Bx23s owners?

Fordtech86

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L3200
Aug 7, 2018
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What can it do?i have a bunch of stumps around my property that I want to dig up.i know an excavator is probably a better option,but curious as to whether or not the bx is strong enough to do it.our local Home Depot has one for rent that I’ve considered trying before I go look to buy one
 

85Hokie

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how big of stumps and what type of tree.....

One tree I worked on was about 2' diameter....took almost 8 hours over several days to break free.

I have an oak that was about 2' diameter.....took me forever to get it out.

Size and tree type will matter!;)
 

Tchess450

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BX23S with 60inch deck. implements, blade, forks, spreader, and more.
Jun 18, 2018
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I have done it, and it is not fun. If you have that many you want to rent grinder, or use form of mechanical leverage to remove them.
 

Fordtech86

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how big of stumps and what type of tree.....

One tree I worked on was about 2' diameter....took almost 8 hours over several days to break free.

I have an oak that was about 2' diameter.....took me forever to get it out.

Size and tree type will matter!;)
Various sizes,6-24 inches,mostly oak,part of the reason I’m thinking the bx is my wife can’t drive my L because it’s a manual transmission,I’ve tried to teach her but for sake of the tractor and everyone else around it’s better she doesn’t lol,and my son will be getting close to the age he could run the bx in the next few years.immediate use would be stumps and removing a retaining wall and rebuilding at my dads property
 

PaulL

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Depends if you intention is to do it efficiently, or to have fun and end up with a machine at the end. Renting a big machine will be more efficient. Renting a stump grinder will be more efficient. Either would do a lot of stumps in a weekend.

Buying a BX and digging with a backhoe would be fun. Sure, it'll take a month of Sundays, but you'll get there. And if your intention is to teach your son how to drive machinery, then that's different.

If it were me, I'd buy the BX, do some smaller stumps, and rent a different machine for a weekend for the ones the BX won't do. Maybe start by renting a BX to see what it can and can't do.
 

Fordtech86

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Depends if you intention is to do it efficiently, or to have fun and end up with a machine at the end. Renting a big machine will be more efficient. Renting a stump grinder will be more efficient. Either would do a lot of stumps in a weekend.

Buying a BX and digging with a backhoe would be fun. Sure, it'll take a month of Sundays, but you'll get there. And if your intention is to teach your son how to drive machinery, then that's different.

If it were me, I'd buy the BX, do some smaller stumps, and rent a different machine for a weekend for the ones the BX won't do. Maybe start by renting a BX to see what it can and can't do.
I’m thinking renting the bx to try on the bigger stumps and save the smaller stuff for the one I’d buy lol,I was trying to get an idea of what a bx could do, I got plenty of time to get stuff done since I’ve been dealing with mowing around these stumps for the past year and half we’ve lived here
 

Fordtech86

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On YouTube tractor time with Tim uses one of them on 1025r so you can run one a BX.

Check out this video for mechanical leverage.
https://youtu.be/pccuAUNwfw8
I’ve used my super duty to pull stumps and whole trees out,but know I might be able to do more now lol,I got a lot of stumps cut down just high enough to catch the zero turn and bush hog,can’t get a chain on them
 

griffin800

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Kubota bx23s, Simplicity Conquest
Apr 7, 2018
7
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Rockford, IL
There is a really good vid I saw a while back on youtube (can't find it now) about digging out the roots first with the backhoe then cutting them off with a chain saw then pulling the trunk out. This was done on really big trees with a BX. Look around on you tube and you can likely find it. You can break the hoe if you do it wrong.

Bill H.
 

Tractor Dell

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Kubota BX23S
Jun 13, 2017
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Central PA
Various sizes,6-24 inches,mostly oak,part of the reason I’m thinking the bx is my wife can’t drive my L because it’s a manual transmission,I’ve tried to teach her but for sake of the tractor and everyone else around it’s better she doesn’t lol,and my son will be getting close to the age he could run the bx in the next few years.immediate use would be stumps and removing a retaining wall and rebuilding at my dads property
I use my BX23S to remove stumps all the time. As others have mentioned, some are easy, some will make you wonder what you are doing. The ground they are in also makes a difference. In softer ground, it isn't too bad. Here in PA, there is lots of shale and when those roots get deep into that, it gets.... interesting.

I did get the BXpanded ripper tooth and that has helped with not having to dig as big of holes to get the roots lose. Also got their quick attach, so I can switch between it and the bucket in 30 seconds.

One thing I did learn is that any backhoe may not be as strong as you think it will be. You will not be able to just reach out, grab the stump and rip it out of the ground. Thought I was doing it all wrong until I watched WAY too many YouTube videos and realized that even larger machines needs to dig around the stump and then use the dirt as leverage when curling the bucket. With experience I am getting better at it. I can now remove stumps I couldn't remove before.

One other thing that really helps, is that I put together a 5 to 1 and a 3 to 1 pulley system. Most times I can just dig around the roots and try to get the stump out. If I can't, I hook up the 5:1, and with the BX pulling the rope, get the stump out that way. If it really gets bad, add the 3:1 and make a 15:1, and that will get it out. ;)

The biggest thing is that I just enjoy using the backhoe. I don't mind if it takes hours, or days to get a stump out. I use it like a big kid. Heck, my 8 year old (was 7 at the time) helped me dig a big fire pit with it. His comment was "This is just like the diggers at the park!" ;)
 

Fordtech86

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I use my BX23S to remove stumps all the time. As others have mentioned, some are easy, some will make you wonder what you are doing. The ground they are in also makes a difference. In softer ground, it isn't too bad. Here in PA, there is lots of shale and when those roots get deep into that

The biggest thing is that I just enjoy using the backhoe. I don't mind if it takes hours, or days to get a stump out. I use it like a big kid. Heck, my 8 year old (was 7 at the time) helped me dig a big fire pit with it. His comment was "This is just like the diggers at the park!" ;)
I have a feeling my son will want to do more playing on it then me getting work done lol,is it fairly easy to remove the back hoe from it?i really wouldn’t need it off that often since I got about all the attachments I need for my L,but a smaller bush hog would be nice at times in some tighter spots in the property
 

PaulL

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B2601
Jul 17, 2017
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Messicks have lots of great Kubota vids. This one on removing the backhoe. Short answer is yeah, it's pretty easy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GgOnegWPO0

They don't show you putting the 3ph arms back on though. That's also easy.

Somewhere there's a vid of them having a race to remove the loader and backhoe, then put them back on again.
 

Tractor Dell

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Kubota BX23S
Jun 13, 2017
122
2
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Central PA
I have a feeling my son will want to do more playing on it then me getting work done lol,is it fairly easy to remove the back hoe from it?i really wouldn’t need it off that often since I got about all the attachments I need for my L,but a smaller bush hog would be nice at times in some tighter spots in the property
As PaulL mentioned, it is easy. I got the BXpanded backhoe dolly, and that makes it even easier. Just roll in under, remove the backhoe, and then roll it where I want it. Like everything, it gets easier and faster each time you do it. It is the same with the FEL. First time you take it off and put it on will take longer than if you have done it a dozen times. :)
 

LukyNumbrKevin

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2018 BX23s (TLB w/ a mower deck)
May 17, 2018
42
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0
CT, USA
I have a BX23s, I am currently in the process of clearing and grubbing about an acre of my property. This involves alot of stump removal. Some of the stumps were existing.

With just the stock bucket I attempted to tackle one of the existing stumps in my back yard only to find the tree was buried when the house was put in and the roots began about 8ft down. This was early summer and I had not purchased the Ripper yet. The hole ended up being about 15'-20' wide. The bugger was not budging, So I cleaned the dirt off the stump about 3' below grade and cut her flush with the chainsaw.

2 months later and I have invested in the Ripper and I can say without a doubt this time will be on my Backhoe probably 80% of the time, if not more. The ripper is able to point load right on the blade and it just cuts right through roots. I pull up to a stump, slice the ground about a foot out from the tree stump on either side. Then I pull up to the stump at 90 degrees and repeat the slices until I have a square, then I am able to just pop the stump up out of the ground pretty easily.

The one gripe I have with the ripper is that if you have a stock Kubota Thumb the ripper will come in contact with the cross member of the thumb and not allow the ripper to clamp and hold brush and trees. Minor issue but if anyone has a solution I would love to hear it.
 

dirtydeed

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B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
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Wind Gap, PA
I've done many stumps with the BX23 and I can tell you for sure that isn't any fun with the B2650 either. Maybe one or a couple of stumps could be considered "fun", but I sure wouldn't relish doing a dozen or two at a time with it. That would be mini excavator rental material (for me anyway). You can very easily damage a backhoe/frame/hydro's on a stump. Trust me, been there before and it can get costly and frustrating as heck.

If you do decide to tackle them with a small machine, just remember to take your time. The BX ripper sounds like a great tool for the job. I always tried ripping roots with a single backhoe tooth whenever possible...same idea.
 

Fordtech86

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L3200
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Thank y’all for the input,I think I will be tractor shopping this coming spring,sounds like the bx is a handy little machine,I realize it won’t do the biggest stumps I got,but aside from doing that I can find other projects to do with it,also a lighter tractor would be nice in spring time around here,ground stays pretty wet during the spring,plus can one have too many toys?i mean tractors
 

Fordtech86

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L3200
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Hope to be able to get to the dealer to order my bx this weekend,anybody using the bxexpanded thumb instead of the kubota thumb?any pros or cons to either one?