Armor to protect the HST fan.

I had a BX25DLB for five years with the MMM and I hated taking it on and off so you're not alone in your disdain. I dropped that bloody MMM on my toe one summer . The owner's manual advises to not have the backhoe on with the MMM but I said "to heck with it" and kept it on as I was digging a trench to run 110V/220V to the garage.

You can see the MMM up against the wall on the left. Such a pain for sure. You can see the MMM on the BX along with the backhoe during the trenching project.

I will add that I never particularly enjoyed cutting 2 to 3 acres at my place using the BX. The short wheel base and small wheels/tires didn't make for a comfortable ride in my field. Three hours bouncing around left me hurting in places that I can't talk about on this forum. I can spend the entire day in the MX or M pulling a flail, rotary cutter or folding rotary cutter around without any issues, with the M being the more comfortable of the two. I cut way more acreage now than I ever did, and what used to be a chore is now a lot more enjoyable.

 

[PaulL]

1. The B2601 is a similar size and similarly manoeuvrable. Unless you really need a BX for some reason, I'd get the B2601 instead, specially when you're coming from a larger tractor. It mows just as well as the BX.

2. The drive over deck on the B2601 is actually very easy to get on and off, a lot easier than the BX I previously had. There's more clearance, and the drive over is less fiddly. The only hard part is connecting the drive shaft, and once I worked out to lift the mower a bit first, that's really easy. I'm about 1 minute off, 2 minutes on. Refer this video:

3. I'd never mow with FEL let alone backhoe. You'll wreck stuff, and it makes the mowing uncomfortable and cumbersome. Taking the backhoe on and off I think is a pain. If you're buying a machine with backhoe, and plan to mostly have it on the machine, then I'd agree with others and get a dedicated mowing machine. If you go the other way and have the backhoe mostly off, and only put it on when you need it, then yes, a B2601 with MMM will mow very well.

 

[Tractor Gal]

McMXi, I'm agree with your thoughts for the most part. BUT, I interpret the manual a little differently with regard to the BH/mower. To me, the manual says to move the hydraulic hose from the BH to the main port while using the mower. That is not a big deal to change hose connection. The weight of the FEL and BH certainly would be a concern for mowing...if it was a golf course. I'm just happy to be able to mow as needed without a lot of pre-planning. Guess I've gotten lazy in my old age.

Tractor Gal

 

[McMXi]

McMXi, I'm agree with your thoughts for the most part. BUT, I interpret the manual a little differently with regard to the BH/mower. To me, the manual says to move the hydraulic hose from the BH to the main port while using the mower. That is not a big deal to change hose connection. The weight of the FEL and BH certainly would be a concern for mowing...if it was a golf course. I'm just happy to be able to mow as needed without a lot of pre-planning. Guess I've gotten lazy in my old age.

Tractor Gal

The older I get, the more I try to follow the advice to "work smarter, not harder".

It's been four years or more since I owned the BX, and a lot longer since I looked at a BX manual so I might be misremembering the whole backhoe and MMM thing. I just have a vague recollection that Kubota advised against having the backhoe and MMM on the tractor at the same time.

Regardless, I rarely ran the mower with the backhoe on for the reasons that others have already mentioned.

 

[D2Cat]

I'd suggest keeping the tractor you currently have. You know it's history, what it will do, it's earned it's keep and probably paid for. Even if you think you don't need it much it will be there when you do, and the BH will actually dig.

Buy a zero turn with a deck larger then the 44", like at least 60" and your wife will really enjoy her mowing. You'll discover she's mowing some of the trails!!