Price Check BX1500, 550 hrs, MMM, Loader

[wijawha]

Hi all!

I finally bought a tractor! Just want some feedback. You know, re-assure me I bought a good tractor for a reasonable price. )

Two weekends ago I saw it sitting in the back of the dealers lot with the trade-in tag on it. I got excited because I rarely see a used BX for sale even at the dealership. So Monday, I called them to find out about it. He said they hadn't even checked it out yet, but would likely be re-selling it. The only other BX I had seen was a 2360 that sat in their lot for 3-months priced at $10500. He told me that they'd likely be wanting about $7700. I told him I'd likely want to check it out even at that price. He said ok I'll get my mechanic to check it out.

Dealer got back to me a few days later. He said they thought it was mechanically good but needed some cosmetic/minor repairs. I asked if I did some of my own service, like fluid and filter changes, blade sharpen, if they would come down a bit. He checked with mechanic or someone and called me back a day later saying I could have it for $6800. I told him I'd come look at it. I started it up. Drove around the parking lot, played with the loader and engaged the mower. Other than the obvious cosmetic issues I could plainly see, it seemed good for a used machine. Actually the only Kubota I'd ever driven. It looked like it was definitely used, not babied, probably not stored indoors.

I decided to go for it. Add $400 tax, I wrote him a check for $7208. I talked him into including fuel filters, air filter, and oil filter.

Some issues I've noticed so far after having it for a couple days, are:

1) Some dings and scratches in the paint
2) Appears to have normal wear on the deck, although they had a spindle out when I first saw it.
3) Bucket wear on the front lip, is about 1/2"
4) There is sun fading and weathering on the dash and seat, small tear in seat
5) The blades look like someone has been trying to mow rocks, very dull, lots of dings
6) Sure rattles and even has a bit of a knock when running
7) Doesn't shutoff when I get off the seat -- assume the previous owner defeated the safety switch -- How bad is this?
8) Also the second time I shut-off the tractor, it did not quit. It did not stop with the ignition switch! -- This scared me a bit. I didn't know what to do. Thankfully we had the screen off, and when my BIL wiggled the fuse box it cut out momentarily, he pushed it down and it then stopped.
9) 2-missing deck guide wheels with one bracket bent quite a bit.
10) There is a 3-position toggle previous owner put on the dash, not sure what that does
11) I don't know if my lights work. -- How do I turn them on?
12) Battery looks old and has corrosion gunk on it.
13) Front left wheel has a thick coating of grease on the downward shaft. -- Front axle seal leak? Just zirk grease?
14) It couldn't climb my lawn hill without mower running, in high range, throttled up, it just stopped moving. -- HST bad?
15) The knob height adjustment for deck/3 pt hitch will not turn -- Need to be able to adjust!
16) The knob speed adjustment for 3 pt hitch does not turn. -- Is this a big issue?

The ones that have me most concerned are

1) Not shutting off with the switch. I have a toddler and is a scary safety issue to me. With a diesel, I understand that you have to cut the fuel not the spark. I didn't know what to do short of letting it run out of fuel! Would be bad in an emergency situation!
2) Not being able to climb my hill. I bought a heavy-duty tractor with 4wd because of the steep hills I have to mow and the water way that I have to cross and maintain. I don't want to deal with a bad HST. I imagine that would be very expensive.
3) The possible hydraulic leak on front-end? I really don't want to tear into an axle. Is it mechanical or hydrostatic?
4) The deck height adjustment knob. It is set quite low. I'd need to be able to adjust.


I'm happy to share pictures of the issues, maybe will start a new thread for each item in the owner/operating forum.

Should I return it and get my money back? How serious are these issues? Any thoughts will be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[wijawha]

After reading that, I realize I let my enthusiasm get the better of me. I should have tried more of those things at the dealer and asked more questions!! Shame on me.

 

[Grandad4]

"Hi all!

I finally bought a tractor! Just want some feedback. You know, re-assure me I bought a good tractor for a reasonable price. )"

Well, congratulations! You either got a good deal on a tough little tractor with lots of life left, or you have signed up for some interesting fixit projects for the next several months. Maybe both. I've owned a BX for ten years now and it has been very reliable and low maintenance. I've added some comments to your narrative:

1) Some dings and scratches in the paint
2) Appears to have normal wear on the deck, although they had a spindle out when I first saw it.

Check for wear in the spindles. The deck has grease fittings on its mechanism and is meant to be lubed every 10 hours or operation or so. Many inexperienced owners neglect this and wear out the bearings.

3) Bucket wear on the front lip, is about 1/2"

Is it bent? If the wear suggests heavy use, check how much play exists in the lift and curl linkages, which also should be lubed regularly to prevent excessive wear. Mine has been properly lubed but has still developed a bit of play. Excess play means it's time to replace the pin-on sleeves, not a big deal.

4) There is sun fading and weathering on the dash and seat, small tear in seat
5) The blades look like someone has been trying to mow rocks, very dull, lots of dings

Invest in a set of new blades!

6) Sure rattles and even has a bit of a knock when running

Diesels are like that,of course, within limits. Keep in mind the BX engine is made to operate at 1/2 or wide-open throttle. Putt-putting around at near idle is hard on a diesel engine and the BX also needs to be revved for the hydraulics to generate enough flow for things to work. All that having been said, has the thing been serviced recently? Oil, hydraulic fluid, all filters, lube, etc. Neglect may be more than on the surface.

7) Doesn't shutoff when I get off the seat -- assume the previous owner defeated the safety switch -- How bad is this?

Pretty common, not the worst thing to ever happen, IMHO. Depends on who will be using it and where it will operate.

8) Also the second time I shut-off the tractor, it did not quit. It did not stop with the ignition switch! -- This scared me a bit. I didn't know what to do. Thankfully we had the screen off, and when my BIL wiggled the fuse box it cut out momentarily, he pushed it down and it then stopped.

Sounds like the fuel shutoff circuit has an issue. Should be a straightforward fix.

9) 2-missing deck guide wheels with one bracket bent quite a bit.

Got a nearby welding shop?

10) There is a 3-position toggle previous owner put on the dash, not sure what that does
11) I don't know if my lights work. -- How do I turn them on?

Should be a rocker switch left of the steering wheel, I think.

12) Battery looks old and has corrosion gunk on it.
13) Front left wheel has a thick coating of grease on the downward shaft. -- Front axle seal leak? Just zirk grease?

Front axle assembly is filled with gear oil or Kubota hydraulic fluid. Couple of filler holes with threaded bolt on the top of the axle, left and right. Check fluid level.

14) It couldn't climb my lawn hill without mower running, in high range, throttled up, it just stopped moving. -- HST bad?

Climb hills in low range. Depending on the hill, there's little power in high range. HST should be able to spin the tires in the dirt in low range if you try to pull/push an immovable object. If it can't do this there may be a problem. Previous comments about changing fluid and filters also apply to HST. If never done in 550 hours of use, it's long overdue.

15) The knob height adjustment for deck/3 pt hitch will not turn -- Need to be able to adjust!

Find where it goes beneath the floor and begin lubing with your favorite penetrating oil. Odds are it's just frozen in place from lack of use.

16) The knob speed adjustment for 3 pt hitch does not turn. -- Is this a big issue?

See 15)

With any luck, you've picked up a tractor that has just been worked hard and not maintained, but can be made healthy with a little TLC. Let us know how you're doing with it, and questions are always welcome. Good luck!

 

[mecan]

No help here, hopefully someone more knowledgeable comes along soon

 

[dodge man]

Man, you got screwed, you paid that much?

Actually I think you got a pretty good deal.

I can answer a couple of things.

The tractor shouldn't shut off when you get out of the seat. If the mower blades are on or the rear PTO is on, it should shut off.

The leak on the front end is common. There is kind of a pivot type joint there, mine has been leaking for a couple of years, but mine is a very minor leak, I'm not really losing any fluid.

They are a pretty heavy machine, with the loader on, approaching 2000 lbs. Depending on how steep the hill is, mine won't climb it in high range either. One thing people make a mistake in using an HST is pushing the pedal down further when climbing a hill. This gears the tractor up. You should actually back off the pedal when climbing a steep hill.

They idle very rough, but it should smooth out once you get up above 1600 rpm's.

When I bought my BX about 6 years ago, they had a used BX2350 on the lot, no loader, just a 60" mowing deck. It had something like 1200 hours on it and it looked a little rough. I think they wanted $7500 for it.

My deck height adjustment also sticks. I use a pair of channel locks to get it to turn and have broken the knob doing that. I just grab onto the shaft now and turn it with the large pliers.

Hope this helps.

 

[BigBoyToys]

Really should have had the dealer go through it with a fine tooth comb and fix any outstanding problems. The $7700 would have been a better deal if the dealer gave you some kind of a warranty...even 30 days would have been enough to weed out the issues you're currently dealing with.

You're just going to have to tackle them one at a time.

I'd go after the ignition switch first. More than likely it's just the switch itself. Easy enough to test with a multimeter. Worst case it's not that expensive to replace...Kubota: Ignition Switch, Part # 66101-55200 | Messick's

Next thing I would do is replace ALL your fluids and filters!!! This way you'll know where you stand regarding your routine maintenance.

The tractor should not "shut-off" when you get off unless the PTO is engaged. A tractor running at idle is normal to hold hydraulic pressure.

I own a B series tractor so I really can't comment on your hill climb other than try it in the low range and don't stomp on the pedal. When you start climbing just hold the pedal steady.

As far as the adjustments go...get some PB Blaster and let it sit on the threads for a couple days. Things just might be a little rusted and need to be freed-up and lubricated.

Try getting a few things fixed and you'll feel better about your purchase. :thumbsup:

 

[davesl708]

All the things mentioned above. Plus, are you raising the deck all the way up before you adjust the cutting height knob? This takes the load off the cam so you can turn it.

As to the rattle. My BX had a noisy rattle. It was the metal hood hitting the side shroud. A couple of rubber stick-on pads stopped that.
As to the hyd. leak on the front end, if a bad leak the seals can be replaced easily with a little time.
Invest in a Workshop Service Manual for it. Will have everything you need to know. (mostly)

This will be a great way to learn about your machine and be more confident in your purchase.

 

[KYKub]

I, too, thought my BX mower deck adjustment control was sticking; as daves1708 said, you must have the deck raised to it's highest position before adjusting.

If your ignition switch fails to turn the machine off, there is a manual kill switch at the injector pump assembly (where your throttle cable connects). Just move the switch to cut fuel to the engine and it dies immediately.

550 hours should be at the beginning of the life cycle for this machine. Folks regularly get several thousand hours out of them. It sounds like the PO didn't take very good care of it, but once you take care of some deferred maintenance it should be a good machine for many years.

 

[wijawha]

Thank you all for you feedback, information and sharing your experience.

For the most part I feel OK about the purchase, most comments were reassuring. The dealer owner is friendly with my brother-in-law. I was probably too trusting and foolish to think they would give me a good deal based on that relationship. Should have had my BIL go with to guilt them into going the extra mile.

Some updates from today's tinkering.

1) The switch shutoff seemed to work today every time I used it, probably 10x. The seat cut-off also worked today on a couple situations. Once when I was working on removing the loader and I stood up without going to neutral. Another time my wife was taking a test ride and she got off before putting in neutral or using parking brake, I also started to do this then sat back down quick to keep it running.

2) I didn't have a problem today, climbing the same hill in high-range. Only difference was loader and 3 PtH were off.

3) Lights, duh. No idea how I missed that switch. Headlights work and hazard flashers on the ROPS work too. The blinker switch does not appear to work.

4) I took off the loader and 3 PtH. They came off fairly easily once I had the instructions and watched a video.

5) I sprayed the knobs with penetrating oil. It was really hard to find where to spray the deck height adjuster, even with the mower deck removed. Will have to try again tomorrow.

6) The mower deck is kind of a mess. It hadn't been cleaned in a long time. I noticed mismatched bolts on the blades and the cups don't look solid on all of them. One cup is definitely split, is this serious?

Speaking of blades I could not break 2 of the bolts free. They are also soaking in penetrating oil overnight. Other than an air-wrench, any tips on how to break blade bolts free? (deck pic attached).

 

[BigBoyToys]

A 1/2" air impact driver would be the best/safest way to remove them. If you don't have one then take a torch and apply heat to the head of the bolt. That should break the rust. Take a breaker bar and a hammer to it.
Once you get it off use a little "antisieze" on the bolt before putting the blades back on.

 

[BigBoyToys]

A 1/2" air impact driver would be the best/safest way to remove them. If you don't have one then take a torch and apply heat to the head of the bolt. That should break the rust. Take a breaker bar and a hammer to it.
Once you get it off use a little "antisieze" on the bolt before putting the blades back on.

 

[Grandad4]

2) I didn't have a problem today, climbing the same hill in high-range. Only difference was loader and 3 PtH were off.

Dodge Man had good advice about how to operate the HST go pedal. Your instinct says to floor it when things start slowing down... that's just the wrong thing to do because you're in effect shifting to a taller gear, not raising the engine rpm. You want a lower gear, so back off the pedal to gain more pulling power.

6) The mower deck is kind of a mess. It hadn't been cleaned in a long time. I noticed mismatched bolts on the blades and the cups don't look solid on all of them. One cup is definitely split, is this serious?

Speaking of blades I could not break 2 of the bolts free. They are also soaking in penetrating oil overnight. Other than an air-wrench, any tips on how to break blade bolts free? (deck pic attached).

Blade bolts are hard to get loose. May need heat. Be careful about just using a breaker bar and muscling them loose as you can snap the head off the bolt and then you'll have all kinds of fun getting the rest of the bolt out. Don't ask me how I know this. :mur: In hindsight, replacing the blade bolts and re-tapping the threads when installing new blades is probably worth doing. Also replacing the cup at the same time so it doesn't fly apart someday while you're mowing.

 

[Gator6x4]

2) I didn't have a problem today, climbing the same hill in high-range. Only difference was loader and 3 PtH were off.

Dodge Man had good advice about how to operate the HST go pedal. Your instinct says to floor it when things start slowing down... that's just the wrong thing to do because you're in effect shifting to a taller gear, not raising the engine rpm. You want a lower gear, so back off the pedal to gain more pulling power.

6) The mower deck is kind of a mess. It hadn't been cleaned in a long time. I noticed mismatched bolts on the blades and the cups don't look solid on all of them. One cup is definitely split, is this serious?

Speaking of blades I could not break 2 of the bolts free. They are also soaking in penetrating oil overnight. Other than an air-wrench, any tips on how to break blade bolts free? (deck pic attached).

Blade bolts are hard to get loose. May need heat. Be careful about just using a breaker bar and muscling them loose as you can snap the head off the bolt and then you'll have all kinds of fun getting the rest of the bolt out. Don't ask me how I know this. :mur: In hindsight, replacing the blade bolts and re-tapping the threads when installing new blades is probably worth doing. Also replacing the cup at the same time so it doesn't fly apart someday while you're mowing.

If you don't have access to an air wrench and have a breaker bar, place a piece of wood between the blade tip and the deck wall to hold the blade while you loosen or tighten the spindle bolt.

 

[wijawha]

I've been reading for several months. I saw the explanation of "gearing" effect of pedal. That was good info to learn. I plan to stick with low on the steeps in future so that should help and if needed hit the diff lock and/or 4wd. So nice to have options. Beats chasing my little Honda 21". hahaha.

I love that people do use the internet for good, sharing info and helping others! Not everyone had a Dad teaching them how to wrench on things or how to be safe around equipment. I somewhat did, but a lot has changed since driving the ol John Deere two-cylinders and replacing brakes on 70's cars.

It was almost difficult to buy orange instead of JD green. My BIL has had such great experience with his Kubota B-series, 20-yrs, leaves it outside, kinda lax on maintenance, yet it still goes strong. Plus the unique features/origination of the sub-compact BX-series. Gotta like it.

 

[wijawha]

On that mower deck and blades...ugh!

I did have a 2x4 wedged in to stop blade from turning. Upgraded to a 4x4 this afternoon. Its more stable.

I tried a big pipe wrench. I know, I know, not the proper tool. I do have a 1/2 breaker bar, but my sockets stop at 27mm and 1.25". The 1.25 was close but too loose to really hammer on the bar. I went out this afternoon and bought a 30mm socket.

I've had it upside down, sideways, nearly standing on the bar, beating it with a hammer, kicking, small impact wrench. Didn't move a bit. The blade looked like it was bending instead of loosening the bolt. I've held the deck with my hands while sitting on the ground and pushing the breaker bar with my foot. The breaker bar looked like it could snap at the knuckle.

Tomorrow I'm going to get out the propane torch and make that bolt glow! Well within reason. I'm worried I could heat the bolt too much and cause damage to a spindle bearing?

Then I'm going to go buy an air compressor. I do have an air wrench. My air compressor was stolen a couple years ago and I didn't have a need. Now that we have a property and things to work on, it is aggravating not to have those tools I grew up with.

If I still had a pickup and I'd haul this dang deck back to the dealer to have them loosen the stupid bolts!

 

[Baby Grand]

If a good, long soak with Kroil, 50%ATF/50%acetone, or which ever penetrant you prefer doesn't free things up,
then the "heat wrench" should do the trick. Usually it's not necessary to make the bolt glow to loosen the threads.

If there's still resistance, then right after heating an rapid application of vibration & torque will usually free things up.

 

[BigBoyToys]

I find that MAP Gas is better (it's hotter) than propane for heating up frozen bolts. As Baby Grand stated you don't need to get it glowing. Apply some heat and then take a hammer and hit the bolt head squarely with a few good whacks, then apply some more heat and hit it again. The heat and vibrations should free it up. I when through this with a 91 Jeep Wrangler I built. The 1/2" impact driver really helps and will prevent snapped bolts!!!

 

[dodge man]

I agree with you about being carefull not to get it to hot, you don't want to damage the bearings. Either way, I'd grease them afterwards. You might need a longer brearker bar.

 

[wijawha]

Success!! :thumbsup:

Not sure if anyone cares about this but by golly I'm ecstatic to have the bolts out!!

I did give it another soak with PB blaster(?). Then this morning I put the torch to them. There was no chance of glowing red with my little propane torch. I don't have a MAP. I rarely use a torch. I guess things may change with a tractor?

I wonder if using a hotter flame is better and safer for surrounding parts as you can heat just that bolt much quicker where it the little propane torch I had to sit there for 5-10 minutes each before I felt it was good and hot.

Gave each bolt a couple good whacks with my biggest ball peen hammer. Since I'm out of that computer cleaner freeze spray, I sprayed some carb cleaner on the bolt as a quick chiller. Not sure how well it worked but made me feel like it was something. hahaha. Then whacked them a couple more times.

I stood the deck up near vertical, leaning the basketball hoop pole, wedged a couple 2x4's to keep from sliding away. Then put the socked and breaker bar on the bolt parallel to he ground, grabbed the pole and stood on the breaker bar and bounced a couple times and finally it broke free. Same technique for the second one, it also broke free. All the blades are finally off and at the shop for sharpening. Hallelujah! :dance1:

Good tip on re-greasing! Will do that. Now have to find that grease gun. We moved not that long ago and unpacking as I need things for the most part.

Thanks for input all. I reckon I better move any further discussions to the Operating forum. As much as I complain about problems, I like working on the tractor and the satisfaction of winning a battle with the machines. Unless something completely blows up within a month, I'm sure I'll be keeping my little BX1500 for several years!