Sold G1900s, will I be happy with only a BX?

[Delmar]

I purchased a G1900S a few years ago and that was the gateway drug to a real fascination with Kubota and diesels.




I added a big brother, a BX1860, a year ago. I've bought, rehabbed (with considerable help from OTT folks!), and sold a few machines, not necessarily to make money but because it's an interesting hobby.

My wife and I are empty nesters now and have in mind to move to a smaller house. So, I put my "original" G1900S for sale and a local man bought it last weekend. Now I'm having seller's remorse! Not really, but it was just a great machine and I'm going to miss it.



Now I'll have only the BX and wonder if I'll be happy with it as a primary mower. I have a 48" deck that I've barely used and think I will really miss the 60" deck the G1900 had. Does anybody know if a 60" deck will fit a BX1860? 48" and 54" are the only options listed in owner's manual, but I see some online information that says a RCK60-23BX deck will fit. Anybody know for sure?

I do love the BX, and don't know how I went for years without a tractor, albeit a "starter" tractor to most on here. After wearing a suit all day, it feels really good to get my butt in the tractor seat!




I'm also not sure about mowing on hills with the BX. I can maneuver around my property with little trouble, even with FEL on, as long as I go slowly. I could zip around easy with the G1900, especially since it was 4WS. I'd welcome thoughts from anybody with experience mowing with a BX in a wooded, hilly area.

Here's a pic of my BX on about the steepest place on my property. Incline meter on top of ROPS says it's about 20-22 degrees. I've read several threads on BX as primary mower, use on slopes, etc. but would welcome advice.

 

[OldeEnglish]

With ballast in the tires you'll be fine on that grade.

 

[tcrote5516]

I agree, with or without ballast that is not an issue. I regularly have mine on twice that grade with no issues. As always; when side-hilling you need to pay close attention and be aware of variances in the terrain and implement height but as a base angle of operation that isn't anything concerning for a BX.

I've found it's not as much about the angle of the terrain as it is about the condition of that terrain. A 3" down hill wheel dip on a 20 degree side-hill is more dangerous than a 40 degree smooth surface to me anyway. Momentum is what rolls most tractors.

 

[85Hokie]

I think you will be happy holding onto and using the BX - I have to admit, I moved from a brand new BX, back to a old B7100 for cutting grass, the old B is a beast, and will climb mountains, not that the bx cannot, but with a loader and BH attached - cutting grass took on a whole new meaning on the BX!

The last shot of yours, you seem to have spacers on already? If not get them, and if you do not have your tires filled with something, that 70 lbs per tire will really help in that situation - even with the bucket low.

 

[cerlawson]

Run a simple test. With another tractor or a suitable vehicle, tie a rope to your roll prevention bar with the other to a vehicle on a nearby safe surface. Drive the test tractor on a steep slope going along the slope with the anchor vehicle going parallel. Or take a jack and tip test tractor towards down hill. This way with you on the test tractor you can find the critical inclination of he tractor when it starts to tip. I've done this with two different tractors and it gave me confidence for mowing on sloping ground at flatter angles. Of course also told me what slopes not to drive on.

 

[Delmar]

Thanks for the replies. I do not have liquid in the tires, although I am open to trying it. I am a little concerned about adding more weight to the tractor and having it press the grass down and not mow well enough. Guess I can give it a try, though.

I've mowed this yard for 20 years so I know it well. No real trouble spots I don't know.

85Hokie - good eye! Yes, I added 2" rear spacers. I;m sure they help, but I didn't notice much difference in the "feel." I guess its the way you sit higher in the saddle on the BX as compared to a mower.

cerlawson - thanks for the tip. I did try something similar. In the photo of the BX on a hillside I got off and tried to lift the high side of the machine. I could do it, especially if I pushed on the upper part of the ROPS, but it did take quite a bit of force. My 190lbs in the seat probably raises the COG somewhat.

We've had a very warm fall here in NE Kentucky so I actually need to mow one more time. i took the FEL off the BX this evening and put the mower deck on. I'll give it a go tomorrow and see how it does.

Anybody know if the 60" deck will work on a BX1860?

 

[ipz2222]

Shame your not closer, I have a 60 inch deck we could try. Get some Gator blades on the deck and see a vast improvement in the cutting.

 

[Delmar]

Thanks ipz2222. Just PM'd you.

 

[OldeEnglish]

Filled tires won't hurt the grass, it may sink into the turf a bit if the ground is wet. Run your tires in different spots every cut and it will flatten the lawn out real nice.

 

[Delmar]

Mowed today with the BX1860 and was impressed! I was always so happy with my G1900S for mowing that I never thought about using the BX.

You guys were right, it is much more stable than it seemed at first. I was able to mow pretty much everything I could do with the G1900. I did get off a couple of times when the pucker factor was pretty high and tried to raise the high side of the tractor. It was amazing how hard I had to lift = more stable than it appears.

Not wild about the 48" deck, although it cuts very nicely.

A real treat to be mowing the day before Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving to all.

 

[67Truckin]

I have a BX1800 with the 60" deck from the factory. It is a mowing machine and never gives me any trouble on hills. It has the AG tires, no weights or loader. If you are ever in doubt then put it in 4x4 before you start doing the hills. I would definitely recommend finding a 60" deck to put on your tractor. I also replaced a G1900 diesel that had the 60" deck on it for the BX model and have never missed it once.

 

[armylifer]

I have the 54" mower on my BX1860 and it works flawlessly. I mow on a grade of about 35 degrees or a little more, along the drainage ditch in front of my house and the only problem I have ever had was sliding sideways when the grass was wet. The first time I tried mowing that stretch along the road I thought that the tractor felt tippy but it has never rolled.

I used to mow with the FEL still on the tractor but these days I take the FEL off. That makes the tractor feel even more stable than it does when mowing with the FEL still on. Now, since I recently bought the BX6315 Quick Attach, removing the bucket takes less than 1 minute.

 

[Delmar]

67truckin - sounds like we've followed the same path. Do you know the model number of your deck? I'm looking at a rck60-23bx and wonder if it will fit.

Armylifer - based on your and others' feedback I think the BX is more stable than it feels at first. I, too, have a long ditch that drops off steeply. No fear with the G1900 but the BX feels a little more tippy. I think it will be fine when I get a little more comfortable with it. Another reason I'd rather have a 60" deck - not quite so close to the edge!

 

[67Truckin]

I have the RCK60B-22BX model 60" mower deck on my BX1800 tractor. The tractor was built in 2000. They may have upgraded the deck since 2000 and changed the deck model number as well. My guess is that it would fit though.

 

[Delmar]

Thanks, 67truckin. I appreciate the good information. Hopefully, there isn't much difference between a "22" and "23" series bx deck.

 

[Delmar]

In case anyone else is interested, I spoke with a Kubota dealer today who assured me the rck60-23bx deck would fit on the bx1860. Said he had personally installed them. Said the reason they don't come as a standard option is because 60" deck might bog down in really difficult mowing conditions. He said for almost everybody doing regular lawn mowing they work fine.

 

[armylifer]

I know that with my RCK54P-23BX that it is just a little too big sometimes. I have a very uneven yard. I am mowing 4 of my 5 acres and I think that a 48" mower would be better for my yard than the 54" I have.

I have a lot of dips and even some potholes. If I had a 48" mower instead of the 54" mower I think that I would hit fewer rocks and get a more even cut. I have more rocks than anyone that I know and my mower hits at least 100 of them every year. I have to sharpen my blades at least once every month and sometimes more often than that.

The 60" that you are looking at is just 6" more than my 54" is and I am sure that it will do well for you if you have a very flat yard. If you have any dips and valleys like I do, you may be happier with a 54" rather than the 60", especially if you have any rocks.

I don't mean to throw any doubt on your purchase but it is something to think about.

 

[67Truckin]

I wouldn't worry too much about how flat your lawn is. I mow 1.5 acres at my house and none of it is flat. The only thing I ever have to do is lock in 4x4 when coming up out of the gully or when mowing the hills crossways in damp grass. My BX1800 diesel will cut anything I can get under the 60" deck with no problems.