Finally...BX in the Snow!

dalola · Dec 31, 2017

Got about 4" of snow yesterday, so of course I HAD to get the BX out to clear the driveway.....no way my F150 would make it out with 4" on the ground! :laughing:

Good chance to play, actually, and use my urethane snow edge I put on the FEL. I must say, once again, the little BX was a pleasure. The R4's did better than expected, and the urethane worked great on the blacktop, with the FEL in float mode, scraped it off pretty clean. Sure beats the snow shovel & walk-behind snow blower.

I did notice the engine never really made it normal temp. It was about 15F yesterday, and I ran about an hour at 2-2500 rpm. I think I will make some kind of "wrap" to seal off the outer radiator air screen to see if that helps.

So, one more thing to love about my little BX!

diesel85 · Dec 31, 2017

You should take pictures!

oosik · Jan 1, 2018

The pickup excuse is weak - glad you had fun in the snow. If you are going to block air flow to the radiator - KEEP AN EVIL EYE ON THE TEMP GAUGE.

dalola · Jan 2, 2018

diesel85 said:
You should take pictures!

LOL....thought about it, but it was too dang cold! Plus, just 4"....not much to see....

oosik said:
The pickup excuse is weak - glad you had fun in the snow. If you are going to block air flow to the radiator - KEEP AN EVIL EYE ON THE TEMP GAUGE.

Always hafta justify ones actions, right? ;-) I'm an avid gauge-watcher anyway, I suppose from my racing/hot-rod days years ago. Nothing makes me more crazy than idiot lights instead of gauges!

civilian · Jan 4, 2018

oosik said:
The pickup excuse is weak - glad you had fun in the snow. If you are going to block air flow to the radiator - KEEP AN EVIL EYE ON THE TEMP GAUGE.

My BX2230 temp gauge doesn't move in the winter. Summer use, it barely comes to 1/4 of the gauge movement. Should probably ask the dealer about a new gauge or sensor or a higher thermostat.. Thoughts? Jon

Thomas · Jan 5, 2018

"Good chance to play, actually,"
.......................
No No shouldn't word it that way,you work hard intense weather condition.

dalola · Jan 13, 2018

UPDATE: More snow last night, so fired up the BX this morning for some more snow clearing. Outside temp was 12F with a stiff 10-15mph north wind, so I covered the outer radiator screen area with a plastic trash bag, the suction of the fan held it on securely. Had it all pretty much covered, except around the edges. Temp gauge moved up a bit from last time, but certainly not where it is in the summer. Still, I think good enough for winter use in frigid temps....definitely runs a bit warmer than when the screen is all open, but not so much as to have to worry about not enough air flow.

Little BX worked like a champ again. 30mph winds during the night with the snow, so we had some 3 foot drifts to clear. The FEL & urethane strip is a really sweet setup on the blacktop, very happy with how this works to clear out the driveway. With the R4's & using 4WD, no problems at all, and a good section of my drive is up a 6 degree grade. The little BX would get a full scoop before she started loosing traction, going into the bigger drifts, up the grade. 2 hours later, back open to the outside world....Life is good!

milkman · Jan 13, 2018

I think a reversed fan would help keep the operator warm on the BX, but it might draw the exhaust back to the operator station too. Would be an interesting project, I have the exhaust problem solved, now all I need to do is reverse the flow through the radiator.

4get gto · Jan 13, 2018

milkman said:
I think a reversed fan would help keep the operator warm on the BX, but it might draw the exhaust back to the operator station too. Would be an interesting project, I have the exhaust problem solved, now all I need to do is reverse the flow through the radiator.View attachment 535593

Digging the duel /duels :thumbsup:
Looks like it would climb tree's

dalola · Jan 13, 2018

4get gto said:
Digging the duel /duels :thumbsup:
Looks like it would climb tree's

x2!! Intimidating for a little guy!

Doofy · Jan 13, 2018

Thomas said:
"Good chance to play, actually,"
.......................
No No shouldn't word it that way,you work hard intense weather condition.

...and on the heavy equipment!

2ndhalf · Jan 13, 2018

What would you have done if right before you took it out of the garage to play, er I mean plow, someone came along and started to plow out your drive? This is what happened to me today.

I told my FIL I was working on putting a blade on the front and even used his drill press to drill the brackets. Then I hear a large tractor outside my garage door and he is out their with his big 70hp IH Cab tractor moving my drifts. I had to wave him off.

He looked at my little tractor in the garage and said can you get this? It was deep. I said it will take a while but I will get it; and I did. He was tearing up my yard with his beast. Little tractors rock!

People trying to have all the fun

BX23S-1 · Jan 14, 2018

2ndhalf said:
What would you have done if right before you took it out of the garage to play, er I mean plow, someone came along and started to plow out your drive? This is what happened to me today.

I told my FIL I was working on putting a blade on the front and even used his drill press to drill the brackets. Then I hear a large tractor outside my garage door and he is out their with his big 70hp IH Cab tractor moving my drifts. I had to wave him off.

He looked at my little tractor in the garage and said can you get this? It was deep. I said it will take a while but I will get it; and I did. He was tearing up my yard with his beast. Little tractors rock!

People trying to have all the fun

After the storm let up here, i was GLAD to call my brother and have him plow my driveway instead of ME going out there with sub zero temps and no cab on my BX. Sometimes having fun on my BX23s, isnt so fun, when your old...lol. I see a cab coming for this lil tractor, and soon..!!!! The cold really bothers me alot anymore. Takes all the fun out of it now.

BX23S-1 · Jan 14, 2018

milkman said:
I think a reversed fan would help keep the operator warm on the BX, but it might draw the exhaust back to the operator station too. Would be an interesting project, I have the exhaust problem solved, now all I need to do is reverse the flow through the radiator.View attachment 535593

Wowwwwwww, thats alotta rubber on the ground... i dont see the point...
you`ve got more tire than that tractor can use, horsepower wise anyway.

milkman · Jan 16, 2018

PaPow said:
Wowwwwwww, thats alotta rubber on the ground... i dont see the point...
you`ve got more tire than that tractor can use, horsepower wise anyway.

While in the woods, they keep me from rolling over on the hillside.:tractor:

BX23S-1 · Jan 17, 2018

milkman said:
While in the woods, they keep me from rolling over on the hillside.:tractor:

I hear THAT...!!! Wise decision...!!!

mguitas · Jan 17, 2018

There ya go, who cares about wheel spacers, just get double wheels.

dragoneggs · Jan 17, 2018

dalola, tell us more about your urethane edge? Pics? Also, what RPM were you running?

dalola · Jan 17, 2018

dragoneggs said:
dalola, tell us more about your urethane edge? Pics? Also, what RPM were you running?

Hey dragon, I'll try to take a few pix for you this weekend. It's basically a 1"x4"x48" block of black UHMW urethane from Universal Urethane Products in Toledo. I think it cost ~$70. I drilled holes to match the FEL, and used 1/2"x2" carriage bolts (x7) to hold it on, counter bored for the head of the bolt to the strip, nuts & washers on the FEL side. Works fantastic, and is incredibly tough. Should last me many years. (I'll only use it in the winter for snow clearing) I've found running the BX around 2500rpm seems to work fine for snow clearing. Traction is always the first weak link, never runs out of power.