BX limited three point

[Schultz]

Thought I'd pass on a deal I found and parts that turned out to be better than stock for my BX2200.
While plowing snow on my driveway with the rear blade, I caught the edge on a large frozen rock in our turn around. The rock didn't move and it snapped the three point link that keeps it from swaying into the tire.
After a quick internet search I found surplus parts at Burton Surplus Center. Type Kubota in their search and you will see all their Kubota stuff. The parts weren't exactly the same but they appeared to be Kubota parts. Maybe they're the new BX part. The link was about an inch or two longer but was a little thicker so it should hold up better, but it did adjust back to the exact spot I had it. I bought a pair for $8 and while I was at it I got the lift arms at $18 each, since I bent one last summer. These are also not exactly the same but will work perfectly. In fact better, since they're about 2-3" longer and 1/4" thicker, which will lift the blade a little higher in the air and resist bending a little better. The lift arms defiantly need a paint job since they were all scratched up and had paint cracking off. No rust though so they will work great after I bead blast and paint them. New OEM Kubota arms are over $70 each.

 

[radioman]

ouch ! its never good to break parts on your tractor. SO you found sturdier parts for your BX from burdens surplus ? If you could take pics so we can compare. I have one turnbuckle that is slightly bent due to not tightening it enough when using my tiller. Have you thought about using telescoping swaylinks instead ? i know i have, is its on my to do list if i ever get around to it. glad you able to fix it cheap.

 

[Dyer retired]

Thought I'd pass on a deal I found and parts that turned out to be better than stock for my BX2200.
While plowing snow on my driveway with the rear blade, I caught the edge on a large frozen rock in our turn around. The rock didn't move and it snapped the three point link that keeps it from swaying into the tire.
After a quick internet search I found surplus parts at Burton Surplus Center. Type Kubota in their search and you will see all their Kubota stuff. The parts weren't exactly the same but they appeared to be Kubota parts. Maybe they're the new BX part. The link was about an inch or two longer but was a little thicker so it should hold up better, but it did adjust back to the exact spot I had it. I bought a pair for $8 and while I was at it I got the lift arms at $18 each, since I bent one last summer. These are also not exactly the same but will work perfectly. In fact better, since they're about 2-3" longer and 1/4" thicker, which will lift the blade a little higher in the air and resist bending a little better. The lift arms defiantly need a paint job since they were all scratched up and had paint cracking off. No rust though so they will work great after I bead blast and paint them. New OEM Kubota arms are over $70 each.

Shultz,

I bent two drag links before I found a modification that 3RRL recommended. I included a picture and hope you can make it out. I welded a 3/8" piece of square stock steel to the bottom of my straightened drag links. I haven't bent a drag link or chain link since. I also try to be a little more conservative with pushing my blade, but hadn't really been abusing it when the links bent the first and second time. Just for consideration. Dyer, retired

 

[radioman]

good idea - a simple flat stock welded on the bottom to give it a half I beam strength.

 

[Dyer retired]

good idea - a simple flat stock welded on the bottom to give it a half I beam strength.

I use my blade so that when I'm backing up, it's pushing the snow like a normal plow blade...it works great. I don't worry about bending the drag links now and have seen no sign of stressing any other parts either. I had one chain link break the way you described and later found the drag link had bent to the point of pulling the weld on the chain link apart. I now have skids on my blade that I didn't have on my old blade, so there isn't quite as much force on the drag links anyway, but I have hit some hard packed banks harder than I'd like behind new snow and haven't had any issues. If you search 3RRL's name and drag links, you see his repair, but there are also some video's of him using his box blade on a much bigger tractor and he's had no further problems with drag link bending. It's pretty cheap to modify and a lot cheaper than buying new drag links.

 

[BXRICK]

I don't know if they've changed the newer BXs (I have a BX1500 from 2003), but if you do anything to ruin a turnbuckle, don't replace it. Instead, swap out the turnbuckles for the sleeve-style with pins. It will make changing implements MUCH easier, and they won't bend.

It's not a total drop in, but with a grinder and a drill, and about 1/2 hour, I had it done.

There have been numberous posts on here about this modification.

Here's the text of the post I used to make this change:

----
As promised, here is the update to my initial post. I was at my dealer yesterday, and inquired about the interchangability of the telescopic adjusters for the turnbuckles.
We removed the tele. adjusters from a B2710, and sized them to a BX 2200. It was a close enough fit. My dealer (Leahy Equip., Holyoke Mass.) was kind enough to sell me the tele. adjusters from the B2710, saving me another trip.
The telescopic adjusters are sold as (1) flat bar & (1) receiver tube bar. The part #'s are: flat 6C070-65333 and receiver 6C070-65320. You need (1) each for each side, for a total of two flat bars & two receiver tube bars.
The cost was $13.65 each for a total of $54.60 + tax.
It would appear that the B7500 & B2410 could also use this modification.

This A.M. I took apart the turnbuckle assembly to mount the replacement telescopic adjusters.
The two modifications to the tele. adjusters are as follows:
1. Flat bar: A second hole (7/16") needs to be drilled behind the first hole, to accommidate the "U" pin that attaches to the front adjuster swing plate. Once drilled the "U" pin will fit into the bar end.
2. Receiver Bar: On the bar end that attaches to the lower lift arm, cut & remove approx. 1" of the side of the receiver tube. This allows the receiver bar to fit onto the metal tab on the lower lift arm, using the original pin to secure it. This is easily done with a 4 1/2" hand grinder with a cut off wheel.

Once I figured out how to make it work, it took about 30 minutes to complete the job, and reassemble the three point hitch. You also need a locking pin to set the side to side movement.

I then mounted my M40 rotary cutter, effortlessly adjusting the side to side play of the lower lift arms, vs. wrenching on the turn buckle adjusters of the BX2200.

Summarizing this long winded story, if you have a BX1800-2200, B7500 or B2410, you might consider this fix, speeding up your 3 point hook-up time, while reducing your aggrivation.

 

[Schultz]

Thanks for the ideas, I like the flat stock mod, I'm going to have to do that before I bend it again. I ended up fixing the one bent lift arm. I took it to work and put it on the hydraulic press, it took about 3500lbs to straighten the two bends.
I also like the telescoping links. There have been a few occasions that I've been too lazy to get a wrench because I wanted to switch the the tiller for the blade.

I'll try and get some pics this week to post.