Buying used sub compact tractor questions

[GregSmith]

Hello folks, I'm in the market for a small tractor and the used BX series are high on my list of tractors.

I'm seeing a lot of BX2200 tractors showing up with about 500 hours on them. These are about 15 years old now. I know that the age of a diesel tractor is not all that important, that it is how it is maintained that counts.

But this brings up a couple of questions.

Do these little diesel engines have the same life expectancy as the larger diesel engines in the bigger tractors? I see plenty of 50+ year old tractors out working the land. My neighbor has several that are in this age range and going strong.

Is there any way that I can look at a used tractor and tell if it was maintained properly? Engines can be cleaned, metal can be painted, fluids and filters can be changed just prior to selling.

I've seen plenty of YouTube videos where the owner of a sub-compact is doing things that I'd never think of doing. Trying to push over a small tree, when it doesn't fall, backing up and ramming it with the bucket. Putting that 72" flail mower on that 15 HP (10.5 PTO HP) tractor. That sort of thing. Is there any way to tell that the tractor was worked, but not abused?

I won't buy anything without driving it and operating all the systems. But I haven't seen any places where I would be able to do some real work. Are there tell tale signs of lack of maintenance and abuse?

Does a checklist of what to check on a used tractor exist around here?

Sorry for the long first post and thanks in advance for any responses.

 

[Creature Meadow]

I purchased a used L4600 last year with 178 hours on it.

My checklist was simple.

- Owners manual and proof of purchase, maintenance records
- Checked fluids and air filter
- Quick look around zerks for grease
- Operated, 4wd, loader, 3pt all gears forward and reverse
- General condition and looked for signs of leaks.

Mine was kept in a barn but appeared to have never been washed, a bath did wanders.

All looked good, gave him a deposit and picked up 3 days later.

Good luck and the way a machine looks in my opinion can be a reflection of how it has been looked after and maintained.

The before and after pics below.

 

[vio4701]

What what a difference in condition ^

 

[Tractor Dell]

Messick's did a youtube video on some of the things they look for. I found it very informative. It may help you a little. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN-yyw8C51w

 

[Missouribound]

I have a few questions for you Greg. What is your intended use of the machine?
is the savings worth giving up a warranty? Would anyone you purchase from allow you to have a dealer look at and evaluate it?
Keep in mind that anything can be fixed with time and money.
500 hours is certainly not a lot for a diesel that has been maintained, but there are transmissions, wheel bearings etc. that must be maintained as well.
Personally, I would buy a used machine if I was in the position to fix everything myself. But with Kubota's incentives perhaps that is the way to go.

Just my humble opinion.

 

[GregSmith]

I just have 2.5 acres, but I'm approaching 50 and it's not as easy to do the work as it used to be. I wake up the next day sore, of course when I'm doing the work I feel like I'm 20.

As for usage, the first thing I'll use it for is to clear out the underbrush that's growing in the 500' of treeline between us and the neighbors shared driveway, it looks horrible. I have a lot of areas that I need to level out in the yard. I have a fairly large garden that I want to get a tiller for. I have compost piles adjacent to the garden. I have about 250 feet worth of fence that I want to pull up and move. Lots of plans for taking up the sod and putting down crushed gravel to park on. Lots of post holes for the deck we are planning out.

We also have a 500' driveway that I want to be able to clear of snow, but that's secondary since my closest neighbor has a plow. But he's getting older too and I want to be prepared in case he can no longer do it for any reason.

I don't really care about warranties. I don't think I've ever made use of them, even on my vehicles. It seems that any time a repair comes up, it's not warranty work anyway.

For fixing stuff, I do have a Kubota dealer fairly close. But my neighbor that has the plow does all his own work on his tractors and has offered his help if there's a problem.

I'm also running into the roadblock of the wife. She doesn't understand the work savings and is fighting me about the price. Yes, I could just go and get it, but happy wife, happy life. A used tractor is much easier to convince her of the value. We are talking about half the price.

 

[Creature Meadow]

What what a difference in condition ^

It took me 3 days from sun up to sun down to change the look and service but I was pleased with the outcome.

I only added the pics so one could see that if is mechanically sound with a little elbow grease and time you can take a dirty mess and make it look nearly like new. Katie the Kubota just needed some TLC.

 

[GregSmith]

That is a good looking tractor.

 

[RCW]

Greg - these guys all have good advice as far as the condition checklist when looking.

Another thing with BX tractors is the HST cooling fan. It's plastic and prone to damage.

For more modern BX's, replacement of the damaged fan is a HUGE task. It's a $20 part that costs ~$800+ to have a dealer replace. Lot of work, but very much doable at home it you're handy.

It seems it wasn't always the case; a BX2200 might be easy - my point is make sure that puppy is okay when looking.

The HST fan is almost directly under the seat - tucked up above the HST filter. CHECK IT!

As far as the "other half" goes, that's a tough one....

I had a great '96 JD425 with MMM, snowblower, and front power angle blade. Nylon cam gear was a concern to me with the Kawasaki engines of it's era.

Since I was pushing 50 at the time also, I wanted/needed something with more capabilities and capacity than the JD.

Dirt work and lift ability (FEL) were important. My back is kinda of beat up...a FEL bucket is much more efficient than a wheelbarrow or garden cart.....I use the FEL w/ or w/out pallet forks to lift heavy stuff out of my pickup...the list goes on...

The 3PH is a godsend for driveway maintenance with a box blade. I don't use it, but the 540 PTO in the rear has lots of possibilities for chipper, snowblower, tiller, brush hog, etc.

However, since I had a tractor with snowblower and mower, what sold my wife was I was getting a tractor with those same abilities, along with many more.

I opted NOT to get a backhoe since I couldn't justify the cost against how little I would use it. Don't regret that decision. The FEL is a MUST in my mind..

My tractor mows grass and blows snow most of the time....but man, can it do a LOT of other stuff in between!!!!

Beyond saving my back much grief in the last 4.5 years, I have probably saved $5,000 in work I would have otherwise had to hire out without my Kubota.....my lawn is mowed and driveway cleared besides.

Theme there is my wife was fine with me buying a "Swiss Army Knife" for a tractor - can do anything with it......sometimes I only regret not getting a B instead of the BX....but that is only on occasion.

Sorry so long, but good luck!

 

[GregSmith]

Outstanding reply and a big help with the wife. She's 5 years younger than I am and we do NOT hire out stuff to do. There's SO much stuff that needs done.

I'm at the point that if she doesn't agree we need it, I'm just going to make the purchase.


Only question not replied to is if the small diesels are as long lived as the bigger engines.

 

[RCW]

Only question not replied to is if the small diesels are as long lived as the bigger engines.

Greg- added some photos of my BX2360 at work over some seasons. Probably the snowblower picture isn't applicable to Maryland, but that was the 34" snowfall we had March 14 this year.
A small 3 cylinder diesel is good for 1,000's of hours.

Will a BX last 60 years like the farm tractors? I'm not betting on mine. Engines are one thing, but the other systems are SO much different than the geared farm tractors of 60 years ago.

Also, the occasional use of a subcompact tractor is actually tougher on them than working 4-12 hours per day, like a farm tractor does.

I own a '53 Minneapolis Moline ZAU. Gas 4 cylinder. Lord knows how many hours it has, but the thing runs like a top!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GregSmith]

Thanks for the added pics. We get plenty of snow in Maryland. Not every year, but we do get a 20" plus snow storm every couple of years. The year that I got married, we got hit with about 14" of snow, then 2 days later we got another 20". It doesn't happen all that often, but we get pounded about every 5 years.

I'm not looking for a sub-compact tractor to last 60 years. But it would be great if it lasted 15 years.

Once the wife sees the work that these little tractors can do, she won't have an issue if we need to get another one in 10 years or so.

 

[RCW]

Greg- we don't hire stuff done much either, but did a big house job over last year.
Not to bore you more, but a couple more pics of stuff I could do instead of having contractor finish. These pictures are all just this year.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RCW]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GregSmith]

But there's no orange tractors in that pic. hehe.

Looks good.

 

[GregSmith]

Wow, you dug that in pretty good. What is that, a box blade?

 

[RCW]

Yep. Maybe I have another...

The last "dressing" of the driveway was done with the box blade. Very versatile tool.
There's a picture of the HST fan also.
If you get one, get a tooth bar and hooks for the bucket. These are BXPanded.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GregSmith]

Since one of my main uses is to clear away brush, I figure the tooth bar is a mandatory addition.

I'll take a look under the seat at that fan. That's a nice tip. Thanks again.

 

[RCW]

Greg - just a PS.

For what it's worth, all of that driveway rough grading was done with the BB, not the bucket. That stone pile in the back was 22 ton. After grading was done, hauled/distributed all of that in 90 minutes with bucket or BB.

Once smooth, drove on it for a month which got me into mowing season. I don't mow with the FEL on, since our place is too steep in places.

Did the final grading using the BB without the FEL on.

 

[GregSmith]

My only concern with a BX is the ground clearance for when I do the tilling. Do you have any issues with the clearance? Do you like that you have the BX? Have you ever needed a bigger tractor than the BX? It's a lot of money and I'm worried that I'll get it and need bigger.