Why the BX23S Is Not So Compact

[BAP]

First, I have a lot more things to do than the two things you chose. Did you read what I wrote? Tons of yard and driveway grading to do. Tilling as well.

It isn't clear to me how much I would use a tractor for regular mowing work, maybe I'll find it is really useful. It'll probably just depend on how many lawns I have to do in one day. If it's just one small lawn and the deck isn't on the tractor, I'll probably just grab a walk-behind mower.

A decent riding mower starts at maybe $2k and is another engine to maintain an another fairly large thing to store. A mower deck just gets put up on the shelf in the garage. I already bought a DR lawn vac a couple months ago when I though I'd have a tractor any day. I ended up towing it around and using it just as a material collector this fall. A load of wet leaves plus the lawn vac can easily be more than 1,000lb in total. I'm not sure if hauling that with a 450lb riding mower is the best idea. Plus, it'll be really nice to be able to dump the collector and push the pile with the loader.

I understand that everyone is really enthusiastic about how much better a mini excavator is, but I don't see why a tractor mounted backhoe won't work just fine for occasional stump/trench/whatever projects. I've operated a couple and they seemed to work just fine. Why would I spend $20k on a mini excavator instead of $5-7k on a backhoe that I can easily transport with the tractor? Any issues with precision and mess seem like operator issues. By the way, isn't a tracked machine going to tear up lawns much worse than a tractor with turf tires?

Did you read what I wrote? My max travel distance is about 1,500ft. I can drive a tractor from point to point before you can get your trailer hooked up.

I'm sure you have a really great setup, but I really don't want 6-10 machines to store and maintain and I feel like the real cost of obtaining all of those things is probably 3-4 times the cost of one new tractor.

If you are so sure that you know what you want and don’t want to listen to others advice, then just go buy the Dang tractor and be done with it. You keep coming back here trying to convince us to reassure you that you are doing the right thing, but you don’t listen to the responses. In fact you are starting to belittle the people who are trying to help. In your other thread you kept telling us how you couldn’t try one before or rent one. Every HomeDepot around here has a BX23 on a trailer that can be rented. I almost wonder if you are beginning to enjoy beating this to death.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

Is there a market or need for composted leaves?

If there is, I'm going to start vacuuming them up, and in a year I'll be rich!

Not trying to start a compost business. I have use for compost though, and it saves me time and money transporting yard waste to the local recycling center and paying them to take it, then paying them to deliver compost when I need some. If I end up with too much, people in my area will come and take away good compost (actually, I'm sure they'd pay me to deliver it, if I wanted to mess around with that, and I don't). Mulching it in place is no good here - it's just way too dense and will smother the lawn.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

If you are so sure that you know what you want and don’t want to listen to others advice, then just go buy the Dang tractor and be done with it. You keep coming back here trying to convince us to reassure you that you are doing the right thing, but you don’t listen to the responses. In fact you are starting to belittle the people who are trying to help. In your other thread you kept telling us how you couldn’t try one before or rent one. Every HomeDepot around here has a BX23 on a trailer that can be rented. I almost wonder if you are beginning to enjoy beating this to death.

I'm reading everything people are writing and trying to respond to each point. Some people are saying the B2601 would work well for me. Others are saying I shouldn't be buying a tractor at all. Some are advising I buy multiple expensive pieces of equipment instead of a tractor. I can't follow the advice of every poster because they conflict and some of the advice is just confusing given my application. The one Home Depot around here does not rent any tractors and I don't know of any local place that rents any of the tractors I might consider buying.
Yes, of course I want reassurance, and no, I don't enjoy how difficult it is to get advice without people being so aggressive.
Which of the advice given do you think I should follow?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Your original post here (#1) has 5 -6 points about how the BX23S is too tall, wide,awkward for doing tight, close quarters work ,like next to buildings , for trenching. Your reply later, before my latest reply talked about a MMM and bagging leaves for compost. I didn't see anything about ' Tons of yard and driveway grading to do. Tilling as well.'
So from what I've read , you have two main uses for a machine... digging trenches and picking up leaves, so based on those two requirements , I offered my suggestions. Mind you I only have 6 decades of experience to draw from but I'm always eager to learn new stuff,especially if it'll save me time or money.
You really need to make complete list of ALL applications, in point form so we don't miss some 'detail'. That, at the beginning of this thread would have been nice. Adding stuff.as you go.. is confusing
Not too sure why you'd spend 2K on a new rider to pull your vac,any used unit over 12HP will do it. I service my neighbours setup in exchange for the leaves.All except Black Walnuts of course.
You gotta be in real good shape to enjoy the 'fun' of changing implements. When you get past 65 and flatten 2 lower discs THEN you'll know why I have the lots of rides here! Getting old ain't the fun 'they' said it would be.
BTW I can get any trailer on in less than 4 minutes and I don't have a fancy backup camera.
As far as compost goes, any veggie gardener WILL pay for leaf compost ! I've hauled 1700# giant pumpkins out of the leaf compost patch here.

 

[Fordtech86]

Your original post here (#1) has 5 -6 points about how the BX23S is too tall, wide,awkward for doing tight, close quarters work ,like next to buildings , for trenching. Your reply later, before my latest reply talked about a MMM and bagging leaves for compost. I didn't see anything about ' Tons of yard and driveway grading to do. Tilling as well.'
So from what I've read , you have two main uses for a machine... digging trenches and picking up leaves, so based on those two requirements , I offered my suggestions. Mind you I only have 6 decades of experience to draw from but I'm always eager to learn new stuff,especially if it'll save me time or money.
You really need to make complete list of ALL applications, in point form so we don't miss some 'detail'. That, at the beginning of this thread would have been nice. Adding stuff.as you go.. is confusing
Not too sure why you'd spend 2K on a new rider to pull your vac,any used unit over 12HP will do it. I service my neighbours setup in exchange for the leaves.All except Black Walnuts of course.
You gotta be in real good shape to enjoy the 'fun' of changing implements. When you get past 65 and flatten 2 lower discs THEN you'll know why I have the lots of rides here! Getting old ain't the fun 'they' said it would be.
BTW I can get any trailer on in less than 4 minutes and I don't have a fancy backup camera.
As far as compost goes, any veggie gardener WILL pay for leaf compost ! I've hauled 1700# giant pumpkins out of the leaf compost patch here.

Jay, were you not following his other 21 page thread?

Im curious about what one does with a 1700 pound pumpkin???

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

Your original post here (#1) has 5 -6 points about how the BX23S is too tall, wide,awkward for doing tight, close quarters work ,like next to buildings , for trenching. Your reply later, before my latest reply talked about a MMM and bagging leaves for compost. I didn't see anything about ' Tons of yard and driveway grading to do. Tilling as well.'
So from what I've read , you have two main uses for a machine... digging trenches and picking up leaves, so based on those two requirements , I offered my suggestions. Mind you I only have 6 decades of experience to draw from but I'm always eager to learn new stuff,especially if it'll save me time or money.
You really need to make complete list of ALL applications, in point form so we don't miss some 'detail'. That, at the beginning of this thread would have been nice. Adding stuff.as you go.. is confusing
Not too sure why you'd spend 2K on a new rider to pull your vac,any used unit over 12HP will do it. I service my neighbours setup in exchange for the leaves.All except Black Walnuts of course.
You gotta be in real good shape to enjoy the 'fun' of changing implements. When you get past 65 and flatten 2 lower discs THEN you'll know why I have the lots of rides here! Getting old ain't the fun 'they' said it would be.
BTW I can get any trailer on in less than 4 minutes and I don't have a fancy backup camera.
As far as compost goes, any veggie gardener WILL pay for leaf compost ! I've hauled 1700# giant pumpkins out of the leaf compost patch here.

My original post was not that the BX was too anything, just that it is effectively worse in small spaces than slightly bigger tractors. I was somehow completely blind to this until I actually had some seat time. Now I don't entirely trust myself to see all the angles and posted all of my thoughts here to see if I was seeing this clearly.

You're right, I should have listed all the applications. I guess the effectiveness of a tractor for grading, leveling, smoothing out earth and stone, etc... was just pretty settled in my head. The question of clearance on the mower deck and the 180 swing on the BH77 backhoe came up, so maybe it seemed like those were my primary uses.

Primarily, I need to:
Move materials with the loader (dirt, compost, gravel). I have more hours with a shovel and a wheel barrow (or my preferred method: garbage cans and and hand truck) than I care to think about, and it's time for a change.
To a lesser extent, I'll move pallets of stuff.
Loosen and grade soil in somewhat constrained spaces (small lots, no big open fields).
Grade/smooth gravel driveways and small parking areas.
Pulling 'garbage' out of the ground like old broken concrete patios and walkways.
I do plenty of tree trimming every year and it might be nice to use the tractor to haul branch piles to wherever I've got the wood chipper/mulch pile going that year.
I do some small and infrequent log milling, and moving around logs in the 3-700lb range is getting difficult. I hope the tractor will help with that.
I'll probably use it for snow clearing, though we don't get enough snow to make a snowblower worth it. I was originally thinking of a rotary broom, but now I think I'll skip that and maybe just build my own front blade to work exactly how I need it on my weird sidewalks. I think a back blade would be effective on about 800ft of asphalt alley I would like to keep clear.

With some frequency I need to dig stumps and sometimes trenches. Maybe a couple trenching projects per year, maybe 200ft per project, 4" pipe, 16-40" deep, sometimes having to break through very compact crushed stone driveways. Some small trenching projects would just be 10-20ft to pull electrical to a garage. I could see how those tiny excavators would be great for those short trench between two buildings situations, and how the 180deg arc on the BH77 would help too. I feel like those projects are so small and infrequent that I buying or renting a mini ex just doesn't make sense. Seems like a mini ex is like $20k new or ~$12k used?

Logistically, I don't need to relocate equipment more than about 1600ft. I also want to be able to drive over lawns without damaging them. A tractor mounted backhoe could zip over to a spot and dig and haul a small stump much quicker than I could manage an excavator.

I'm sure I could handle leaf pickup with a smaller less powerful riding mower. 12hp is below what the leaf vac manufacturer is specifying, and I'm wondering if a mower that small can haul a full 1,000lb leaf collector up a relatively steep driveway skirt, or if the towing would end up damaging the mower. While I did buy an engine-powered collector, but I'm very interested in the PTO driven collectors as well - maybe I would switch to that at some point.

I don't want to hire any work out, and will avoid equipment rentals whenever possible. My work style is generally favorable to working on an outdoor project for 1-4 hours in a day (I have other business that can pull me away and make it hard to work full days on outdoor projects). I'm running my own projects, not answering to any needy customers. The work is also therapeutic for me.

 

[PaulL]

Given that list I think you've got it about right with a B2601.

I think a BX is too little tractor for some of the tasks, and it's always a compromise tractor. For those coming from a lawn tractor, they're awesome. But they're built to a size/form factor, and that introduces compromises. The B is taller, so the 3ph works better. It lifts more on the loader. It has 3 speed gearbox, and you're driving between sites - it'll be much faster. It has position control.

As you say, it's not much bigger in ground size (it's definitely taller and looks bigger), and it's not much more expensive. But it's quite a lot more tractor.

I think the JD1025R is a bit less tractor than the small B, the JD 2 series is a bit more tractor. So depending on what you're looking for, the JD may be worth a look. I mostly look at Kubotas, so I know not so much about green.

I think you want to be sure on the backhoe, it's an expensive attachment and many people say that it's not as good as a mini-ex. I have experience with a mini-ex, not with a TLB. Advantages of a backhoe are that it's there when you want it (the number one benefit), and that driving a tractor over a lawn does much less damage than a mini-ex does. Disadvantage is that it's way less productive and competent than a mini-ex, if you're digging out large stumps with a backhoe you'll get tired of it.

I borrowed my father's old Takeuchi 1.6 ton mini-ex for about a year when he bought a new one. I always used to ask him why he was using a spade in the garden when he had a mini-ex. Once I had it at my house I learned real quick - they're hard on the lawn. Great if you've got a big job that's worth a bit of damage, but if you're doing a small job you're chewing up your lawn again every couple of weeks. Even if you're good at turning without swivelling in spot, the tracks really put dents in the lawn if it's at all soft.

So, if a mini-ex is off limits because of lawn damage and having to go rent the thing and wasting half a day driving back and forth, then a backhoe is way better than a spade. Only you can decide whether it's $5K or so better than a spade, that depends on how much work you have for it.

Finally, on the question of whether this is the perfect tractor for you. Simple answer - no. Many people on here change tractors reasonably often, some going from a BX to a small B to a large B back to a small B. Needs change over time, and no tractor is perfect for every job, so you get to wishing you had a bigger tractor when you have a small one, and wishing you had a small tractor when you have a big one. Tractors have pretty good resale, so buy a tractor that's definitely enough for what you need, and then if over time it turns out that last 5% is a different machine, then you'll sell and rebuy. If you go into this assuming you can make a perfect decision that'll cover you for 20 years, you're probably wrong unless you're confident none of your needs will change in that time.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: giant pumpkin. take to fair, make SERIOUS coins, then use as compost AFTER harvesting the seeds. Those are worth 5-25$ each. Trying to grow a 2,000# kin here is the real challenge up here!

re: miniex. found out fast that you use 2- 4by8 sheets of ply at the 'corners' of the job to turn miniex on. that's what the pros do. they also lay them down to toss excavated dirt onto, sure helps after backfilling to make the place neater too !

re: PaulL is correct,no ONE tractor is perfect ! If you only have one it's either too big, too small,too slow,too weak, too tall, too wide, always carrying the wrong implement or worse.. it's 'in the shop',arrgh downtime !! I chose to have several, as it suits my requirements. None get a ton of hours,so maintenace is low. No time lost changing implements,though with Snap Coupler , it's only 1-2 minutes anyway.

re: sawmill logs. I use pallet forks on my BX23S and while it'll lift short logs it's very, very tricky The loader controls are too sensitive and fast so placing logs on mill is not fun. The problem is you need high RPM to get high pressure /volume to lift and the control valve isn't 'fine' The A-C forklift is a far better machine, designed for precise control. Meanwhile the BX23S is GREAT at 'tossing' firewood sized logs into dump trailer fast !

compromise...always a compromise.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

Given that list I think you've got it about right with a B2601.

I think a BX is too little tractor for some of the tasks, and it's always a compromise tractor. For those coming from a lawn tractor, they're awesome. But they're built to a size/form factor, and that introduces compromises. The B is taller, so the 3ph works better. It lifts more on the loader. It has 3 speed gearbox, and you're driving between sites - it'll be much faster. It has position control.

As you say, it's not much bigger in ground size (it's definitely taller and looks bigger), and it's not much more expensive. But it's quite a lot more tractor.

I think the JD1025R is a bit less tractor than the small B, the JD 2 series is a bit more tractor. So depending on what you're looking for, the JD may be worth a look. I mostly look at Kubotas, so I know not so much about green.

I think you want to be sure on the backhoe, it's an expensive attachment and many people say that it's not as good as a mini-ex. I have experience with a mini-ex, not with a TLB. Advantages of a backhoe are that it's there when you want it (the number one benefit), and that driving a tractor over a lawn does much less damage than a mini-ex does. Disadvantage is that it's way less productive and competent than a mini-ex, if you're digging out large stumps with a backhoe you'll get tired of it.

I borrowed my father's old Takeuchi 1.6 ton mini-ex for about a year when he bought a new one. I always used to ask him why he was using a spade in the garden when he had a mini-ex. Once I had it at my house I learned real quick - they're hard on the lawn. Great if you've got a big job that's worth a bit of damage, but if you're doing a small job you're chewing up your lawn again every couple of weeks. Even if you're good at turning without swivelling in spot, the tracks really put dents in the lawn if it's at all soft.

So, if a mini-ex is off limits because of lawn damage and having to go rent the thing and wasting half a day driving back and forth, then a backhoe is way better than a spade. Only you can decide whether it's $5K or so better than a spade, that depends on how much work you have for it.

Finally, on the question of whether this is the perfect tractor for you. Simple answer - no. Many people on here change tractors reasonably often, some going from a BX to a small B to a large B back to a small B. Needs change over time, and no tractor is perfect for every job, so you get to wishing you had a bigger tractor when you have a small one, and wishing you had a small tractor when you have a big one. Tractors have pretty good resale, so buy a tractor that's definitely enough for what you need, and then if over time it turns out that last 5% is a different machine, then you'll sell and rebuy. If you go into this assuming you can make a perfect decision that'll cover you for 20 years, you're probably wrong unless you're confident none of your needs will change in that time.

I feel any of the options would work fine for upwards of 80% of my tasks. I guess the focus of my original post was that I thought I was winning something by going with the smaller BX, but realized I really wasn't winning anything, as its effective size isn't what it first appears to be. The slightly bigger 1025r and B2X01 appear more capable even in constrained spaces. It sounds like I should also look more closely at the JD 2 series. If there are other tractors I need to be looking at, I really want to know about them!

I have looked at mini excavators, but don't have experience operating them. I think for a mini ex to really be a game changer for me, it would need to be one of those micro excavators designed to fit through doorways. I can surely see how that would be awesome for little trenching projects between two building in a very confined space. For example, I have one upcoming project where I probably need to trench 12.5ft between two buildings 40" deep. Positioning the tractor backhoe effectively would be really hard and I'll probably end up digging wider than needed and/or doing more hand work. There's kind of a catch 22 here in that the shorter the trench, the less a tractor will be able to fit, and the more a tiny excavator would be great, but it all ends up not mattering as much because it's a rather short trench and I'm strong with a shovel. Anywhere I need to trench longer (which for me would be 30-90ft), I don't believe I'll have a show-stopping space constraint with the tractor backhoe.

If I got one of those 1 ton micro excavators, it would be great for my little trenching projects, but it looks like at that size they are weaker than a tractor backhoe. Given how slow they move, I have a hard time seeing myself going through all the trouble to use the mini ex on one stump in a backyard a quarter mile away, when I could just zip over with the tractor.

Concerning price, these tiny excavators seem to start at around $20k, so we're talking 3-4 times the cost of a backhoe. Even used, I can't really find any options that get into the $10-12k range I've seen people mention. Unless those no-name imports excavators are a good buy? Also, a used machine purchase would likely be cash, whereas 5 years at 0% looks the same as a 30% markdown for me.

Am I seeing the cost part of the mini ex correctly? It seems like people are talking about backhoes and mini excavators as if the cost is about the same.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

re: sawmill logs. I use pallet forks on my BX23S and while it'll lift short logs it's very, very tricky The loader controls are too sensitive and fast so placing logs on mill is not fun. The problem is you need high RPM to get high pressure /volume to lift and the control valve isn't 'fine' The A-C forklift is a far better machine, designed for precise control. Meanwhile the BX23S is GREAT at 'tossing' firewood sized logs into dump trailer fast !

compromise...always a compromise.

I was planning on getting a grapple for logs/branches, and also ripping junk out of the ground (constantly dealing with poorly implemented and forgotten concrete walks and patios in the earth). Current operating protocol for tree-trimming waste is to wait until a reasonable quantity accumulates, pull up the utility trailer, load it up with a huge branch pile, tow it to the local landscape recycling place and pay them to take it. New plan is to grab things up and bring them to to the new wood chipper as needed and quit trailering things miles away and paying to get rid of it.

I don't have a real mill yet - slowly shopping for that too. Right now, I push logs through my 19" vertical bandsaw. I can handle a log that is a few hundred pounds, but past that I can't really process it yet. I'm going to buy a bigger chainsaw soon and start processing some of my logs that are too big to put through my bandsaw.

 

[BigG]

I think I will just wait for the book and read the last chapter.

 

[RCW]

Chimpy -

I didn't think I'd ever respond to any of your threads, but I can't resist anymore...

Trust me, not being derogatory at all, just observation and advice.

I get your BX23S purchase didn't go well. Sorry to hear that.

You have 150+ posts on OTT, and you are really not any farther ahead than the day you joined.

Hell, you don't even own a tractor yet.

We have guys asking about 400-hour service at less than 150 posts...

You have to make a decision, stick to it, and move ahead.....

Trust yourself, and if it doesn't work perfectly, count it as a lesson learned... Heck I love my BX, but should have bought a B.

As the old saying goes; lead, follow, or get out of the way....

I wish you the best, I really do!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: ...
For example, I have one upcoming project where I probably need to trench 12.5ft between two buildings 40" deep. Positioning the tractor backhoe effectively would be really hard and I'll probably end up digging wider than needed and/or doing more hand work.

....

this is a perfect job for a mini-ex ! I've done 3 like that here 10,15,22' trenches, using friend's KX-41. No mess, no trouble, less than 2 hours seat time. Used homemade 6" bucket..perfect for 4" conduits.

Up here you can rent a mini-ex for 4hrs for about $250, so I tell guys to do 2-3 small jobs. Charge $100 per job = $300. That way everyone pays for time including your 'overhead' fee of $50.

this is all about planning and using the right tool for the job. I don't rent 'trenchers' as I always drop 4" conduit,usually 2, even for smple power feeds to outbuildings.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

RCW, I see your point. I think feeling pretty burned on the first attempt has me in a squirrely state, second guessing everything. That said, I find it interesting how many guys will take time to exclaim how they would have handled things like a boss, but won't give a bit of technical advice.
RCW, you wrote ten points and the most useful thing I heard was that you got a BX but wish you'd gotten a B. Would have loved to hear the actual reasons.
I'm not sure your point about how many posts someone has vs how many hours they've run their tractor. I do think the analysis I gave in my first post here will be useful to anyone trying to decide on a BX vs a B or a 1025r - I wish someone would have explained all this to me.

I do have a tractor - it's in my driveway

 

[atitus]

I do have a tractor - it's in my driveway

Seriously. You mean the one you don't want? The rusty one with all the problems? The one your dealer is supposed to be taking back but apparently has not? Let me guess... did you tell them to hold off so you can think on it some more? I hope you are not using it ... at some point this dealer (even if he did screw up initially) is going to feel like you are pissing into the wind on him and telling him its rain.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

Seriously. You mean the one you don't want? The rusty one with all the problems? The one your dealer is supposed to be taking back but apparently has not? Let me guess... did you tell them to hold off so you can think on it some more? I hope you are not using it ... at some point this dealer (even if he did screw up initially) is going to feel like you are pissing into the wind on him and telling him its rain.

No need for the animosity, I was joking. Dealer is picking it up tomorrow. I'm not using it. The dealer was essentially willing to let me use it until we sorted something out, but I wasn't very comfortable with that, so I told him he could pick it up anytime.

 

[atitus]

I was going for sarcastic, maybe came out a little more mean than intended. No intent to be nasty there.

 

[RCW]

RCW, you wrote ten points and the most useful thing I heard was that you got a BX but wish you'd gotten a B. Would have loved to hear the actual reasons.

True - especially given your current position and research of a BX vs B:

First - my tasks. Use the tractor year-round:

1. Snowblowing. Gravel driveway, short but wide. Do neighbors' (5) occasionally. We can get a lot of snow.
2. Dirt work - FEL and box blade. Have done a bunch of house and yard work last few years, and bought an additional 1.75 acre lot next door. Have about 6 acres now.
3. Stone Driveway maintenance - FEL and BB. Resurface/rehab annually; 20 ton new stone every 2-4 years.
4. Mowing - 54" MMM. About half acre, plus help neighbors out occasionally.
5. Misc. - Skidding, brush, lifting small loads off truck, etc.

As I said, I love my BX. Sometimes the BX lacks for ground-engaging work or lift capacity.

A B could be better at 2, 3, and 5: More weight, more ground clearance, better FEL and 3PH lift capacities, 3-range HST. I only said "could" since I've only driven a B2601 around a dealer's lot, but I'm betting I could get some more work out of it...

However, the times are occasional and the capabilities are not hugely different for a B-01. A B2650 is too big for my yard, so it's not a consideration.

I've shopped B's a couple times since I've owned the BX.

For now, I've chosen to keep the BX and am very pleased with it. Had it to do over again, probably could/should have bought a B the first trip.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

It seems that you are in a rather strange spot. You're applications need equipment that can accurately trench so you don't destroy property, can pick up leaves and move compost and other miscellaneous items around.

An item that is out there that seems to fit this niche is a Ventrac. They aren't cheap but are supposed to be uber nimble. Here is a link to their sight: https://www.ventrac.com/

They also have a small bucket that you can attach on the front to move around things and since you don't own a truck or trailer you don't have to worry about it not lifting high enough to get over the bed. it also has a trencher attachment that can dig 40" deep and 5 1/2" wide. This is probably a little narrow for what you'd prefer but it seems that it could be fairly accurate. Plus they have a literal vacuum system specifically for leaves.

If the trencher is not accurate enough renting a mini ex is always an option too. You can rent them for like 600 a week and gets even cheaper if you rent by the month. when you are talking 4 grand for a BH you can get a lot of weeks of a mini ex rental for that money to get done what you need to.

As others have correctly pointed out, I've been trying to force a tractor to meet too many different applications. I did look at the Ventrac a bit, but the lack of a loader puts it in a completely different class. Just piling up material requires some real lift height, and though I don't have a personal need to move materials very far, there will surely be times that I'm loading materials into someone else's truck.

The Ventrac looks like it'd be great for running a front sweeper. That collection system you mentioned starts at $7k and I don't think that includes the mower deck (or the tractor...). It only holds 13 cubic feet, making it pretty small for heavy leaf pickup (I would fill it something like 60 times in the fall - that's a lot of trips back to the pile).

I don't think I would be happy with a trencher for what I'm doing. I'm sure a 1 ton mini ex would be great for my trenching projects. For digging the occasional stump, it would be really annoying to get the mini ex to where it needs to be (especially if renting). From a financial perspective, adding the backhoe might be a little over $100/mo financed at 60 months, and then I actually own the thing. The rental place in town I've used for other stuff rents a mini ex for $948/week and another place I checked does $800/week. Then you have to add in the cost/time of transport, bad weather, availability, etc... I can see how a mini ex is great, but I also have trouble seeing how I would ever regret getting the backhoe, since it'll let me zip over and dig something at any moment. Maybe I should just get the backhoe with the tractor and keep my eyes open for a used mini ex if my needs keep expanding. Perhaps I'll rent a mini ex for a day on my next significant trenching project and see how it goes. I sure wish there was a 180deg swing backhoe option for the B01 series. I'm starting to see how that could really help if you're trenching a short distance between two buildings.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

A B could be better at 2, 3, and 5: More weight, more ground clearance, better FEL and 3PH lift capacities, 3-range HST. I only said "could" since I've only driven a B2601 around a dealer's lot, but I'm betting I could get some more work out of it...

However, the times are occasional and the capabilities are not hugely different for a B-01. A B2650 is too big for my yard, so it's not a consideration.

I test drove a B2601 but I sure wish I could have actually operated the loader on material. For the quick attach bucket, the specs sheet say that the loader on the B2601 is actually 69% stronger than the BX in terms of max lift and breakout. That seems pretty significant to me, but without driving it into a pile it is hard to understand. The lift capacities from the B01's to the B2650 only go up 8-25%. Pretty easy to find people who are unhappy with the BX loader capacity, but then I find forum threads where guys are saying they're disappointed in the capacity of their B2601 loader, and other threads where guys wish their B2650 was stronger...it keeps going