New to tractors

[Doug Ulfers]

Have a new BX 2370 subcompact with loader..Have about 400 feet of gravel driveway to maintain..Drag,Box scraper, chain harrow, old boxspring?...Can these little BX tractors pull a plow threw the heavy Willamette Valley clay I have to contend with?..I only have about 1/3 acre to play with gardening..Could a small rototiller be a better Idea?

 

[Kingcreek]

Box scraper is the all around most useful for rock or dirt. I like my rear blade for snow only because I can angle it and move the snow to the side. I have moved light snow with the box blade also.

 

[hodge]

I second a box blade.

 

[TripleR]

Me too, I haven't used our blade in over a year and not more than three times total.

 

[Burt]

Have a new BX 2370 subcompact with loader..Have about 400 feet of gravel driveway to maintain..Drag,Box scraper, chain harrow, old boxspring?

Doug:

Ditto the comments regarding the box blade for maintenance. You can also use a box blade for snow but I do prefer a blade for that. We use a Rhino blade that will adjust 45 degrees off to the side with a bolt or go straight with the rear tires.

Burt

 

[cerlawson]

I have the smallest BX and have used it for 2 years. Plenty of power at 18 HP. Before moving to this city lot I had a larger blue tractor. That machine was a "standard" tractor with three point as "standard". Unfortunately the BX is not "standard" for the three point. I learned just recently, via this WEB site that the BX does have a system for "supposedly" making it work a little better than a simple "on-off" and "up-down". The factory had not put mine together properly for this "slight" improvement. If you hold the lever up against the inside as you go up or down, it is supposed to stop at a point where the valve just cracks and the arms move slowly. They call it "inching". Of course if those stops are not adjusted just right, it won't work. I had to take mine out, bend them a little so the would be where they are supposed to work and painstakingly play with the setting until it works as planned. Each has its own mounting bolt. You may even have to bend the support sheet metal a little. I have not tried it out for grading, but my guess is it still will not be as convenient as the "standard" draft setting types. Under those circumstances, for rough grading, the box is better, because the front edge more or less helps to keep from gouging. Control for the three point is difficult to do and match what a "standard' three point would do. For snow plowing on grassy areas, I find it necessary to use the rear blade in reverse. Works pretty good. You can angle that, whereas the box is fixed. To simplify hooking up, get the quick hitch from Harbor Freight. Saves a lot of grief.

 

[beemehero]

Hi Doug, Paul here.

Just moved from Corvallis actually, spent the last five years doing battle with a clearcut out Oak Creek Rd. on Chaparral.

Yes, your bx could probably run a plough through the Willamette Valley clay, but if it's that clayey',,,,then you probably don't want to disturb too much of it if you're going to garden in it. Here's what we did.

Yes, the tiller is your friend.
We only disturbed 2 inches of the clay at first, then added 5" of river bottom sand fines, or as some say soil there. Then add 3 inches of compost.
Might seem a bit extreme, but the clay can be choking.
You can always set your tiller deeper for more clay, but you can't undoo it!

Clay is important to the soil for nutrient uptake, but the drainage from the river bottom sand and compost will make it like butter

 

[Doug Ulfers]

Thanks Paul,
I know we will have to amend the soil considerably..Sounds like you almost think we should just garden on top of it!..Just till into it a little bit...Wish we coulda taken the mid west dirt out here with us...(Iowa/Minnesota)

 

[Doug Ulfers]

Can't quite figure out how to post a new thread...Now that I've got 50 plus hours on my BX 2370, and it is (broke in )..What is the best RPM to work it at...I tried to stay some where around 2500-2700 RPM up 'til now...I've been impressed with the little things power and economy up to this point...What will help me get the best life out of it in the long run?

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Best way to get the most out of it is stay ontop of regular routine maintenance. Do the oil and filter changes as required and grease the fittings when needed. They have a limiter on the engine so you can't really over work these tractors. Service Dept Vic has mentioned in the past you can run the throttle wide open and then engine wont go over a certain preset rpm.

 

[Doug Ulfers]

Thanks Eric,
I want this baby to last! Got a land pride 48 inch Box blade a while back, and have been really impressed with what can be done with it...The driveway back to my shop is lightly used, but had not gotten any care for maybe 15 years...I set them box blade rippers in their lowest positions and started going back and forth over my 250 feet of drive..Smoothed it out sweet...Ive had a big hump, right in front of my shop loading door, which has made for a big lift to load my materials out, and my finished cabinets in to my E-350 Van! Moved about 10 inches of that hump to a low spot..Used the front end loader to move 20 yards of 3/4 minus gravel to the back, and spread and smoothed it all out with the box blade, with the rippers in the full up position...The 23 HP never faltered...Only issue was traction a few times...The 4 wheel drive in the low range, and the use of the posi traction pedal, did the deed!