Small tractor advice

[random]

Trying to help a friend here.

He has 1 to 1.5 acre, most work will be mowing, with a little planting (might not even be enough). He wants a loader. He's currently looking at BX series. I can get more info if needed - just trying to get some thoughts on what he should consider.

 

[xrocketengineer]

I have an acre that turns into a swamp during the rainy season (now, in the summer) and the reason why I needed 4X4. I bought a BX1880 with the pin on FEL, the 48 in. MMM and a 48 in. LP grapple. I went with the 48 in. mower and grapple because of storage limitations and tight areas when mowing the yard. The only mistake was that it came with the R1 tires and not turf tires. The R1 tires destroyed the lawn when mowing the lawn when wet. I have since replaced the tires with BX2380 size "off road tires" and wheels and I am very pleased with the lawn health improvement . The current tires might make a rut in soil that has been soaked for days, but the R1 tires would slip and then star digging for traction in the same conditions. The grapple is what I have used the most for post storm clean up and for cutting down palms and trees that are out of control. I have spread some dirt with the bucket and it went well. I even dug a shallow ditch with a ripper, forks (and a spade) for a French drain, another task that without the tractor I could not have done. The real limitations are that when the soil is too soft, just the weight of the FEL will sink the front tires all the way to the axle, so what you can do is limited by the soil conditions. I have never felt lack of power for any of my needs but using the PTO power for a snow blower or for a tiller might be a different story. Some people claim that there is not enough power, that a BX2380 might be better.

 

[Roadworthy]

Stay below 25 horsepower and avoid the emissions stuff.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

ANY diesel tractor used for lawn mowing is an EXPENSIVE way to cut grass, even the local K dealer said so. MMM for my BX23S is about $2500+ and I can buy 1 or 2 new 'lawnmowers' for that.

2 schools of thought ...
1, the all in one- Swiss Army Knife unit,sounds good until you realize the loader and rear weights HAVE to come off to get the lawn cut and the MMM HAS to come off to do serious loader operations......

2, separate machines for each task. drawback is more space needed BUT each machine does 1/2 the work, lasting longer. If one doesn't start, you can still use the other.....someone can be cutting grass AND another moving stones or mulch...so more gets done in short time !

I'll never,ever have a MMM on my BX23S. Heck I'd need to remove BOTH loader AND Backhoe if I wanted to cut grass. Got a 20+ year old rider,does the grass job on 2 acres just fine.

Every tractor with a loader NEEDS rear end weight,be it, ugh...calcium or beet juice filled tires, wheel weights or my choice, a 3PH carryall with ballast. Having an EASILY removable ballast box/skid will save wear and tear on the lawn.

what you choose, depends on how you plan to USE the tractor

 

[i7win7]

Also consider B2601. Larger mower, 3 speed ranges?, more loader capacity, postional 3pt, independent rear brakes, larger tires = smoother ride. Get SSQA loader not pin-on.

 

[Goz63]

Second the motion ona SSQA bucket, not pin on. Even if you don’t start with any other FEL attachments it opens the door for later on. Grapple or forks come to mind.

 

[ncridgerunner]

Have 6 acres, 3 in grass and 3 in woods. Over the years I have owned 3 Kubota tractors. Had a larger B Series (about 20 years ago) that was really too large for yard work. I then bought a B7100 that worked great for mowing and bush hogging but lacked a loader. I found a used BX23d TLB that quickly became my favorite. It is small enough to do yard work, get in tight spaces, and powerful enough to dig a trench in hard packed red clay. I have a 4 ft. scrape blade, 4 ft. box blade, 4 ft bushhog, and a 5 ft. flail mower that work good with the BX23D.

For me the BX23D is not undersized it is just the right size for yard work and moving dirt. Too often I am guilty of thinking bigger is better but for smaller acreage a small tractor is the best fit for me.

 

[PaulL]

My rule of thumb is that up to 2 acres, BX is plenty. Above 2 acres you need a B. But that's absent any useful information about usage. And of course I have 1 acre and have a B2601, so clearly I don't follow my own rule of thumb.

For mostly mowing, but want a loader to do a bit of yard work, BX is the machine. I wouldn't worry about filling tires and the like - if you're mostly mowing you don't want the weight. It does mean a ballast box for serious loader work.....but if you're mostly moving mulch around that isn't serious loader work, I did it all the time with no ballast on my BX. With my B I move 250kg of diesel tank all the time on the forks with no ballast. The back end is light, so I go slow and keep the load low. But it's fine. When I put the missus up on the forks, I always add ballast (and no, she doesn't weigh 250kg) because she doesn't like it rocking.

You need some sort of quick attach if you use anything other than a bucket on the front. In the US the SSQA is the way to go, but arguably if you were only using a bucket and forks then the pin on quick attach is lighter and easier.

I understand the logic on having two machines, but I don't personally agree with it. I had a separate rider and I didn't like it. My Kubota mows faster and better, and I like driving it more. And I have only one machine to store and maintain. A diesel rider is expensive, a gas rider isn't as good as a diesel BX in my opinion.

 

[Oliver]

A BX sounds perfect to me.

 

[Rdrcr]

Yep, I agree with the majority of suggestions above…a BX with the SSQA loader and MMM would be pretty much be perfect for his needs. The B2301/B2601 are also good options if he’s looking for more capacity but…I think the BX is perfect.

Mike

 

[RCW]

Agree on BX also. Definitely SSQA.

Jay has a valid point on the MMM.

I mow and blow snow with mine.

My neighbor with a BX24 TLB mows with a ZT. He’s never had loader or backhoe off.

It’s just what works for the individual, but it’s a valid decision point.

 

[random]

Thanks for the info.

To clarify a couple things:
MMM = Mid Mount Mower?
SSQA = Skid Steer Quick Attach? Can you help me understand this a little better?

 

[RCW]

Thanks for the info.

To clarify a couple things:
MMM = Mid Mount Mower?
SSQA = Skid Steer Quick Attach? Can you help me understand this a little better?

Random - - -

Correct on both accounts.

SSQA will allow him/her to mow with just the bucket off, if it works. Forks, grapple could attach easily.

It's a 2-lever system that is standard on most new machines. You can drop/attach implements from the loader arms easily.

My older BX2360 has a pin-on bucket. Not an option for me, and I'm envious of those that do have SSQA.

 

[PaulL]

My older BX2360 has a pin-on bucket. Not an option for me, and I'm envious of those that do have SSQA.

You can buy the pin-on quick attach (which I'm currently in the process of buying - supply permitting). You need pin-on implements to match it, but it means you can add forks to your tractor and easily remove the bucket similarly to a SSQA. It also is a bit lighter than the SSQA quick attach - which means you give up a bit less lift capacity than you do with SSQA.

Model number is B1658, you can find pictures of it online. It basically has a top "hook" that grabs the top pins on your bucket, then a bottom set of pins that push through and clip. Massively better than banging the pins out each time (which I've been doing), not quite as easy as SSQA.

SSQA will allow him/her to mow with just the bucket off

It does, but personally I'd take the whole loader off - it's just as easy as taking the bucket off, and makes the machine quite a bit lighter and easier to mow with.

 

[skeets]

The BX will do everything he needs almost,,, BX !!!

 

[TheOldHokie]

Trying to help a friend here.

He has 1 to 1.5 acre, most work will be mowing, with a little planting (might not even be enough). He wants a loader. He's currently looking at BX series. I can get more info if needed - just trying to get some thoughts on what he should consider.

If he must have a loader a BX or similar tractor is a good fit.

Dan

 

[GreensvilleJay]

6 months after I bought the BX23s, I bought a set of HLA 900# pallet forks. GREAT things to have ! Nice to poke holes in compost, haul 'stuff' on skids, here,there, everywhere, lift 'brush', lift things like trannies into pickup boxes, move patio stones, tires, etc. probably 1/3rd of the time(610 hrs today) I'm on the tractor, they're on .

 

[Springer]

Does he have lots of money?? If so, Hell yes. Buy the beast/toy/tool you want.
I recently moved to the north Ga. mountains. I just bought a new BX2680, added a 3pt. single blade plow and a stump bucket.

To be honest, I feel about the same as I felt in 1979 when I bought my first computer. "Okay, I got one. Now what am I going to do with it?"

I have 18 acres on the top of a hill. I am digging up stumps and plowing up a dead field to restore. Oh yeah, I also mow the grass. Out of my 18, only about 4 to 6 acres are accessible by the tractor.

In a way, I go out and think, "What could I do now that I got a tractor?" I watch the U-tube about people with small tractors and get ideas. I'm thinking of digging my own pond at the bottom of a hill this spring.

I could have gotten by with a riding mower, especially a zero-radius. I didn't need that computer in 1979 and could have gotten by with my HP-67 calculator. But you know what? I built a career around programming, built a business, made a lot of money and had a lot of fun along the way. I hope to be able to tell as many stories about my tractor as I can about my programs.

 

[JeremyBX2200]

I think a BX sounds about right. I have an older BX2200 with a 60" MMM, FEL and 2 sets of tires. Turf and AG.

5 acres. 2.5 to mow and 2.5 old farm field.......along with some trees.

BX works great for me. Plow drive, spread gravel, remove stumps etc etc.

I do wish my MMM was less labor to put on and take off. I keep thinking that maybe I can fab something up to make it a drive over deck. The worst part of it is dragging it in and out from under the tractor, especially since I currently don't have a smooth concrete area to use.

 

[ddavis83864]

Stay below 25 horsepower and avoid the emissions stuff.

Why would this be an issue?