Getting real close to purchasing a BX2380. The main use will be mowing. I am purchasing a loader with it. And I may do a little snow removal. I have a lot of hills and banks that I mow. I don’t want to tear may grass up or leave tracks. Which tires would be best. Industrial, or turf?
BX2380 & tires
- Thread starter Papadiver
- Start date
I have run R4s on every little tractor I ever owned, and the BX I have now is no exception, and as far as tearing up your yard think about how you mow before hand. Slow even turns will decrease any chance of sod removal or displacement. Many people have turf tires and love them, and just as many have the R4s. If all you are going to do is mow then either will work well enough.. One final thought,, dont try to drift a BX 
85Hokie
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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
I have both on different tractors.....
I have zero problems with cutting grass with R4's (Ind)....however - I use my turfs more so now as the turf tire machine is what I mow with currently.
If cutting grass and snow is what you want to do - go with turfs.
I do not think you will need the mud digging specs of R4's for your situation.
Turfs will have a little more flex too - allowing a smoother ride on all situations.
ON those banks you mow ......make sure you are in 4wd when you go up and down those banks!!!! Specially DOWN.....why you ask?
you only have brakes on the rears....but with the HST and 4wd - you let off the HST - the hydraulic actually "brake" the machine without touching the brake pedal.
I can go down a 28 degree slope and ease off the HST and the machine will come to a complete stop within 3 feet.......that will not happen in 2wd!
Get TURFS.....if you ever need more grip - get chains on those turfs!
Another thing you will want to get is a ballast box for the rear....you will understand why when you pick up 400+ lbs on the FEL
You may want to think about a zero turn instead. Love my BX but it does do some damage on turns even with turf tires.
There is one more option. Bar tire. I have the bar on my 1720. It’s a heavier tractor but I have to be real careful this time of year I can tear up turf with it. My current mower is a rider with bar on the rear. It does pretty good on the banks. Wanting something a little safer. I have 20 AC so I will have BX on all of it doing maintence and getting firewood. I don’t have any real mudd to deal with. I don’t think the bar is what I want on the BX.
doing maintence and getting firewood. I don’t have any real mudd to deal with. I don’t think the bar is what I want on the BX.Kind of a tough call based on your intentions & land description. I would say initially turf's might be a better choice, but the hills & slopes give me pause. If the majority of the work you're doing is on those hills & slopes, I would probably go R4. If the hill/slope work is minimal, I'd probably go turf.
Just my $.02.
I can tell you that I got turfs with mine and they work GREAT in snow, I have tire chains still in the box never even had to put them on.
Do you think your dealer will let you demo a 2380 on your property? I love our 2380 but I would not want to mow hills on a regular basis.
Try before you buy and see what you think.
I have the R4 tires but if I was doing lawn mowing, I would get the turf.
Try before you buy and see what you think.
I have the R4 tires but if I was doing lawn mowing, I would get the turf.
RCW
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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
BX2380 & tires
Papadiver -
I've had all...R1's (ag/bar), R3's (turf) and R4's (Ind) on a steep lawn. I've always said my tractors need to be part mountain goat.
The R1 and R3 were on stout garden tractors, the R4's on my BX2360.
They will all do damage given certain circumstances.
Probably the best bets are what skeets and Hokie alluded to...planning your path/turns, mowing when dry, etc.
I have a Sugar Maple I need to mow around in a steeper part in a corner of the yard. Regardless of machine...sod gets ripped up around it. Just a fact I live with after 27 years.
Personally, I'd like to see some pictures of what you're mowing.
Slope doesn't show well in pictures, but it's worth the exercise.
These are parts of my yard. The mentioned small maple straight ahead of the tractor. I dig up around that, and have for years. Also showing pics of my front ditch. There are times I probably couldn't get out of it with R3's.
Papadiver -
I've had all...R1's (ag/bar), R3's (turf) and R4's (Ind) on a steep lawn. I've always said my tractors need to be part mountain goat.
The R1 and R3 were on stout garden tractors, the R4's on my BX2360.
They will all do damage given certain circumstances.
Probably the best bets are what skeets and Hokie alluded to...planning your path/turns, mowing when dry, etc.
I have a Sugar Maple I need to mow around in a steeper part in a corner of the yard. Regardless of machine...sod gets ripped up around it. Just a fact I live with after 27 years.
Personally, I'd like to see some pictures of what you're mowing.
Slope doesn't show well in pictures, but it's worth the exercise.
These are parts of my yard. The mentioned small maple straight ahead of the tractor. I dig up around that, and have for years. Also showing pics of my front ditch. There are times I probably couldn't get out of it with R3's.
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For the mowing, not really. Just one sloped berm/retaining wall area. Its pretty steep but its only 15 feet or so, the turfs are fine on it even when grass is wet. Have an incline on the driveway its not terribly steep sometimes cars without 4wd will slip a little on it. The BX seems to have no trouble at all in 4wd.
RCW
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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
What you're describing makes me lean toward loaded turfs, if you think the bank/berm isn't an issue. Would still like to see a picture.
Like Hokie said - easier ride. The sidewalls aren't as stiff as R4's so the FEL work could be an issue, but not so much for snow work. I've had to do quite a bit of dirt and stone work, so R4's are the ticket for me. I do see tread marks in the yard sometimes when it's wet but honestly don't care, since my lawn is far from "manicured."
For snow, R3's will do better than R4's without chains. Also, chains do work/fit better on turfs versus R4's, although I've never had an issue with chains on my R4's. (You may want wheel spacers if considering chains)
Hokie mentioned 4WD....I don't like to mow in 4WD, as it can cause more turf damage in turns....however, the downhill braking is a BIG issue requiring 4WD...I took a ride last summer with a plate compactor hangin' off the FEL, and I KNOW BETTER!
Like Hokie said - easier ride. The sidewalls aren't as stiff as R4's so the FEL work could be an issue, but not so much for snow work. I've had to do quite a bit of dirt and stone work, so R4's are the ticket for me. I do see tread marks in the yard sometimes when it's wet but honestly don't care, since my lawn is far from "manicured."
For snow, R3's will do better than R4's without chains. Also, chains do work/fit better on turfs versus R4's, although I've never had an issue with chains on my R4's. (You may want wheel spacers if considering chains)
Hokie mentioned 4WD....I don't like to mow in 4WD, as it can cause more turf damage in turns....however, the downhill braking is a BIG issue requiring 4WD...I took a ride last summer with a plate compactor hangin' off the FEL, and I KNOW BETTER!
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I bought my tractor used, it has R4 tires on it. After reading a lot of comments on here I decided to get some turf tires. When I went to MY dealer, he said I'll sell um to ya but ya don't need um. Yea the R4s will tear up a yard if it's soft, but so will turfs. I've used my tractor all winter blowing snow from my and 2 neighbors drives and had no traction problems with the R4s. Never tried them on ice, but in the past with turfs on my other tractors, I needed chains. No marks on the concrete this year for me.