enough tractor

[hops]

I am trying to figure out what I need for the property I recently purchased and am currently building a house on. It is a total of 8 acres in Missouri. 5 acres is a meadow which is very nice grass that I plan on keeping a finished cut on. The other 3 acres is a giant hill that leads down into the meadow. The hill has about a 30 to 35 degree slope and the slope runs about 30 to 40 yrds. long until you get to the top of the hill. The hill is also a small forest with trees everywhere. I'm clearing a lot of the hill so that I can brushhog it. The house I am building is on the hill and the driveway is approximately 120 yds. long. So here are the capabilities I need.
1. blade the driveway during the winter(very large hill may need 4wd, not sure????)
2. brushhog capabilities on the extreme hill(nothing bigger than 4ft)
3. finish mower capabilities (prefer 5 or 6 ft. rear finish mower if on tractor)
4. possiblity of putting loader on in the future or now

I have been considering the BX2200 but have heard too many stories of people not buying enough tractor. Here are the concerns I have:
1. I would like a good finish cut in the meadow. The ground is pretty level but has a few unlevel spots. Would the BX give me the finish cut I want?
2. Are the HP enough with the BX to handle a hill of that magnitude for brushhog work, blading snow in the winter, and other clearing work like hauling or maybe removing smaller stumps?

3. What kind of tires do I need, ag or turf? I kind of feel that I need ag for brushhog work and blading but I need turf for mowing. I want the grass to look nice because this is in a subdivision.
4. Do I need a tractor and a mower?

I am very open to suggestions. I am not sure if the BX is really what I need but for the price, it sounds the best so far.

 

[Boondox]

Hops -- Personal opinion, but I think you might be looking too small for your needs. I had a B1750 (20HP) originally and meant to use it only on the seven acres of hillside meadow on our property. It handled what I asked it to do, but slowly and at times straining its capabilities. Now I have an L3010, but that would be too big for your needs.

Have you considered the B2710/2910 with R4 rubber and a belly mower? The R4s would give you more traction (and strength) than the turfs, without tearing up the lawn like the aggies I use. And a belly mower would give you a quality cut with excellent manueverability.

Other opinions will vary. Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[Bird]

I'll agree with Pete (Boondox) on this one.

Bird

 

[frank_f15]

i will have to agree with boodox and bird, u should have at least a 2410 or 2710 , r4 tires are a great compromise and put the fel on now! it will be the most useful implement u can have.as for keeping meadows groomed i like the rear finish mower, on and off very easy, but these are all personal opinions. good luck in your quest. be careful of the slopes.

 

[r0GuE]

BX2200 w/ 60" MMM and turf tires.
(I would also suggest the FEL but I won't argue the point hard, negotiate the price to add it at the sale and ask him to lock in the price for a few months).
BX2200 has oodles of power and the MMM does an EXCELLENT job mowing (nicest cut I've ever seen, throws the grass like a cannon). The BX is extrordinarily stable (needed for the hill) because of its squatty lower center of gravity. With the MMM it should be more so than the rear mower. Go with the turfs since they will be kinder to your lawn. In 4WD with the diff lock you should climb that hill handily! I think a bigger (also will be taller) tractor may have issues with the hill.
Good luck.

Rogue

 

[r0GuE]

Please note I have no experience with the B's so the other guys may be right. (I honestly think the BX has alot of power though).
Again, I'm mainly focusing on the lower center of gravity.

Rogue

 

[HR_Mutt]

hops
welcome to TBN/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gifyou'll get lots of info here.you're getting good input so far so all i'll add is your mention of 4wd......don't even consider getting a compact tractor without it!as far as the FEL, you'll find so many uses for it, you'll wonder how you ever managed without one.
good luck in your search.
regards
Mutt

 

[TresCrows]

Hops, I am not to argue with experienced tractor guys like Bird but I do have more BX experience than them and I have to say your shopping list sounds like BX to me. Your need to use a small brushcutter, the steep hill, the requirement of a nice cut on your lawn area are all what the BX can do. I am sure the BX is more manuverable and that it's suspended finish MMM will cut better than the guage wheeled ground contact type used on it's larger brothers. You know, the D905 engine is the same engine in the B1700 I am looking at here in a 1999 and 2000 brochure it show it pulling a huge blade. If the engine is the same it is reasonable to expect the BX can do most of the things it's big wheeled brother could do. I think people to quickly dissmiss the BX because it has smaller wheels and tires than what they are accustomed to seeing. J

 

[BXmark]

Hops,
My rich neighbor bought himself a JD 4600 with special order golf course extra-wide turf tires and all the bells and whistles. Beautiful tractor, but I have to cut the side of his lake dam for him with my lowly BX2200. His big JD is too top heavy on such a grade. I used to cut it with my JD325 garden tractor by running up and down--talk about tedious! With the BX I run sideways across the face of the dam and I'm telling you near the top it must be a 45% grade. I've had no problem with the tractor feeling unstable or tippy.

 

[hops]

Thank you all for your feedback. I still feel kind of in the middle about whether or not the BX will be enough tractor for me.

Many of you seem to agree that a belly mower would give me a better cut than the rear mount finish mower. Is that correct? I haven't really compared prices on the belly vs. the rear mount. Does anyone know what they are like?

The rest of the feedback seems to be split whether to go with the BX or try a larger model like the 2710. Do any of you think that it is acceptable to ask the dealer to let me borrow the BX for a day to take it and try it out on my property? Maybe that would help me make a decision.

Also, does anyone know if the R4 tires are offered for the BX? I thought I read somewhere that the R4 may not be offered for the BX.

Thanks again. It is just what I need. This is my first time purchasing a tractor and I am from a city where there are no tractors. So I have very little help in finding out what to buy.

 

[JonLeonard]

The retail price of the 60" Mid-Mount Mower is $1800 for the BX, for the $2710 its $2340 (72" is $2948). Tractor supply sells 60" rear mounts from King Kutter for $999, last time I checked.

You should be able to get a discount on the 60" MMM (BX) though, making the price between $1400 and $1500.

Having only used Mid-Mounts on regular lawn tractors, I would think it would take some getting used to, to use a rear mount. Several people here have said you have to be really careful with them for a while to avoid hitting houses/cars/etc. when you first start using them.

 

[Leef]

Hops,

I have a 2910 and love it, except for one thing - it feels tippy on modest slopes using turf tires (see my thread "tire question with a new slant" on kubota owning). I've fixed it by loading the tires with calcium and taking the FEL off, but I think you should consider a tractor with a lower center of gravity. The BX sounds pretty convincing. Consider the 7500 with r-4's as a compromise. If you do go for the 2710 or 2910, I'd strongly recommend the r-4's for stability ( maybe even get them filled also ).

Leef

ps get the FEL if at alll possible.

 

[Boondox]

Hops -- All of us will agree that it's better to ask before the purchase than to regret your decision afterwards. Having used both a belly mower and a rear finishing mower, I greatly prefer the rear (3PH) for easy of mounting/dismounting. That said, if the grass/ground is damp, the rear tractor wheels tend to compress the turf. I got around that by switching to a medium lift mower blade, but the MMM always gave me a great cut. Expect to pay more for a mid-mount, though.

Any dealer worth doing business with should allow you to test drive the tractors fairly extensively on his lot; some will allow you to take one home if he's sure of your business. If yours won't, make sure you get to test the unit on his lot under conditions as close to those on your property as possible. Mow with it, use the bucket to lift something more substantial than air, drive it on slopes and on wet ground. Drive units with different tires, etc.

Many of us buy less tractor than we need and end up either renting a big one for heavy work or trading up in a couple of years. Both are viable options. You mentioned bush hogging which is tough on a tractor. But if you only have a limited amount of hogging to do, why spend the extra $$$. It's always a tough choice, and in the end it's yours to make. Just make sure you make it from a position of knowledge.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[glennmac]

I have 11 acres, of which I finish mow three and brush cut 3 or 4. I owned a BX that I traded in for a 2910, which I now am beginning to think is too small. I think you would be better off with a 2710 or 2910 than a BX for both mowing and non-mowing chores.

For mowing, I think you would want a 72" mower with 5 acres of relatively level ground. The BX is limited to a 60" midmower. With the larger tractor you will also have the choice of a 72" midmount or a 72" rearmount. That is a separate issue that you can research extensively here and on the Compact Tractor Board.

For non-mowing chores--brush cutting, loader work, lifting things, engaging dirt with implements--the larger tractor will be significantly more useful than a BX. If you are building a house and will be living on those 8 acres, I guarantee you that you will find plenty of uses for the larger tractor over the years.

As to stability on the slope: mow straight up and down, not across; get R4 tires; have your tires filled with calcium chloride in tubes; get a tiltmeter; go slow and be careful.

We have a lively and growing BX contingent (cult?) on this site, who love their machines and who are ready to take on the world with them.

 

[Bird]

hops, I'll give you my opinion on the difference between belly mowers (or mid-mount) vs. the rear mower (3-point):

1. Rear mower costs less (if you're comparing the same width).
2. Rear mower is quicker and easier to hook-up and unhook.
3. Rear mower is easier to clean under the deck, change/sharpen blades, etc. because you can lift it high enough with the 3-point to get under it (be sure you use jack stands or something similar to make sure it doesn't fall on you).
4. Rear mower will fit different tractors (don't have to change mowers if you trade tractors or vice versa); belly mowers are specific to a particular make and model of tractor (very limited market if you ever want to sell it).
5. Rear mower can be backed under bushes, low trees, etc. that you can't get the tractor under.
6. You can see where the mid-mount mower is all the time by glancing down instead of having to turn and look back at a rear mower.
7. You can make faster, closer turns (without backing up) around trees and obstacles with the mid-mount mower.
8. Overall length of tractor and mower is shorter with mid-mount mower (may be important in maneuvering; may not).
9. Rear mower swings out in the opposite direction when you turn (you may swing it into trees and obstacles until you get thoroughly familiar with it).
10. Most mid-mount mowers (perhaps not all) discharge to the right; you have to keep trees and other obstacles on the left. Rear mowers can be bought in right discharge, or you can get rear discharge so you can mow close to obstacles on either side.
11. And I can't tell that one cuts any better or prettier than the other.

So, I use a rear discharge rear mower./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

 

[GlueGuy]

Hops,

I would definitely check out a BX if I were you. I know the guys with the big tractors want you to _not_ get too small a tractor. However, your two main uses are (1) mowing, and (2) handling a slope. You mention using a FEL, but only as an option. This all spells BX in my mind (and I am a very happy owner of a B7500).


The GlueGuy

 

[frank_f15]

hops: bird said it all. on regards to rear mower.i agree 100% but those are for our conditions, yours may be diff. but i like rear mower, rear dischage. and again i will repeat, think u would be happier with something a little larger that bx. for your needs.

 

[MReeter]

Hops,We also live in Missouri,on 10 acres.We finish mow the entire property about every week-end through the season.We have both a BX2200/60" mid-mount and a B2710/72" MMM.We mow our "finished lawn",about 3 acres, with the BX and the rest of the property with the 2710.Will the BX mow all of your property? Yes,but will it maintain that long drive in the Winter months?Will it do the tough Brush cutting?I would opt for the B2710/2910,FEL,72" rear blade and a 72" Finish Mower,either rear mount or mid mount.I will say that the bigger tractor and mower are not as handy to maneuver as the BX.As you will find out,it is very difficult to find the "Perfect" compact to suit all of your needs,even with all the choices there is.I would try to get a Dealer to let you demo a unit or two,to help you make the decision.There is more than one guy here that has bought and soon realized they did'nt have "enough" tractor and traded up to a bigger unit.Best of luck to you on your adventure,and if you're ever in the Chillicothe area,give me a call.

 

[glennmac]

The biggest problem I had in buying a tractor, and the reason I ended up trading the BX for a 2910 after only 30 hours, is that I was completely wrong about what I thought my "uses" of the tractor would be. I was only focused on mowing, because I really had no idea what a tractor could do, never having owned one. I quickly realized that I could literally reshape, beautify and improve my acreage with the machine. I aslo quickly realized that a FEL was the greatest invention since Pampers. I finally realized that the BX's limited hydraulic capacity (FEL and 3ph lifting strength) and compromised 3ph geometry would limit my ability to select the implements I wanted to use and the time it would take to do chores.

I have never once regretted the decision. Indeed, I now find myself limited by the 2910 in getting the size backhoe I would really now like. The 2910 with a 72" midmower can cut almost as tight a mowed circle as a BX with a 60", and the naked 2910 is shorter and more maneverable than the BX with FEL and 3ph ballast. (Of course, the naked BX would be shorter than a 2910.) The 2910 is far more comfortable for hours of mowing; much smoother ride--due to longer wheelbase, larger tires, better seatbelt, and suspension seat (not available on 2710).

There is no doubt the BX is more stable on slopes. I cant judge how important that slope is to mow. Maybe you should plant a flowering ground cover on it and forget about mowing it.

The best thing would be to try both. The BX will hold its resale value, so if you underbuy it wouldnt be a horrible mistake. Yes, unless you are already an experienced tractor user who exactly understands his planned tractor usage, I would predict there is a good chance that with 8 acres you would outgrow a BX.

 

[TresCrows]

As usual, I think Glueguy is correct. Your specifications spell BX. I realize some guys like Glenamac want and need and can justify a larger tractor but a 2910 to mow with? as it's primary use?--nope. I now have 200 plus hours on my BX and while originally I thought I wanted a 2410 and demoed a 7500 it is the BX I decided was the correct tractor for my 6 acres and I think I was right. I sometiems wish for a 2410 still but when I consider that most of what I do is mow that would not be a smart move and the fact is that the BX is a capable small tractor given certain limitations. If Kubota offers a BX 2400 with slightly larger tires and wheels more FEL capacity, the D1005 engine and the reverse flow engine/radiator arrangement of the BX and a proper suspended deck as the BX already has I will strongly consider trading but till then the less sophisticated MMM of the larger units does not attract me and a 3-point mower would require me to purchase an LT and a new push mower to mow all the spots I now am able to do with the BX. I saw in a brochure for the B series that the MMM decks were 9.5 guage?--the BX 60 inch deck is 9 guage! Those three point mowers in my limited experience are not for typical landscaped lawns but do well in large open acerages--I would not want one for any property I have or have owned in the past.
Yes we are a BX cult and if you guys make fun of our little BX's we are going to drink orange Koolaid and meet a large spaceship behind Comet Kubotatek.
Oh, you might want to look at a 7500, I cannot imagine you really need more than either a BX or a 7500 or a 2410--good grief--unless you are planning on hiring out. Big is good but when the original pupose/needs becomes obscured by a lust for power you will find yourself spending lot's of money for more tractor than you really need. J