BX2200 - What problems have you found

[texblonigan]

I'm seriously looking at a BX2200 with FEL, MMM, and front snow blower. I have heard of some people having problems with their hood rattling. Also, it sounds like Kubota has a fix for the hydro pedal sticking. I would like some honest feedback from users-- please let me know how many hours you have on your BX2200 and what problems or annoyances you have encountered. I'm curious to see who has the most hours on their BX2200! Thanks much!

 

[TresCrows]

Tex, have you asked this question before or am I have serious dajavu?
There are several old threads of this nature you may wish to research? Essentially you are asking the "is the BX any good?" question and that depends upon what you wish to do with it. It is a small utility tractor so it is excellent for things you would use a small utility tractor for. It is robustly built, very stout, quite powerful, the loader works great, very manuverable, 60in MMM is a gem--9 guage deck, suspended--super cut!
Hood rattle--like I have said before, it is a tractor not a Lexus--if that is the only problem anyone ever has with any tractor of any type then you should consider yourself blessed because it is a non issue. My BX is an early model, more than 300 hours now and it never had the pedal fix and other than some stiffness when it got power washed it is fine. Proper use of the boomerang pedal will help in this regard. There are not going to be any 1,000 and 3,000 hour BX units out there cuz they are just to new. It has the same engine used in the B1700 and there is nothing new or unusual in it's design that would cause long term or unforseen problems. I have a friend back behind my property, I visit him via a trail across a little creek, he has a Ingersol and was bragging about his cast iron axle--that was before he saw the BX! Now consider that his unit is a very nice machine to be proud of but the cast iron axle of the BX is as big around as my arm or more (internal bevel gears)--4 times that of the Ingersol4000GT, a comparison of the BX to GT's is really futile and comparing it to large UT's is equally useless. The closest competitors may be the B7500, TC18 and that new Cub Cadet.
Action shots, wife and me playing with BX.
J

 

[Charliebrn]

What few problems there were in earlier production have been fixed for a while now. If you take delivery on a recent build, you should not experience any problems. Yes, the hood may still rattle a bit, but even that's easy to take care of. It's a great little utility tractor, one that's done everything I've asked of it, and then some.

 

[texblonigan]

Well, I lost track of all the questions I've asked about the BX2200 and the B7500, so it is possible! I came to the realization that 95% of my work will be mowing and snow blowing, with maybe 5 or 10% loader work. So, I started to really focus on the BX2200. We drove both models, and were equally impressed with both. Surprisingly, the front axle of the BX2200 actually looked more stout than the front axle of the B7500! Love the photos--

 

[wdn]

I have 18.4 hours on my BX2200. I fixed the hood rattle with a little double-sided foam tape around the rim of the hood. No more rattles!

I agree with the previous posts, if the hood rattle is the only problem I am going to be very, very happy with this tractor. I have no sticking of the transmission pedal. I think most of the complaints in early models are already fixed in the new production. I've had mine a couple of months now.

I've said this before in the forum, but since you mentioned it: I am using the FEL by itself to do the snow clearing of my 400' driveway. Albeit we have only had one snow storm this winter (knock on wood) in these parts.

I don't think you will need the snowblower attachment for clearing snow if you already have the FEL. But if you want to get it, I'm not going to knock your choice. But a lot of us are using the FEL for plowing and works just fine, plus the snowblower is an extra $3500 or something like that.

Make sure you get the 4 position valve for the loader so it has the 'float' position. If you are plowing that is the mode you want to be in I think -- no down pressure on the bucket just let it float along the surface of the driveway.

 

[wdn]

Another few things I forgot to mention.

You will probably wind up using the loader a lot more than you are thinking right now. Aside from digging and plowing, I use it quite a bit for carrying and lifting 'stuff'. Like I got my son a 300 pound Olympic barbells set, that was one easy trip for all the weights from the truck to the basement bulkhead. Use it for carrying firewood, digging/aerating compost heap, etc. etc. you name it. Had a big crate for a grandfather clock to haul to the dump, used the loader (with tiedown straps around the load) to move it to my truck. These are not 'BX2200' issues per se but the FEL will be very useful.

Consider the optional brush guard (grille guard) for the BX2200 since you are buying the FEL. Much cheaper than replacing the grille. I used the grille guard to hook on a tow strap and yanked bushes out of the ground -- probably not a recomended use of the guard but does seem to work just fine. The front of the BX2200 does not have a place to attach a tow hook which would be nice, but the grille guard does the job.


Get a weight box for it if you buy the FEL, the BX2200 needs to be counterbalanced. Mine attaches to the 3 point hitch, that is about 2' square and fairly deep. Fill it with bags of cement or sand when it needs to be really heavy. Otherwise, use it like the trunk of a car to put tools etc. in. Some people use a 3 pt attachment as a counterweight. I like the weight box because it is much narrower than the wheelbase of the tractor and lifts high so does not get in the way.

You might want to consider 2 sets of wheels: one with turf tires, one with bar tires. Takes less than 1/2 hour to change wheels. I was going to go with straight bar tires but like you it will be mostly mowing during the summer, so turf tires are a lot easier on your lawn (and rides more stable with turfs). Whereas the bar tars are better for snow and serious loader work. A set of tire chains was $110-125 whereas a whole set of new wheels & bar tires cost me $265. And you don't need tire chains with the bar tires. I was going to get chains, but remember my old tractor I would slip a chain 'somewhere' while plowing and notice it when the wheel started spinning. Then have to look for the chain (somewhere stuck in a snow bank) and reattach it.

 

[TresCrows]

WDN, Tex, et al, I am going to have a hook welded to the FEL grill guard. In fact it may be made so that it can take a hook or a chain a hook or a clevis etc. Many things including trailers are often easier to move around if attached to the front of the tractor rather than the rear or maybe it is just I have spent so much time tugging aircraft which are always done that way (front attached 96% of the time). It is very easy to back and manuver that way and also useful for pulling stuff in general. Consider getting some chain hooks welded to the sides of the FEL bucket also.
J

 

[Egon]

One can see your bucket cylinders are gona love you.

Egon

 

[TresCrows]

Please explain further----?
J

 

[texblonigan]

Did you have to custom make your weight box for the 3-point hitch. I called my dealer, and he said that he would have to get one custom made. How much did the grill guard run you?
I like the idea of the hooks on the bucket and/or grill guard.