Wondering if a 48" deck will fit the BX23S/2380/2680? I only shows up as a purchase option for the BX1880, but there isn't anything I can find saying it wouldn't fit on the more powerful versions. I feel it may really help fit through some tight areas. Or maybe it's a bad idea for some reason I'm not aware of?
Will a 48" deck fit on a BX23?
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North Idaho Wolfman
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So is Kubota just not listing it as an option because they figure people want the bigger decks? My tractor is already setup with the 54". It is installed but hasn't been used yet, plus I had the dealer order a 8" hose adapter for it. Kinda annoyed because I never knew 48" was even possible. It uses a different boot kit too....They make a 48" for a B23S, have your dealer look it up for you.
Assuming the clearance issues are the same as with the earlier BX2370 model, a 48" deck won't fit, due to the larger tires (compared to the BX1870) hitting the deck's anti-scalp wheels/mounts. I know because I had my dealer try to mount a 48" deck on a BX23 and they couldn't make it work. I doubt anything is different with the newer models.
Needing the smaller deck for my property, I went with the BX1870. It's worked out well for me.
Needing the smaller deck for my property, I went with the BX1870. It's worked out well for me.
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On my 54" deck, the deck wheels are very close to the rear tires when the deck is all the way up. Maybe 1.5" away or so, but definitely not enough clearance to squeeze the deck in by 3" on each side. The 48 would need to have the wheels mounted a little differently to fit. The BX1880 has 24x12 tires whereas the other 80 series come with 26" tires, so there really isn't much size difference.
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My dealer says the 48" deck will only fit the BX1880, which has a slightly smaller frame.
Is that correct?
Is that correct?
Yes: That's correct. (I fixed all the weird crap in my above post that came from using my phone, and that said the same.)
I would have been ok paying extra for the BX23 to get more horsepower, but the 48" deck was a better fit for my property. Lots of positive reviews here and elsewhere on the BX18xx swayed me to go with that model. Plenty of power for all my needs.
Some conflicting answers here. Are you quite sure the 48" fits the BX23S?They make a 48" for a B23S, have your dealer look it up for you.
The BX1880 has the same frame as the BX2380 and BX2680. They did however shrink down the tire diameters which is probably how they get away with the 48" deck on the 1880 and not the rest. But otherwise they are the same. You might be able to have them swap the smaller tires on yours though from the 1880 if you want.
North Idaho Wolfman
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
I just read it off of Kubota's option list for the BX23S, which sounds like it's misleading.
Can you point me to what you're looking at?
In the mower deck manual, which includes all 3 sizes, there is a table that shows all the mower deck variations (sizes & drive over) and a row that says "suitable tractor". The 48" is only "suitable" for the BX1880. However, I just don't understand how a the same 54" deck will fit both the BX1880 and the BX2380, but somehow the 48" wouldn't fit both. Clearly, they must have the same mounting system if the 54" can fit both tractors. It seems the only way that the 48 would not fit the bigger BX's, is if the anti-scalp rollers on the 48" were too close to the tractor tires.
It still isn't clear to me if the gain I would get in clearance through tight spots is worth having a deck that cuts less than 3" wider than the tractor tires. I suppose if I really had to get through a tight spot like a gate, I could remove the deck. On the other hand, the lighter 48" deck would be easier to remove and reinstall. However, so far, most gates I've measured don't even let the 45" wide tractor through. The spots I found most sketchy are spots where I would drive on the sidewalk to go from one property to an adjacent property. Tree roots and small retaining walls and either side of a 60" sidewalk make the 54" deck barely manageable - 60" would have been impossible. I guess trying to cut close to anything, like a bush, would probably be really annoying with a 48" deck?
Anyone here running a 48 deck?
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I have both BX25D and BX23S sales brochure neither list a 48" deck for them , only the BX1870 and BX1880. The 48" deck on the 23s would suck width wise tractor is almost that wide. Pricing BX23S on website not getting option either.
Ok, but the BX1880 is only 1 inch less wide. So do we figure the 48" deck sucks on the 1880 too?
I did couch my answer to the fitment issue saying it was for the BX1870, but I'm pretty sure everything about the mount, tires, and clearances is exactly the same as on the BX1880. So: The 48" deck won't the any but the smallest model BX. As I wrote: My dealer tried to make it fit, and then realized the anti-scalp wheels/mounts didn't clear the larger tires on the BX23xx. You'd have to do significant surgery.
So does the 48" suck on the BX18xx? No. I've been mowing with that combination for 3 years now. It works great. The blades extend out from both sides of the tractor such that I can cut up against all the borders on my property, same as a wider deck. Having a wider deck could be a benefit it some situations, effectively giving you a smaller radius for cutting around curves. But that's a minor upside, at least for me, and more than outweighed by the disadvantages of the larger deck on my property.
Your property is no doubt different than mine, so I'm not saying the 48" desk is best for you. But it certainly doesn't suck.
When your dealer tried to fit it, was it the scalping rollers on the back of the deck that were striking the back tires on the BX23xx? Was it only at the highest lift height (the deck moves back as you raise it)?
I wasn't there to see it, so all I know is what my dealer told me by email:
"We actually went out and looked at what the differences were and why Kubota says we can’t put the 48" deck on the 2370. While the mounting brackets all match the rear gauge wheel will be completely against the tires. When I say the rear guage wheels I don’t mean the wheels themselves but rather the welded metal mounts that wheels are attached too. Unfortanetly we aren’t able to take those off. So the smallest deck I can put on the 2370 is the 54”."
The explanation is certainly sound and exactly what I expected. Whether it translates perfectly to the BX2380 seems to be still somewhat unknown.
I wonder if you were to install spacers between the axle hub and the wheel rim if that might alleviate the clearance issue? The only way to know would be to jack up the rear and remove the tires and rims and start taking measurements. Once again, we are headed down the road of modifications and who knows how Kubota will look at this should there ever be a warranty claim for the drive train.
I would not be interested in going that far to accommodate the smaller deck (frankly, I'm not even sure if I'd really want a smaller deck). At this point, I'm more invested in learning the answer to the question. Maybe that would at least help out someone else in the future.I wonder if you were to install spacers between the axle hub and the wheel rim if that might alleviate the clearance issue? The only way to know would be to jack up the rear and remove the tires and rims and start taking measurements. Once again, we are headed down the road of modifications and who knows how Kubota will look at this should there ever be a warranty claim for the drive train.