most usefull implements for property maintenance

[ravensview]

Hello All,
I have a couple of questions on implements, first off I have run skid steers, mini excavator, and a john deere 4050 with backhoe, bucket and snow blower, that being said I had never owned one myself, will I changed that last Nov and after looking at a lot of different tractors from John Deere, Kioti, Mahindra and Kubota settled on a Kubota bx23s, I know it is smaller than I needed, but it fit my budget and I can work with its limitations, I have two properties that I use it on, one is my camp 80 acres of woodland and some swamp, rolling hills, really rocky and recently logged its use there is trail maintenance and cleaning up brush plies from being recently logged, I am bouncing back and forth between a grapple or a set of forks for the brush piles, for my other property I have around 50 acres of hilly woods with wet areas throughout and am in the process of building a house the needs there are cleaning up new fill debris -- rocks,sticks ect and regrading the build area, maintaining a 400' driveway, snow removal, tree dragging, trench digging, trail cutting and maintenace, what implements would you suggest for the above tasks, I have the front QA bucket, and the backhoe for stump removal, trench digging, ect..., and a snowblower for the winter, any and all suggestions other than get a bigger tractor are welcome, thanks

 

[rokhunter]

Same tractor, many of the same uses (minus snow), on a smaller scale (clearing & maintaining a wooded 2 acre lot where I had a house built).

In order (these first two ought to be factory items, I think they're so important.):

BXPanded under armor. You're going to need it, otherwise that pinkie-sized twig WILL reach up and wipe out your cooling fan. I hear it's very expensive to repair.

BXPanded piranha bar. The FEL doesn't dig/scoop for sh*t with the factory edge. The piranha bar will let you scoop and move dirt with ease and makes clearing brush, saplings, and bushes super easy just by running the bucket 1-2 inches above the ground.

After those you're going to want pallet forks. I waffled a lot between those and the grapple for the same tasks you listed, but settled on the forks because a) $500 instead of $2k, and b) no downtime and expense for a third function valve. Disadvantage? The grapple will help keep things from rolling over the top of the pallet forks backplate onto your hood (been there), and *hold* your stack of brush while you're driving around (I lose limbs now and then and need to hop off the tractor to pick them up). Advantage? The pallet forks do an awful lot more than just pick up brush. Like pallets. Stacks of logs. Stacks of anything else. Plywood with tires, or barrels, or tools, or me (i.e. a platform, don't tell OSHA). All while weighing a few hundred pounds less and not cutting into my FEL lift capability.

Next up is a 4' box blade with scarifiers. Tear out the roots from all the brush, vines, and crap that were once all over my property, loosen the soil, then raise the scarifiers and smooth everything back out.

Landscape rake, I've got a 5' model. Clean up scraps of brush, pine needles, small branches, smooth gravel and light dirt work, although it DOES have the ability to dig quite a bit deeper into the soil than I expected.

If you ever put a slab out there, you'll want to get the BXPanded cradle for the backhoe and loader too. They make getting those on and off a snap, but they do need a solid, level surface.

You'll be surprised at how capable the tractor is despite it's size. To take down trees I've started scooping a trench in 'front' (direction I want it to fall) and 'back' using the backhoe, and using the FEL to push it over. I recently finished dropping 8 elm/oak trees in the 30'-40' range that way, and it's much easier than using the chainsaw to cut the tree and then digging out the stump separately like I've done in the past.

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[rokhunter]

And for all that I forgot to mention a 48" bush hog. I don't have one but have borrowed a neighbor's, and it's great for cutting the rough stuff. If your trails are fairly clear and simply grassy, you may want the mower deck (not the drive-over, ppl seem to dislike that one) for trail and yard maintenance. That is what drove me to the BX23S instead of a backhoe equipped B series - when I'm ultimately done clearing, 90% of the tractor's job will be lawn Care on my two acres.

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[Q tip]

I’d get a thumb for the backhoe and a ripper from bxspanded
In my option the ripper doubled my backhoes power
You can dig stumps you would never get out other wise watch some you tube videos
It’s a lot of work and money but a grapple on the loader bucket would be awesome

 

[ravensview]

Thanks Rokhunter and Qtip, I have around 80 hrs on my machine now, and plan to get the underarmor for sure, am waffling between the piranha tooth bar and the smooth bar that bxexpanded makes but will end up with one or the other, the thumb for the backhoe is on my short list, will have to check out the box blade for sure, that ripper looks great also, appreciate all of the tips

 

[GreensvilleJay]

same ride, love it for past 2 years !
a smooth edge on the bucket is kinda useless 'offroad',a 'heavyduty' one is just as bad. I made my own 'pirana bar' and used the existing 7 , 5/8" holes in the bucket btm edge to mount it. OK, mine needs sharpening 1-2 a year BUT it does a great job at getting into dirt,compost,ponypoop,mulch, etc.
I got HLA 900# pallet forks and reasonably happy with them. They won't lift 7000# likr the A-C forklift will but super handy. Better value for the money than a grapple setup, that I couldn't justify as I'm not clearing brush everyday.

Assuming the 400' driveway is gravel, drag a 8' long steel channel and chain, 4 or 6 times every week. THAT will keep the road in far better shape than lots of runs, twice a year.

If you get any real amount of snow, an SSQA snowblower is THE way to go. Though $$$, it's the easiest to use and install. Being SSQA you can swap out implements as required. Next would be front mount blower, last PTO version. I made my own SSQA blower last fall for 1/10th cost of a 'real' one, never snowed enough to use it here though.

a 3pt 'carryall' would be useful, as well as a weight box. if you every remove the BH ,you NEED rear weight to balance the loader...

should also consider a full cab.....

all these items will cost you either time or money. Time if you're handy and can make the yourseld, money if you buy from a store.

BTW, my BX23S came with a factory 'fan guard', held on by 4 nuts and bolts.

 

[rjcorazza]

I already have the 3rd function up front for my snow blade, but no grapple. For my occasional brush moving needs the pallet forks are adequate. For the hundreds of other uses, the forks are my most used implement.


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[ravensview]

sounds like people prefer the fork setup, ye we get a little snow around 260" or so a year, I do have the front mount snowblower - dont know if my back could take running the rear mount one, I have only ever had gravel driveways, used to drag a 6"x6"x6' timber behind my atv on it then used the gate from old trailer and dragged that over the driveway kept it nice and smooth, thanks for the hints

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yeesh with THAT much snow, I'd get a SSQA snowblower ! ANY style front mount is better than a rear and it sounds like you'll spend a LOT of time getting rid of the white....
A selfpowered SSQA blower allows you to easily change to forks or bucket or ??
A 'regular' mounted blower will turn tractor into a blower for the 'duration' unless you're healthy and have a big flat surface to change implements.

Also I'd have a cab, with heater and fans, maybe a radio too...... the more 'creature comforts' you have the more you'll 'like' it.....

 

[ravensview]

I allready got the front mount snowblower, yea a cap would be nice, but too expensive right now, I have my snowmachine helmet and snowmobile suit for snowblowing,

 

[NHSleddog]

I have my snowmachine helmet and snowmobile suit for snowblowing,

ravensview> Location: U.P.,MI,USA

Yes you do!

Some of the best riding in the world up there. I have only been on a trip there once, but I will never forget it.

In NH the north country logging roads in Pittsburg become the sled trails so there is about 400 miles of "road" type riding. A lot of WOT available. As you go south the trails get narrower.

 

[Lil Foot]

I have little property, (3.6acres) little snow, and no grass, but for my situation, I'd list most useful in order:
#1) FEL with Piranha Tooth Bar
#2) Clamp-on Forks
#3) Backhoe
#4) Rock Boat (skid)
#5) Box Blade