BX Too Heavy For Mowing

[zoltanthegypsy]

Hmmm, don't we already know the psi? That's the pressure in the tire, and seems to me that it has to be the same as the pressure outside. That is, if the tire has to support 500lbs and it's at 10psi, it's going to have 50sq in of contact patch, more or less.

The psi determines the contact patch, not the other way around - in my simple-minded way of thinking.

That aside, I'm here to tell you that it's entirely possible to make a mess with a GR2120. Did that Thursday. A real mess. The grass was dry enough to mow, but not the soil, at least at the lower part of the lawn. Manged to churn things into mud, and I was too bleeping stubborn to just park the machine for a dry day. August, maybe...

Should have ordered the pontoon option

Later,
Z.

 

[George the Beagle]

My two cents' worth is not to trade for the GR. The BX is a pretty darn good mower given its versatility for other tasks. The GR has other attachments available, but not like the BX.

My previous mower was a Farmall Cub Loboy with 59" Woods finish mower. The BX doesn't mark up my lawn any more than the Cub did, but my lawn is fairly firm. Sharp turns with the Cub weren't a good idea, though--made my lawn look like it had crop circles.

 

[kcender]

Just checked my tire pressures.I had 18 in the rears,max is 22,and I reduced them to 13.The fronts had 20,max is 22,and I reduced them to 15.I won't know if this makes any difference until I get a chance to mow later in the week after it hopefully dries up a bit.I don't want to get the pressures too low and run into other problems like spinning a tire on a rim or rolling it off the rim.It will take a bit of trial and error.

 

[LD1]

Hmmm, don't we already know the psi? That's the pressure in the tire, and seems to me that it has to be the same as the pressure outside. That is, if the tire has to support 500lbs and it's at 10psi, it's going to have 50sq in of contact patch, more or less.

The psi determines the contact patch, not the other way around - in my simple-minded way of thinking.



Later,
Z.

Thats not entirley true. Some easy googling will turn up pleanty of dis-proofs to that common claim.

And simply sitting here and thinking about it, As we all know, when doing loader work, and if is soft at all, the fronts really rut things up. I am running ~30PSI in my fronts and ~12 in the rear. The rears dont rut up much (they are much bigger).

Simply lowering the fronts to 12PSI isnt going to make them float like the larger rears.

ALSO: what about the guys running the R-4's vs my Ags. The R4's are MUCH wider, but also can be inflated more. Do you think a 17.5" wide R-4 @ 22psi is going to rut more than my skinny 11.2" AG tire @ 12PSI????

 

[zoltanthegypsy]

I'm already working above my pay grade here, so I think I'll just retreat...

Not before observing that the contact patch also reflects the weight on the wheel vs. the psi that the soil can support. Until the tire sinks deep enough to widen the contact to the point where the soil can support it, it doesn't much matter what the tire psi is.

Z.

 

[BrianR]

That it.......I'm switching to rubber tracks now!!

Even without observing how the tire sinks into the soil, just to do a simple comparison between two machines, park them on a flat surface, mark around the contact area where the tire meets the surface, calculate the area and divide. All I was interested in was comparing pounds per square inch that each machine exerts on the ground, to see if the machine weight of one machine is *really* much better than the other.

Obviously, the tire's over all diameter, width, air pressure, etc will all change how the tire loads the soil as it sinks (if it sinks at all). But if the soil is saturated with heavy rain, this is all for naught anywho!!

 

[timswi]

I've been mowing with my BX23 for 8 years and I have about 1000sq ft of clay that I stay away from in the spring...Other thatn that, I only cut when the grass is dry...If you don't it just cakes up the deck...The clay is the only area that ruts in the spring..I have turf tires, unloaded.

The BX is a great machine, I'd have a really hard time giving up mine.

 

[IC Smoke]

R4's and a BX24:

I would get the R4's before turf tires if you have a FEL or use it in any type of dirt. I have yet to mess up a lawn with the r4's.

do you roll your lawn?

 

[Taycel]

SMOKE - Those are some fine-looking stripes considering you are using a tractor to mow with. I have seen a couple of ZTR's that couldn't stripe that nice. Which model deck do you have on your BX? :thumbsup:

 

[timswi]

SMOKE - Those are some fine-looking stripes considering you are using a tractor to mow with. I have seen a couple of ZTR's that couldn't stripe that nice. Which model deck do you have on your BX? :thumbsup:

My oem deck on my BX will do that..No rollers either..Just the way they cut.

 

[Bota Bum]

Roll the lawn a few times a season. And take a wider radius turn when you can to keep the fronts from slipping.

 

[IC Smoke]

thanks!

I have the "pro" deck or fine cut deck. No striping kit. I prefer the BX over the ZD28 (60" pro deck) for the personal lawns.

 

[mkfriel2]

I use R4's on my bx2660 with fel on, mowing 5 acres and have no rutting issues. With at least 3 different grades of soil.

 

[snpower]

Wider turns definitely help. Also, make sure you're not in 4WD. We have an embankment on our property that necessitates 4WD for stability/traction; I have to double-check that it is OUT of 4WD when I am done with that area or it will tear up the ground pretty good.

 

[crazyal]

Do you have tubes in your tires? If so maybe you can let air out and get more ground contact.

 

[WWW61]

I think my front mower wheel's tear up more, (on turns) than my turf tires. My answer is to use my Simp. Broodmor when it's real wet. Wayne

 

[LBrown59]

TractorByNet.com - Reply to Topic

I know a lot of people use their BX to mow their lawns.I have started to notice depressions in my lawn from the tires on my BX 2360.I try to mow in different patterns to avoid this but in some areas it is not possible such as mowing around the house or garage.
1*The tractor,mower deck,fluids,and me is probably around1750 to 1800 pounds which seems like quite a bit for a mowing tractor.
2*I have been seriously considering selling the BX and getting a GR 2120 as
3*I only use the BX for mowing and the GR is about 500 to 600 pounds lighter.
4*Just wondering what people's thoughts are on this and if they notice depressions from mowing with their BX tractor.
5*I realize the GR is not as much tractor as a BX but for strictly mowing I am thinking it should do just as good a job.
6*I don't need a 4WD tractor for mowing but it makes it a lot easier as I have some hilly areas to mow.This is why I am considering one or the other of these two tractors.

1*It's not .
2*That's a bad costly consideration that will probably not erase your concern .
3*I was using a Cub Cadet GT2554 garden tractor that only weighs about 800 or 900 pounds and there is no difference in yard depressions between it and my BX1500 that I have now .
4*I don't see any difference in the yard between mowing it with my 2500 pound BX23 and the 500 - 600 pound MTD Riding Mower I used to use.

My BX23 with A/G tires I use it to mow with all attachments installed as shown.
I always mow in 4 wheel drive with both the BX23 and the BX1500.
I'd say my yard looks pretty darn good in this picture.
5*So why take all the money loss trading for a mower that will only do as good a job?
6*Safety on hills is a good reason for 4WD
If the rear wheels break traction on a 2 wheel drive you will loose control because there aren't any brakes on the front a 2 wheel drive

7*Easy. Trade the bx in on a new simplicity prestige awd.

7*Wouldn't do him any good :See No. 2 and 3 .

8*When I bought the BX I had future plans for it other than mowing but you know what they say about the best laid plans.
9*My situation now is that I will probably use it for mowing only.
10*Other than the financial loss I will take from selling it,I would have the GR, but that is what is making me question selling it.

8*Would be my luck for the plans would change again right after I made the move .
9*But I doubt it would do any better than what you have now.
10*I think making the change would be a disappointing mistake,

11*The 2810Hst Mahindra is heavy and my Kioti Dk35SE HSt has loaded rears and FEL on and leaves no marks.
12*Unless you have a lot of ambution bottled up some where keep doin what your doin, life is short man! . . .:laughing: John

11*I don't think the OPs problem is what tractor to use .
It may be that nothing will work in a way satisfying to him.
12*Well said.

13*IF you are noticing depressions, then you are mowing when its still wet.
14*You just gotta time it better between rain and drying time, otherwise just wait a bit longer. My yard does the same, and there are couple areas that I just skip until it dries out.
15*Right now its spring, you just need to wait a few weeks before saying its not worth it with BX as reason to sell.
16*You can't beat the dependability of a BX.

13*Yep or mowing when the grass is to high .
14*Some places are like that .
15*The BX is not the problem .
16*That's a fact.

kcender.

17*I'd try and keep your BX if possible since your reason for initial purchase might reoccur.

17* Yep and that would be very unfortunate.

18*I am careful not to mow when its wet.

18* That's the keey .

19*Maybe any lawn tractor would have left depressions.
20*I was just curious what other BX owners experiences were with mowing and depressions.
21*It is quite possible that a GR2120 wouldn't be any better.

19* That's more a possibility than the BX being the wrong mower.
20*I have not had that problem with any thing I have mowed my yard with .
21*I am almost sure it would not be any better than the BX.

My John Deere x748 would leave depressions if I mowed at the wrong time.

22* Don't sell your BX, as mentioned.
23*But maybe pick up a nice walk behind you can use when it's real wet, or do what I do.....
24*I pay the neighbor kid forty bucks to mow my grass when it's too wet for my big tractor, he uses his little cub cadet and we are both happy.
25*I've made the mistake you are about to make...... Trust me, I wish I never traded me JD 3320Cab in on the x748..... I've since gone full circle and have a large tractor again....

22*Selling it is the worst mistake he could make .
23*This would be much cheaper that trading the BX off.
24*That sounds like a possible solution also, he wants to avoid that at all cost .
25*The OP certainly would be making that same mistake.

I am now thinking I will wait and mow with the BX later this week before making any decisions.
26*Will probably keep it but you never know,
27*I do like the BX and it is a nice little tractor.
I may try lowering the tire pressures to see if it makes any difference.I don't remember what they are now but I know the tires are fairly hard.
28*What do other BX owners use for tire pressures?

26*That is the only good idea,.
27*You can't beat it.
28*I go with 20 Pounds PSI.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

To tell you the truth, I did dig up the lawn a lot during the 2011 mowing season...but it was also the wettest year in HISTORY. Has not been too bad this year so far...but then again, it has been really dry. :confused2:

BX vs GR is not that much of a difference. BTW, do you have turf tires? We have R4's.

 

[Bota Bum]

Last year was very wet. The BX did leave tire marks, but also did my Cub 2185 that weigh, maybe, 650#. This year, drier and no marks with either machine.

 

[kcender]

To tell you the truth, I did dig up the lawn a lot during the 2011 mowing season...but it was also the wettest year in HISTORY. Has not been too bad this year so far...but then again, it has been really dry. :confused2:

BX vs GR is not that much of a difference. BTW, do you have turf tires? We have R4's.

Yes I have turf tires.I mowed yesterday for the first time this year and everything seemed fine as the ground is quite dry right now.I lowered the tire pressures but I don't know if this really made any difference.I will probably keep the BX as I don't think another tractor would be any better and I would lose quite a bit of money by selling the BX.