Just bought a Kubota BX2230 and have some question

[FallingGirl]

Hi,

My name is Cristina and I am brand new to posting to this forum. I have read many posts but just now created my own account.

I have oddly wanted a tractor so bad since I discovered them last year as I was trying to tackle a bamboo mess in my small yard (3/4 acre). Bamboo had taken over the entire yard and destroyed tile on my patio and even went above and under concrete paths and driveways.

I like to solve problems myself so I studied tractors and became obsessed with what they could do. The problem was that the bamboo problem was so urgent that I hired a guy with a mini excavator to come in and literally remove 24” of contaminated soil on my entire lot and haul it away. Then I had him bring in new soil. It cost me a fortune and I don‘t ever want to be in a position again where I have to rely on someone else to do work for me.

About a month ago I found a Kubota BX2230 4x4 with belly mower but no FEL for $5,000 on FB Marketplace. The guy seemed nice and honest and said it was in perfect shape (and it looked good to me) so I bought it. Turns out the tractor had a lot of problems. I have never driven a tractor before and decided to take it on a test ride after thoroughly reading the instruction manual which I had to purchase online. Within minutes of turning the tractor on the gas pedal FELL OFF. I looked under the rubber floor mat and it had been sloppily tack welded onto the bracket that secures it to whatever connects it to the transmission. The tractor also wouldn’t turn left. It turns out that the power steering motor was broken. And, lastly, it wouldn’t turn off and you had to unplug the ground in the engine compartment to stop the motor. I was actually able to fix this problem myself by replacing a 20amp fuse. But the other problems required me to have the tractor hauled to my local Kubota dealership to have fixed. I also asked them to do a thorough inspection of the tractor AND I asked them to install a hydraulic top link. My Kubota doesn’t have a FEL so I figured I could use a rear scoop kinda like a FEL with the hydraulic top link.

Unfortunately when I received my tractor back after over a month in the shop it wasn’t fixed and the top link was installed in an absurd manner. The first problem was that they replaced the treadle pedal but didn’t ensure that it sprung back to stop position when I take my foot off it. I learned this after running through a thick bed of azaleas. I discovered on this forum that a sticking pedal is a common problem on the BX2230. The other problem was where they installed the control to the hydraulic top link. They literally mounted it on the rear of the tractor right above the three point hitch. In my opinion this makes no sense. The point of having a dynamic top link is to have the ability to adjust the angle while driving. I could just go and adjust the turnbuckle myself if I was going to jump off the tractor and go to the rear of the tractor every time I wanted to make an adjustment.

Anyway, the dealership picked it up yesterday and begrudgingly agreed to fix the problems. I am a woman who is completely new to tractors but I’m not an idiot. The dealer tried to tell me that it’s common to put the top link control on the rear.

Anyway, i kinda just wanted to introduce myself but also ask a few questions if I may.

I own no attachments except for the belly mower at this point. First, should I buy a quick hitch and, if so, which budget friendly model should I get?

Second, which attachments should I get first. I want to level my front yard and possibly smooth out mulch applied to beds. Should I go for a rear blade or boxblade? I’m leaning toward a rear blade because I could also spread gravel paths with it.

Does anyone recommend a model rear scoop that I should get? I found some really cheap ones on Agrisupply. Have any of you used any of their products?

I would also like to get something to dethach my lawn with. Can I do this with a pine straw rake or do I need something else like a drag harrow?

Lastly I’m thinking of getting 3 point forks and a cheap 3 point boom for moving stuff around.

Do you guys recommend anything else that is really useful and fun to have with a pto tractor that will mostly be used for gardening and moving stuff?

AND LASTLY, I WOULD LOVE TO BUY A FEL. If anyone ever comes across a used FEL for a BX2230 would you please please please let me know because I want to buy one.

Thanks so much,
Cristina
instagram.com/baileyCristina

 

[K5lwq]

Welcome to TBN! I agree the valve orientation for the top link is not ideal. However in their defense it is sometimes difficult to find a good placement for a new valve on a small tractor. Hopefully they can come up with something that will work for you.

Finding a front end loader for your tractor will be a challenge and likely cost as much or more than the tractor.

As far as implements go a rear scoop would be handy. I am not sure what you are dealing with on trying to level the yard. If grass is established then this will be difficult to do without tilling first.

Sometimes it is easier to just use a shovel and top soil to fill in the low spots.

 

[Carl_NH]

Welcome to TBN - and sorry for all your troubles with this new to you tractor! You can add a rear blade or box blade if you have grading/leveling to do.

Unfortunately adding an FEL to your machine is not cost effective - you would be better served to buy a BX with an FEL and sell yours - you can swap the top/tilt to the new machine potentially too.

 

[5030]

My only comment is, never take anyone on their word when they sell a used tractor or anything else for that matter. Always test it before buying, no exceptions, especially if the seller states it's perfect. No one ever sells a perfect tractor or car or motorcycle, they keep it.

 

[FallingGirl]

My only comment is, never take anyone on their word when they sell a used tractor or anything else for that matter. Always test it before buying, no exceptions, especially if the seller states it's perfect. No one ever sells a perfect tractor or car or motorcycle, they keep it.

Thank you so much! I think you’re right about the FEL. In fact every single person I have spoken to has said exactly that. I guess I really don’t need the loader so much now either since I had the guy with the excavator do all the major soil work. I think the rear scoop should get me by with just dumping small amounts of mulch and gravel.

Its crazy how excited I am to have a real tractor finally . I know that sounds weird but I became absolutely obsessed with them when I was studying how to remedy the bamboo situation. The three point hitch invention is sheer brilliance and lends to endless possibilities for a DIY person. But I’m pretty bizarre when it comes to DIY. I’m pretty shy and am always skeptical of being ripped off by repairmen. And inevitably I receive an outrageous bill after service and am too shy and scared to argue with the guy so I always pay it without question. So, for that reason, I’ve become obsessed with learning how to fix everything by watching YouTube. I turned my garage into a wood/tool/welding shop. I taught myself how to weld and actually welded a nice trailer for picking up stuff from Lowes. And I love buying any kind of tools - the more exotic the better.

I divorced my husband about ten years ago and now live single in a very yuppy neighborhood. All the husbands are either doctors or lawyers. And during the day their driveways are filled with service vehicles (lawn services, gutter people, electricians, any service you can imagine). But I feel like an outcast because instead of a Tesla sitting in my newly paved and stamped driveway, is an old van and a Prius AND ME COVERED IN GREASE FIXING OR BUILDING SOMETHING . In fact, there’s this doctor across the street from me who was installing a prefab gate in his fenced in backyard and was perplexed that there was a root right where he needed to place his fence post. I watched him fiddle around for a few minutes and then thought, oh hell, so I grabbed my sawzall and headed over to his house to help. The look on his face was part amazement and part embarrassment that a woman was coming to his aid. I nicely asked him to move out of the way and cut the root right out as if it were butter. The doctor was in awe of this “miraculous tool” in my hand. Was I the only person who owned this marvel of modern technology, he was thinking? So I explained to him that it’s a common all purpose saw that anyone can purchase on Amazon.

But the story doesn’t end there. After taking care of the root I returned to my driveway. Then about 30 minutes later I noticed the doctor and his neighbor trying to manually pull the chainlink fence taught against the post. Both men appear very physically fit but with all their might they couldn’t get the chainlink close enough to the post to secure it. So, AGAIN, I grabbed my come along and walked over and told them to step aside. Then I cranked the chainlink right up to the post with just a few pumps on the winch. Of course they wanted a come along now too and asked where one purchased a device such as this.

As a result, none of the wives in the neighborhood will look at me and think I’m possessed . But I could care less because while they’re home cooking dinner or washing dishes, I’m in my garage plasma cutting killer stainless backlit led numbers to put on my driveway column to illuminate my address.

And now I can’t wait to see the expression on the faces of the neighbors when I am digging my own irrigation lines with a subsoiler on a “machine” they didn’t know existed.

 

[RjCorazza]

I own no attachments except for the belly mower at this point. First, should I buy a quick hitch and, if so, which budget friendly model should I get?

Second, which attachments should I get first. I want to level my front yard and possibly smooth out mulch applied to beds. Should I go for a rear blade or boxblade? I’m leaning toward a rear blade because I could also spread gravel paths with it.

Does anyone recommend a model rear scoop that I should get? I found some really cheap ones on Agrisupply. Have any of you used any of their products?

I would also like to get something to dethach my lawn with. Can I do this with a pine straw rake or do I need something else like a drag harrow?

Lastly I’m thinking of getting 3 point forks and a cheap 3 point boom for moving stuff around.

Do you guys recommend anything else that is really useful and fun to have with a pto tractor that will mostly be used for gardening and moving stuff?

AND LASTLY, I WOULD LOVE TO BUY A FEL. If anyone ever comes across a used FEL for a BX2230 would you please please please let me know because I want to buy one.

Thanks so much,
Cristina
instagram.com/baileyCristina

Welcome to TBN. Sorry to hear of your tractor problems, you seem to have the initial ones sorted out.
In rough order of your questions...
- Quick hitches are nice, but certainly not essential. I don't know if there are issues with them on smaller machines. IF I were buying one, I would likely go with SpeeCo. They have a model that doesn't require bushings for each implement, and they appear to be high quality. Disclaimer... I don't have a quick hitch.

- Box blades are generally better suited for grading, but there are plenty of operators that use rear blades (heavier is better). I have both, but limit my blade use to snow duty. A tiller with a heavy rear gate will work very well on leveling a yard also. I would kill off the grass first, till and / or grade, and reseed.

- My first tractor didn't have a FEL and I used a 3 point scoop for several years. You can get a lot done with a rear scoop, and anything is better than a shovel and wheel barrow. I'm sure AgriSupply sells reasonable stuff. So does Tractor Supply and similar places. These types of implements can be visually assessed for quality by the weight of the materials and welds. You may need to add some front ballast weights on a light machine.

- A 3 point boom was a total bust for me. Not much use, and even a light load on the end of one turns a small tractor into a teeter totter. 3 point forks would be a great addition to a non FEL tractor, or a carry all.

- Dethatching options are numerous, and I think you are on the right track. I would think a drag harrow would work well.

- Adding a FEL is going to be expensive, if it's even readily available at all. Adding a FEL is likely to cost as much as you paid for your tractor. If sounds like you could get by without a FEL, but honestly, they are incredibly useful and I would not be without one. Easy to spend someone else's money, but have you considered selling your tractor and look for a new or used tractor with a FEL?

Hope some of this may be of interest to you, and good luck with your upcoming projects!

 

[Yander]

Welcome to the forum! The good news is you have a very nice tractor that is not a throw away once those things are fixed. Those are not real major in the scheme of things. I recommend a king kutter dirt scoop I've had a couple. They are heavy built, they weigh about 280lb. so a little heavy but they do seem to slide pretty easily to get them attached. Do NOT buy a new one. Go on CL or Facebook marketplace. You should not have to pay more than $300 for one and can often find them for under $200.

Look into Koyker loaders. They make aftermarket loaders for the more popular tractors and yours certainly qualifies as a popular one. You can always ask. Expect to shell out $4kish for getting one bought and installed, maybe more. I will say, a tractor without a loader is only about 20% as useful as one with a loader for what you just said you are wanting to do. About 90% of the guys on here started right where you are, be patient.

 

[FallingGirl]

Welcome to the forum! The good news is you have a very nice tractor that is not a throw away once those things are fixed. Those are not real major in the scheme of things. I recommend a king kutter dirt scoop I've had a couple. They are heavy built, they weigh about 280lb. so a little heavy but they do seem to slide pretty easily to get them attached. Do NOT buy a new one. Go on CL or Facebook marketplace. You should not have to pay more than $300 for one and can often find them for under $200.

Look into Koyker loaders. They make aftermarket loaders for the more popular tractors and yours certainly qualifies as a popular one. You can always ask. Expect to shell out $4kish for getting one bought and installed, maybe more. I will say, a tractor without a loader is only about 20% as useful as one with a loader for what you just said you are wanting to do. About 90% of the guys on here started right where you are, be patient.

AWESOME! This is exactly the info I needed. Thanks so much . I’m so glad I joined this forum instead of just lurking for months. You guys are great!

 

[oosik]

I know exactly how you feel - FallingGirl. For twenty years we lived in a neighborhood with one acre lots. Nothing I could ever do on my lot was not under observation from one or more of my neighbors.

We moved down from Alaska in 1982. The property is 80 acres and is set in one mile off the county road. My nearest neighbor is two and a half miles - as the crow flies.

As Yander said - you just have to look in the correct places for implements to fit your tractor. I would recommend - FEL with bucket and rear blade. A good starting point. Good luck.

 

[Yander]

Also, when and if you do get a loader, a dirt scoop makes excellent ballast if you throw a few bags of sand, bricks, rocks etc. in them. You will need that with a loader. My only concern with your tractor having turfs and being pretty low to the ground, you may have issues getting a dirt scoop to dump. You may have to drill some extra holes, below the pins that are on it, and put them a few inches lower it to get it up off the ground. I think it can be done with a half inch drill and some oil. Watch a youtube if your not familiar with drilling heavy steel.

 

[Torvy]

Welcome to the forum, from East Texas. Sounds like your ex got the worst of that deal.

Count me in the camp that figures this is your 'starter' tractor. Get it working right and sell it for more than you paid. Heck, I'd probably convince one of those rich guys, bless their hearts, that they need to buy it. Then get yourself one that has the features you want. Otherwise, the lack of FEL will scream at you every time you could have used it.

 

[Yander]

Thank you so much! I think you’re right about the FEL. In fact every single person I have spoken to has said exactly that. I guess I really don’t need the loader so much now either since I had the guy with the excavator do all the major soil work. I think the rear scoop should get me by with just dumping small amounts of mulch and gravel.

Its crazy how excited I am to have a real tractor finally . I know that sounds weird but I became absolutely obsessed with them when I was studying how to remedy the bamboo situation. The three point hitch invention is sheer brilliance and lends to endless possibilities for a DIY person. But I’m pretty bizarre when it comes to DIY. I’m pretty shy and am always skeptical of being ripped off by repairmen. And inevitably I receive an outrageous bill after service and am too shy and scared to argue with the guy so I always pay it without question. So, for that reason, I’ve become obsessed with learning how to fix everything by watching YouTube. I turned my garage into a wood/tool/welding shop. I taught myself how to weld and actually welded a nice trailer for picking up stuff from Lowes. And I love buying any kind of tools - the more exotic the better.

I divorced my husband about ten years ago and now live single in a very yuppy neighborhood. All the husbands are either doctors or lawyers. And during the day their driveways are filled with service vehicles (lawn services, gutter people, electricians, any service you can imagine). But I feel like an outcast because instead of a Tesla sitting in my newly paved and stamped driveway, is an old van and a Prius AND ME COVERED IN GREASE FIXING OR BUILDING SOMETHING . In fact, there’s this doctor across the street from me who was installing a prefab gate in his fenced in backyard and was perplexed that there was a root right where he needed to place his fence post. I watched him fiddle around for a few minutes and then thought, oh hell, so I grabbed my sawzall and headed over to his house to help. The look on his face was part amazement and part embarrassment that a woman was coming to his aid. I nicely asked him to move out of the way and cut the root right out as if it were butter. The doctor was in awe of this “miraculous tool” in my hand. Was I the only person who owned this marvel of modern technology, he was thinking? So I explained to him that it’s a common all purpose saw that anyone can purchase on Amazon.

But the story doesn’t end there. After taking care of the root I returned to my driveway. Then about 30 minutes later I noticed the doctor and his neighbor trying to manually pull the chainlink fence taught against the post. Both men appear very physically fit but with all their might they couldn’t get the chainlink close enough to the post to secure it. So, AGAIN, I grabbed my come along and walked over and told them to step aside. Then I cranked the chainlink right up to the post with just a few pumps on the winch. Of course they wanted a come along now too and asked where one purchased a device such as this.

As a result, none of the wives in the neighborhood will look at me and think I’m possessed . But I could care less because while they’re home cooking dinner or washing dishes, I’m in my garage plasma cutting killer stainless backlit led numbers to put on my driveway column to illuminate my address.

And now I can’t wait to see the expression on the faces of the neighbors when I am digging my own irrigation lines with a subsoiler on a “machine” they didn’t know existed.

You're going to fit in right well in this neighborhood! Also, if the bulk of the dirt has already been moved you may benefit from a box blade more than a dirt scoop. They are very good at smoothing, leveling etc. Dirt scoop, not so much for that. They just move material from point A to B.

 

[Smokeydog]

Welcome to TBN. Tractors are problem solvers just like you. Learning new skills, from mistakes and successes part of the journey. I’m still on that path of learning and trying to find what works best on a ever changing target.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Welcome to the BX family. Good machine and hopefully, you'll have the gremlins solved. My 20 year old BX-22 is still going strong for sure.

For a quick attach, I have the Pat's system which I know this forum sent out an email about relative to a Black Friday discount within the last day. Top link is still manual, but I don't mind that. But in complete disclosure, I don't own any three point attachments anymore as we moved to a much smaller property and, well...they were more valuable for cash than sitting around taking up space.

Now let's get the crux of the "elephant in the room". A FEL is one of the most useful capabilities that these workhorse tractors bring to the table. Without one, you need to get a lot more creative and invest in (or make) "more" three point devices than would be required if you just had the FEL available. Unfortunately, getting one for a machine of that age is nearly impossible. The unit that's matched to the BX2230 is different than the current generation BXs use and it would be unbelievably rare/unusual for anyone to part with "just" the FEL and all the required attachment points and hydraulics. IE, it's not really a reasonable retrofit situation. So if you determine that a FEL is a good choice for you, trade/sell the BX2230 and buy another machine that's already equipped with it. I know I'm repeating advice already offered, but it's a pretty important point.

 

[newbury]

Hi,
<snip> my small yard (3/4 acre). Bamboo had taken over the entire yard and destroyed tile on my patio and even went above and under concrete paths and driveways.

<snip>

About a month ago I found a Kubota BX2230 4x4 with belly mower but no FEL for $5,000 on FB Marketplace. <snip>
My Kubota doesn’t have a FEL so I figured I could use a rear scoop kinda like a FEL with the hydraulic top link.

<snip>
I own no attachments except for the belly mower at this point. First, should I buy a quick hitch and, if so, which budget friendly model should I get?

Pat's quick hitch works for me.

Second, which attachments should I get first. I want to level my front yard and possibly smooth out mulch applied to beds. Should I go for a rear blade or boxblade? I’m leaning toward a rear blade because I could also spread gravel paths with it.

Box blade

Does anyone recommend a model rear scoop that I should get? I found some really cheap ones on Agrisupply. Have any of you used any of their products?

I would also like to get something to dethach my lawn with. Can I do this with a pine straw rake or do I need something else like a drag harrow?

Rent a dethatcher, unless you do it often renting is often a wiser choice. At about $60/day it's worth it.

Lastly I’m thinking of getting 3 point forks and a cheap 3 point boom for moving stuff around.

Agrisupply sells a nice 3-point pallet fork, link here one of my first purchases, often used.
With your talents I'm sure you can build a "carryall" for tools etc. Lot's of examples on TBN.

Do you guys recommend anything else that is really useful and fun to have with a pto tractor that will mostly be used for gardening and moving stuff?

AND LASTLY, I WOULD LOVE TO BUY A FEL. If anyone ever comes across a used FEL for a BX2230 would you please please please let me know because I want to buy one.

Thanks so much,
Cristina
instagram.com/baileyCristina

The scoop makes sense.
Get some chain, so if you need to pull something your ready,
Get some sturdy rope. With the 3pt pallet forks from Agrisupply you can move a mountain.
Good luck.

 

[ljjhouser]

Welcome to TBN. Glad you are here. Congratulations on the tractor. Hope all the problems get fixed. As most will tell you here, it is ALMOST impossible to find a loader for a tractor to add on. If so, it may be pricy. Best if you can get your money out of it to purchase another one with loader on it. But you may find one. Hope so. Best wishes.

 

[/pine]

Your best possible chance of finding a loader is by contacting any and all dealers...but also contact insurance companies...tractors get totaled and sold for whatever...
Good luck...
BTW...if you took a poll here you would find that probably a majority have more than one tractor because a lot of the time...just one won't do...!

 

[RaydaKub]

I've had my BX2230 for 11 years. The FEL really opens up a world of new jobs you can tackle, but you have already heard that. But if you keep this tractor, my one recommendation is to replace that gawd-awful sloped, rock-hard seat. If you put any number of hours on, that thing is a killer. None of my business what your budget might be, but I replaced mine with a TSC model for under $150. I had to drill 2 new holes, but the other 2 fit fine.
Welcome to TBN. There are a couple of BX groups on Facebook that are handy also.

 

[cmyoung2]

I have Pat's Quick hitch on my BX2230, It works, saves a little time and effort, but I'm not sure I'm going to get a set for my new to me L3600. The Hydraulic top link will be a big help hooking up. And quick hitches are only useful if you are changing implements often. A loader is great, I love what it can pick up and move, but much is possible without one. 3pt forks, carry all, scoop, will all help move stuff. The only issue I can think of is you may need to add weight to the front. I have the rear tires fluid filled and chained, but I am on steep slopes probably doing much heavier work than a BX needs to be doing. Have fun, they are great little tractors.

 

[MT Tractor Dan]

Sorry about your negative first tractor purchase, there's a lot of scumbags out there and it's always best to kick the tires and test drive it. Bringing someone along in the know would also help. Fortunately in this day and age, we can research and youtube about anything before buying it. Take it slow and learn as much as you can from tractor geeks like us before you buy. Most of us would tell you always buy a sub compact tractor with a loader WITH either JDQA or SSQA (not a pinned on bucket) so you can use multiple attachments and change them quickly. Finding a loader for an older SCUT is near impossible.

I would bite the bullet, sell the tractor off to someone who only needs it for grass and 3ph work. Then take your time and find a SCUT with a loader, 3PH, dealer/parts support hopefully close to you for the right price and watch several "How to buy a first tractor" videos. I went a different route when I bought my first tractor, I went new JD for a 5075E. It was a learning experience too, but had a loader, warranty, and some amenities. I added a lot of stuff to it as I went and learned how to buy the next one.

You may lose a few bucks, but getting the right equipment will be more than worth it in the long run and you won't regret it.