BX1500 Strike THREE - it is OUT

[Jammer]

Although it was fun trying to abuse this little machine tonight, I have to say it is built well because it did not break. I tried out the front blade trying to move the brush pile, which the machine could not do. It was fun slamming into the pile wishing that something would budge - but it didn't. So I tried the compost pile. I could take little bites, but the stench held me back. Now the rear tiller. Went over to the back field where I have an unused garden plot. The tiller worked OK, but only if I creeped as slow as my Troy-built tiller. In fact, I honestly believe that the troybuilt does a better job, much faster than this little tractor. It was really no surprise. IMHO, the BX1500 is a scale version of a real tractor. One of my hopes was to push snow with it, but it won't do the job....NO WAY! I'm thinking "Get a shovel or let the kid play with this thing." What makes this 'story' interesting is that my neighbor came over to see the tiller in action and wanted to try it out on his Green AWS garden tractor. No sooner than he was here, he had the tiller off and hooked up to his machine in no time, the whole time drooling like a dog with a bone. He fired up his Green machine, pulled the switch and that thing was tilling up the garden nearly as fast as he was mowing the lawn. A little exaggeration there. I figured the Kubota just suffered a major defeat to the Green AWS garden tractor once again. Long story short, tomorrows BX23 is going to show that Green AWS garden tractor a thing or two....I hope! The kubota struck out big time. I had my fun,

 

[jeffmazz]

After reading all of your posts it seems to me that maybe you should buy one of those Green AWS tractors.

 

[jcpwrsprt]

The 1500 is only a 2 Cylinder unlike the 3 cyl 18-22-23,etc.
When I inquired about the 1500 to my dealer (during my shopping) they stated the 15 is a little underpowered.

 

[coveredbridge]

I wonder if you had the HST in Hi Range and/or the parking brake on? Based upon my experience with the BX 1500 (350 hrs), that's the only way to achieve the "underpowered" performance you described, at least with respect to pushing. I agree that 10.6 hp at the pto is of little practical value at the rear pto, but you need to know that going in to the transaction. That's the way the machine is designed and configured. It may be underpowered for your application, but for others like me, the price/performance equation was just right. I have never lacked for power in mowing (no bagger) or FEL operation, except when I left the parking brake on or the HST in Hi range - operator error.

 

[Jammer]

I first tried it in high and then low range. And yes, the brake was off. Although everyone has different needs and expectations from a machine, this one unfortunately for me did not meet them. I'm glad it works for you. It is a well built machine and is a perfect fit for many such as yourself. Now that I have cooled down from my frustrations with it, I realize that I may have been trashing the poor thing which in hindsight i shouldn't have done as bad. And although I admired the green machine, I'm an orange fan. The price on the 1500 is right, and since it failed me, quite unexpectedly, I got a little peeved. Looks like I may have to spend a little more than I thought. It's just a start. I need more power and something bigger and more comfortable if i am going to be living with the thing for years.

 

[rpraymond]

It never hurts to spend a bit more now for more power. Over the years of ownership you'll foget about the money and enjoy your tractor.
Good luck.

 

[LBrown59]

After reading all of your posts it seems to me that maybe you should buy one of those Green AWS tractors.

The constant theme I see in his post is he is making various apples to oranges comparisons and arriving at skewered conclusions.
His inaccurate assumptions aren't helping anything either.

 

[milkman]

Jammer, I think any green machine will make you happy, go for it.

 

[LBrown59]

After reading all of your posts it seems to me that maybe you should buy one of those Green AWS tractors.

Some errors he's making in his comparisons>

1-Comparing a garden tractor with a sub- compact .
2-Comparing 4 wheel steer with 2 wheel steer.
3-comparing 4 wheel drive with 2 wheel drive.
4-comparing the maneuverability of his crapsman lawn toy to a sub compact is akin to comparing maneuverability between a Toyota pick up with a Mack truck.
__________________

 

[Adam23]

I think that you need to be looking at a "B" series at least for the type of jobs you explain. I think the BX series might be just a bit small for your expectations.

 

[N80]

It is hardly the fault of the machine if it is bought (rented or demo-ed) with the expectation that it will do jobs that it was neither designed nor made for. But for some folks it seems like an epiphany when they find that it does not perform well at tasks it was not made for.

Why would someone be surprised that a claw hammer does not sink a railroad spike as well as a sledge?

Sigh.

 

[BTI]

This phrase:
"It was fun slamming into the pile wishing that something would budge - but it didn't."
Disturbs me more than anything else.
It's why alot of dealers won't do "drop off's" anymore.
And why rentals are good units to steer clear of.....

BTI

 

[LBrown59]

1*I admired the green machine,
2*The price on the 1500 is right.
3* I need more power and something bigger and more comfortable if I am going to be living with the thing for years.
******

******************
1*What model number is the JD that you've been talking about?
2*What was the price on the BX1500?
It was a used unit rite?
3*In that Case I recommend you skip the JD garden tractors and the smaller mini sized BX1500 Sub compact and go with a larger Sub compact such as a BX2350 BX24 or the JD 2305 or the Massy Ferguson 2300 or 2310.

 

[LBrown59]

This phrase:
"It was fun slamming into the pile wishing that something would budge - but it didn't."
Disturbs me more than anything else.
It's why alot of dealers won't do "drop off's" anymore.
And why rentals are good units to steer clear of.....

BTI

This is not the way to operate any piece of equipment.
He probably tried to till full speed ahead with it too.
Comparing rental wrecks with good newer private equipment, another one of his misleading comparisons.
Seems to me he better learn how to properly operate a tractor and its attachments before he buys any thing.
Other wise he will tear it up and be disappointed in it also.
I have an old 40 year old Bolens 850 2 wheel drive garden tractor with an 8.25 HP motor that has done everything he says the BX1500 wouldn't do.
There is no way that a BX 1500 performing those same task would not make my Bolens look like a wimp.
His observations are very skewered.

 

[LBrown59]

It is hardly the fault of the machine if it is bought (rented or demo-ed) with the expectation that it will do jobs that it was neither designed nor made for. But for some folks it seems like an epiphany when they find that it does not perform well at tasks it was not made for.

Why would someone be surprised that a claw hammer does not sink a railroad spike as well as a sledge?

Sigh.

He's like a lot of people that don't know how to compare things.

 

[Adam23]

He simply is expecting to much out of it.

 

[LBrown59]

He simply is expecting to much out of it.

Seems like he's expecting it to be like a garden tractor.
The last thing I would want out of a subcompact is garden tractor performance.
If he wants garden tractor performance he ought quit bashing the BX1500 and just go get the JD garden tractor or even another craftsman Lawn Toy as he's apparently happier with them.
I don't know why he even bothered with the BX1500.

 

[Adam23]

It actually seems like he wants it to perform like a garden tractor in some areas, and like a skid loader in other areas, and like a 35HP in other areas - all for the price of a sub-compact! Who knows - we would all jump on a deal like that wouldn't we! He is just dreaming out loud I think!

 

[LBrown59]

It actually seems like he wants it to perform like a garden tractor in some areas, and like a skid loader in other areas, and like a 35HP in other areas - all for the price of a sub-compact! Who knows - we would all jump on a deal like that wouldn't we! He is just dreaming out loud I think!

Sounds about rite!

 

[AceDeuce]

I don't how you arrived at the conclusion that it won't push snow. Mine handles snow just fine. I've pushed 8" of wet sloppy stuff with a 5' rear blade uphill on gravel with no problem. Same thing with brush piles. As long as you have good traction and you aren't trying to move mountains, it works great. And the PTO is fine for light applications like broadcast spreaders and post hole diggers. Even small rotary cutters and tillers 42"-48" are in the playbook depending on certain conditions.