BX23S Safe Inclines ?

[RWey56]

Haven't done any mowing yet to speak of with my 23, and I have a few mild banks in my yard. Prior to buying this, I had (still have) a 46" Craftsman rider, and pretty much navigated everywhere in any direction. There's a bit of security with the Craftsman, however, in that if you get near tip-over, you can easily push it back down with your leg, not that I've ever come close, but is certainly possible.

Enter the BX23S which is a substantially heavier unit at near 1700 lbs with the mower deck. What I don't have a comfy feel for, however, is what lateral incline one can run this at with relative safety? Also, what uphill and downhill angles, same question. I'd also like to do a bit of brushing where some of the inclines are a bit more. If anyone has any pics of what they navigate with this or similar weight / CG tractor, that would help ( but I don't expect you to take pics ... only if you have them easily available ).

Can I assume it would be OK on the same inclines I drive on with the Craftsman? ( except over the septic tank, which we already covered in another thread )


Another important question re side inclines: Do I have to worry about the oil pickup cavitating? I blew a rod in a different rider years back for this very reason due to the pickup being on one side of the engine, and I starved it while mowing at an angle. Any such worries with the BX three cylinder ?

 

[groomerbuck]

My bx2370 is extremely stable side hilling or going up or down decent pitches. I dont have wheel spacers nor would i even consider them being i feel its that stable without the loader on. Id say the if your craftsman can do it, the bx will do it better.
Also, i wouldnt think twice about mowing over your septic system. I do all the time.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Haven't done any mowing yet to speak of with my 23, and I have a few mild banks in my yard. Prior to buying this, I had (still have) a 46" Craftsman rider, and pretty much navigated everywhere in any direction. There's a bit of security with the Craftsman, however, in that if you get near tip-over, you can easily push it back down with your leg, not that I've ever come close, but is certainly possible.

Enter the BX23S which is a substantially heavier unit at near 1700 lbs with the mower deck. What I don't have a comfy feel for, however, is what lateral incline one can run this at with relative safety? Also, what uphill and downhill angles, same question. I'd also like to do a bit of brushing where some of the inclines are a bit more. If anyone has any pics of what they navigate with this or similar weight / CG tractor, that would help ( but I don't expect you to take pics ... only if you have them easily available ).

Can I assume it would be OK on the same inclines I drive on with the Craftsman? ( except over the septic tank, which we already covered in another thread )


Another important question re side inclines: Do I have to worry about the oil pickup cavitating? I blew a rod in a different rider years back for this very reason due to the pickup being on one side of the engine, and I starved it while mowing at an angle. Any such worries with the BX three cylinder ?

If you can get it steep enough to rob it of oil, it's laying on it's side!

Are you mowing without the loader on it?

Have you loaded the tires?

Have you widened the rear end?

Mowing just about any slope sideways can get you into trouble real fast, and it's really hard for us to be able to judge what you can and cannot safely drive on.
Wear your seat belt and have clean shorts on... well the second part won't matter after the fact.

 

[RWey56]

If you can get it steep enough to rob it of oil, it's laying on it's side!

Are you mowing without the loader on it?

Have you loaded the tires?

Have you widened the rear end?

Mowing just about any slope sideways can get you into trouble real fast, and it's really hard for us to be able to judge what you can and cannot safely drive on.
Wear your seat belt and have clean shorts on... well the second part won't matter after the fact.

To answer questions, in order.

FEL will be off when mowing.

Tires aren't loaded. Don't want to, have a lot of backhoe work to do and they don't recommend BH and loaded tires.

Not widened. Outer BX23 width is already 48".

It's not like any of these slopes are 45 degrees. Maybe 30 at the most. Septic mound is probably the steepest and I drove up that tonight, fwd, with the backhoe on ( which gave me some security as it won't allow it to flip ). I just don't have an intuitive feel for this thing yet.

As for the septic tanks themselves, there's a LOT of debate on that subject. If I recall, however, a guy drove a small bobcat over the newer tank, and I'm pretty sure yard workers drove a small grading cat over the older tank. Just don't know that I'm ready to do that till a tank guy says undeniably that it's OK.

 

[BillK01]

My septic guy told me that my BX2360 was “probably” ok on my sand mound but also said that if it were him and had my little John Deere LT160 with a 42” deck that he’d use that instead of the BX. So I use the JD for the sand mound just to be on the safe side.

 

[Bmbbm]

I installed a set of 2" spacers on the rear of my BX2370. I highly recommend them. Made a world of difference mowing on an incline.

 

[85Hokie]

I installed a set of 2" spacers on the rear of my BX2370. I highly recommend them. Made a world of difference mowing on an incline.

I agree a "world of difference" .....and loaded tires too - basically a 100 lbs per tire on that machine, that too helps a great deal. I would highly recommend doing both - I fully understand what the "book" says too

 

[Tractor Dell]

I agree a "world of difference" .....and loaded tires too - basically a 100 lbs per tire on that machine, that too helps a great deal. I would highly recommend doing both - I fully understand what the "book" says too

I also put 2 inch spacers on my BX23S and I have steel wheel weights on it. Feel a lot safer on hills and it doesn't have any impact on my ability to use my backhoe. My stabilizers pick up the back-end without any issues at all.

 

[RCW]

I don't have spacers on my BX2360, but do have loaded tires.

I can do some pretty steep stuff without issue, but I've been mowing the same lawn for 27 years with 3 different tractors.

 

[rjcorazza]

30 degrees is a steep slope in my world! I don’t take my tractor or zero turn on that kind of slope, and break out the walk behind mower. I rolled the walk behind on my 30 deg bank a few years ago because of some unnoticed erosion. The mower started sliding sideways, low side wheel caught in a ridge, and tumbled down 30’ landing upright and (relatively) undamaged.
There are too many variables with inclines.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[jay2]

My bx2370 is extremely stable side hilling or going up or down decent pitches. I dont have wheel spacers nor would i even consider them being i feel its that stable without the loader on. Id say the if your craftsman can do it, the bx will do it better.
Also, i wouldnt think twice about mowing over your septic system. I do all the time.

Are you saying you feel more stable with the loader off? In the couple situations I have had where my butt cheeks were grabbing the seat to hold me in the seat before rolling over, I was glad to drop the bucket as another contact point and inch my way out of the nightmare I put myself into.

 

[groomerbuck]

Are you saying you feel more stable with the loader off? In the couple situations I have had where my butt cheeks were grabbing the seat to hold me in the seat before rolling over, I was glad to drop the bucket as another contact point and inch my way out of the nightmare I put myself into.

Yes, the loader makes the tractor much more unstable.

 

[85Hokie]

Yes, the loader makes the tractor much more unstable.

mmmmmmmmmm........

I can see what you mean - but I am gonna disagree a bit.

For example - if you were to go UP a 30 degree incline....I want a bucket on, and weight in it a bit - front wheel will bite better in 4WD.

IF going down a 30 degree incline.....I want a bucket on and if weight great if not ok!!! 4WD will hold the hill better as the HST brakes the movement.

BUT IN ALL of the "bucket on" cases.....the BUCKET is low on the ground at 6" or less!!!

ON side angles embankments .....that bucket would be lowwwwwwwwwww........ to keep the center of gravity below the axle if possible but here on the side of the hill, is where I would be a little more "puckering"

 

[groomerbuck]

mmmmmmmmmm........



I can see what you mean - but I am gonna disagree a bit.



For example - if you were to go UP a 30 degree incline....I want a bucket on, and weight in it a bit - front wheel will bite better in 4WD.



IF going down a 30 degree incline.....I want a bucket on and if weight great if not ok!!! 4WD will hold the hill better as the HST brakes the movement.



BUT IN ALL of the "bucket on" cases.....the BUCKET is low on the ground at 6" or less!!!



ON side angles embankments .....that bucket would be lowwwwwwwwwww........ to keep the center of gravity below the axle if possible but here on the side of the hill, is where I would be a little more "puckering"

I understand you logic and respect your opinion, but cant agree. These little machines are balanced very well as a naked tractor. Adding any implement takes away from the stability.
My bx will loose traction going up steep inclines far before it want to flip over backwards, it also will climb better with no loader.

 

[KennysNewFarm]

Not to step in on this but wanted to add one thing. The original post spoke about driving over a septic. He did not state what type of septic. If he has concrete in the ground I mow over mine. But if it is a plastic tank barely under and mound over the top like my friends have do not mow over the top as it will collapse the tank. And ny the way my zero turn almost flipped me over backwards the other day and it sits really low to the ground. So I am going out on a limb to say a bigger tractor can too!