BX22???

[Anonymous Poster]

Howdy all! I'm new to this forum and to the tractor world generally, but this site kicks butt. This is my inaugural "help!" post:

I've spent roughly a month now looking at the front runners in the sub compact and compact market and have begun to look more closely at the BX22. The main selling points for me are that I need something small (small property, narrow spaces, bridges, mostly light fel work, etc.) but am also very interested in a backhoe because of any number of trenching/landscaping/riprap placement/etc. jobs I've got lined up. The BX22 seems to be the only small tractor with a subframe mounted backhoe, or at least the only one i've found so far.

I'm already sold on Kubota quality, but my question is about the capabilities of this small unit. Every time a look at the idiotic grin on the face of the guy in the Kubota brochure, poised in front of his mansion on the hill, i get the unsettling feeling that this unit is not designed for real work but for rich shmucks to play with in the sand on the weekends.

That's probably mostly because I don't have the experience to read the specs and know what they mean in practice. However, I've also noted that the lift capacity of the BX22's fel seems quite low compared with other subcompacts. Am I reading this right? If so, I might consider a step up in size to get both more fel and more backhoe.

Can someone with experience with BX22 give me some concrete examples of what their machine has (and has not) been able to do?

Finally, another reason I'm asking is that the Kubota dealer I've talked to in my area (Northbay Equipment/Tractor, in Rohnert Park, CA) isn't set up to test-drive the backhoe (nor, for that matter, is the JD or NH dealer) and didn't impress me with his knowledge of his own machine. Can anyone recommend another dealer in the "Northbay" (north of SF, CA) area?

Thanks much, and in advance, for helping the newest newbie.

 

[Worksmart]

Mariner - You could substitute my pic and I'm guessing a bunch of other smilin' /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif"shmucks" in the brochure. Rich I'm not...that's for sure. Smart with my money....absolutely. For my money the BX22 was/is a smart purchase.

Your definition of "real work" /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif??? Is using a shovel "real work"??? My BX22 sure beats the s**t out of using a shovel. Could I dig my water features with a shovel? Dig trenches? Plant trees? Remove stumps? Turn compost piles? Of course!! A Case 580 sure would do it, too. But the BX fit the bill for me.

The BX22 has done EVERYTHING I've asked it to do. That's because I've NEVER asked it to do anything more than it was designed to do. Make sure you "calibrate" /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif your expectations. If you do that, you will be happy with whatever shovel, BX, or 580 you buy. Chuck

 

[techman]

Mariner:

You will not be disappointed in the BX22 and its backhoe. It is a tough, fiesty little machine.

I know what you mean about the brochure. Looks like a house we should all own and have the hired help do the real work while we play on the tractor..

I have had my BX22 for about a year. Our soil is very heavy shale, which is nearly impossible to dig by hand without a breaker bar and pick at your side. My big jobs have been digging the footers for my new shed (that I needed to fit the BX22), some trenching, and removing tree stumps.

The BH bucket (10") cuts through the dirt like butter. I have never run a bigger machine, but I have not yet hit a challange I couldn't do. Granted the stump of a 16" oak tree took some significant digging around the stump before I could break it free, but in the end I was the winner.

Overall the machine is very solid, and will do a lot more than its size implies. If you read some of the BX22 threads on the KUBOTA OWNING/OPERATING forum, you can find may examples of how well the '22 does. The loader will lift quite a bit more than the spec denotes, while at low angles. And many have commented how well the BH does in some really tough soils.

No question that the BX22 is well worth the money and has no real competition in its size and price class.

My only small gripe is the ROPS. Granted it is folding, but that became a hassle, so I built a new shed with 8' x 8' doors so I could drive straight in. Not having a ROPS on my old tractor, it has taken some getting used to. A couple of times I headed into the garage, only to be stopped by the garage door header stopping the ROPS. Also grass cutting is a thrill every time you forget about the ROPS and find a low branch on a tree. many of these branches are no longer a problem since the ROPS has cleaned them off. This is not a brand or model gripe, but just something I had to learn, which many others have also experienced.

paul

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Ditto what everyone else said. My addition? Get the bar tires, not the turfs. Huge difference in performance and very little effect on the lawn unless you are working in a swamp... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

You will not be disappointed in this machine....Don't let its size fool you. I think the lift rate on the FEL is set more to Safety Standards than its actual lifting capabilities. It will definitly lift more than its capacity. Granted you should be careful with more weight on the front end but my experience is if you keep it low and go slow it will do it safely. I haven't had alot of time on the backhoe on my machine but for what I have done it has impressed me very much! This little dude is no slouch...Its a serious little machine. I think if you really take a close look at how it is built you will feel better. If you were closer to me I would tell you to come over and try mine out and dig a hole or two. Bottom Line...I love mine and I think the Majority of the people you talk to will feel the same way. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Rick Jay]

Hi, and welcome.

If your list of projects is for your home, then I agree that the BX is the ticket. If your line-up includes using this as part of a business, then I would recommend the B21. The extra capabilities of the loader and backhoe are geared to commercial applications. However, you will forfeit some of the sub-CUT features for the extra digging capacity.

Most seem to be assuming your use will be residential, and if so, the BX is a good solution. I just didn't see that in your post, maybe I missed it.

~Rick

 

[manganos]

With my BX22 I've kept up 1320 ft or so of gravel/dirt drive. Dug 600 + feet of trenches for gutter downspout runoff to pipe. Used the FEL to move dirt around the house (well over the 500# rating too). Used the FEL to "uproot" fence posts that were in the ground for 30 + years. Used the BH and FEL to clean out my pond when it was low. What it didn't do. It didn't pull my Jeep Cherokee out of the mud. I had to walk to my neighbors and have his big FORD tractor do it. One gripe is the low ground clearance but as long as you know your limits you should be fine!

Overall I love the BX and it cuts the grass (5 + acres) just fine. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks to all who've responded, and so quickly. I truly appreciate the specifics. sounds alot like stuff that needs doing around here.

Sorry for not being clear that this IS, in fact, for my residence. and, sorry too for the flipant "shmuck" comment. I live in marin, so, believe me, many of my best friends are shmucks. i'm sure I too will be grinning wide (minus the button-down and big house) once I do the deal.

any dealer references out there? i'd be willing to travel a bit for the right support.

cheers,

 

[cnoel]

Go to kubota.com and click on dealer locator. Type in your zip and it should give you your three closest dealers. I belive they are pretty thick in California. Good luck /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif