BX2200 Suggestions desired

[Anonymous Poster]

I've got about five acres of hardwoods, between 35 and 100 years old, with the house on about 3/4 acre. I don't intend to clear more trees, but I expect to reduce about another 3/4 acre to park-like (no brush, just grass and plantings) in the next couple of years. I've been looking at the various options and keep coming back to the BX2200.

I'm looking at the MMM and the heavy-duty front blade. I will also be looking for a four-wheel trailer that can handle up to a yard of material, for landscaping. Now the question - do I got for the FEL, or the snow-blower (front). My drive is about 250 feet long, hard-packed gravel, and I live in the northern Indiana 'lake-effect' snow area.

Most of this year's activity will be 'fill the trailer, haul it, dump it, spread it'. Mowing (using the term loosely) is currently handled by my 3.5 hourse Troy-bilt string trimmer; I won't be using the MMM this year at all.

The lot is mostly level, with a bit of a slope in one direction. I've seriously thought about the G2640, but I see a real need for four-wheel drive.

So -- blower, or FEL? And what am I looking for in a trailer?

Thanks in advance!

Tom

 

[frank_f15]

tom: imho i would go with fel(replaces the trailer) and get a rear blade. u then have both to remove snow. with 5 acres u don't have to far to go from one end to the other so i think the trailer would be a mistake.and the $ saved and put into the fel is $ much better spent. i think most on this sight would agree the fel is most used implement(besides mower). but u know your needs better than i do. just my thoughts

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I'm thinking trailer because it would save trips -- there's a pretty fair distance from where the gravel outfit dumps to where I want to use the gravel & topsoil (and the short route is right over the 1000 gallon septic tank. . .) It's also a fair distance from where the downed trees are waiting to be sliced & diced. I know I can handle the load with the FEL, but it will take a fair number more trips.

I'm already pretty well talking myself into the FEL; we get about four snows per year that the blower would be lots better on, and it looks like the blower is 50% more than the FEL.

Tom

 

[TresCrows]

How are you going to get the dirt into the trailer without an FEL--shovel it?--Now way--the FEL equipped BX would run circles around you shoveling a trailer full. You may need a blower too--not knowledgeable in that regard but the FEL is a must have--you need it. J

 

[r0GuE]

Front blades are pricey, go rear on that.
Get the FEL, the blower, a cheap ($300) rear blade.
Get AGs

Rogue

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Well, being of weak back and weaker mind, the concept of shoveling *did* come up . . .

I was actually hoping someone would come up with an argument in favor of the snow blower concept Right now I feel like a kid looking in the candy store window!

Tom

 

[huckflynn]

I'll be happy to give the snowblower a thumbs up. I used the FEL for spreading mulch in the spring -- and I did some landscaping (hauling old stuff out and new stuff in) with it last fall -- but this summer it has sat out in the parking area unused. On the other hand, when winter rolls around I will not have to look for work for the snowblower -- the work will certainly find me. And that blower works great! I have a 420' drive/parking area in upstate NY and it never takes me more than 30 minutes to take care of snow removal.

Huck

 

[Tom_Trees]

Thanks, Huck!

I've reached the point where I think I'll do the FEL this year and add the blower in another year or two. After all, I've lived here 12 years now without a blower or tractor of any kind (I've got *real nice* neighbors).

Tom K

 

[Tom_Trees]

Thanks for the input, gang -- both here and in the other threads that have beat this same general question into the ground. I've read most of the Kubota threads and a number of the NH threads as well, and am now about to go hit up my three local Kubota dealers.

I'm thinking this is the configuration I'll price:
BX2200
FEL
54" MMM
Rear Blade
Fluid filled tires
Grille Guard
Engine Block Heater

I'm taking the smaller mower because the door to my shed is only 60 inches wide.

Do I use the Kubota rear blade, or go with someone elses?

Tires - are R4s available for the 2200? I can start with Ags, but once I have grass in it'll be topsoil/sod over heavy clay and rather fragile. Maybe Turf tires with chains?

I'm going to push for the 50 hour service and the block heater as sweetners, as well as the service manuals.

Is there anything else I should be looking at that's cheaper/easier to do now? Get a quart/gallon of Super UDT thrown in?

I'll be adding chain links on the bucket myself, and figure on a tooth bar a bit later in the year - and the snowblower in about three years.

Am I correct in thinking that this package should come in somewhere around $13,000 pre-tax - based on some of the other threads with the FEL/MMM pacjage at 12,200 to 12,500?

Thanks -

Tom K

 

[TresCrows]

There are not to my knowledge R4 type tires available for the BX. I also have clay soil and fescue and the first year my lawn was in the BX did leave some marks but now that the grass is established the ag type tires leave no marks or ruts. The ags are not true ags but are fairly wide and provide fairly decent flotation. Why fluid filled rear tires? J