First real day on new BX25D... need encouragement!

[Grandad4]

I was definitely thinking about a tooth bar after seeing the many accessories available. Any advice on brand? How easy to install? Are we talking about drilling holes, welding? I have only briefly looked at one... Piranha tooth bar from BXpanded. I would be using only for dirt work, gravel, etc. no brush. That was taken care by the excavation work I had done. On the other hand, if I don't figure out how to manage the slope, the brush and maples will be back! Photo is looking down from my deck. Steeper than it appears.

View attachment 323870

It's been years since we bought our BX and we got the toothbar from the dealer at the time, so I can't help with brands. It bolts on to the bucket with two tabs that align with the side of the bucket near the bottom lip. I don't have pics of the one on the BX, but it's like the one on the larger tractor in the attached photo.

You definitely need to look into a box blade for your levelling and grading instead of just the front bucket. We have a 48" that's very handy for such work with our BX.

Beautiful place, by the way. But, obviously, be careful on that slope!

View attachment 323898

 

[PeterK]

A rock or a hole where there once was one can flip you lickity-split if you're not aware. When a front tire goes into a hole, even on flat ground, you will feel the pucker. So be extremely aware of the ground surface as you work, especially so on a slope.

Does anyone fill a tube with ballast rather than the tire alone? Seems a lot less corrosive to the wheel. Mine are not filled.

Safety first!

Safety first!

Safety first!

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Hey Seabee, I was hoping you would chime in... we are neighbors! I assume you do your business at Kitsap Tractor? I definitely want to get the shop manuals... I am fairly mechanical (engineer). Just have to slip the shop manuals in with all the other toys like a quick hitch, forks, MMM, post hole digger, and... Wife cannot read this. Oh and not to mention the shop/shed I need to build as my garage is supposed to be housing her car!

Did read the owner's manual cover to cover a couple of times while on a business trip before I could finally jump on. I am really on the fence with filling the tires. not sure I want to go that way but I am thinking maybe a good thing until I am landscaped and mowing regularly. Then I could buy a set of turf tires on rims and switch them out? More $$$. When you say not condoned... I assume that as long as I don't break an axle, Kubota would acknowledge a warranty claim?

I can already tell that traction is my weakness, not power.

Dragon,

I bought mine at Kitsap also. They discouraged me from taking repair work to them as they only have one mechanic and they are overloaded especially spring and summer. I blew the curl cylinder on the FEL (warranty) and they wanted me to bring in the whole tractor. I pulled the cylinder myself, had it checked at a hydraulic shop (the one they use) and it was a total interior blowout. There is a ling version of what happened next but in the short, I was w/o the cylinder for 6 weeks. Kept on using the tractor. As you can see from my hours, I use it a lot. I have made a connection at Jennings Equipment in Puyallup. They have a large shop and several mechanics plus a very savvy Service manager, John. Only problem is the 40 miles one way. I still buy some parts (that they stock) at Kitsap when I am in a hurry.

Bill at Kitsap talked me out of the ballasted tires. I can see his point in that at 75% liquid fill coupled with the K recommendation of no more than 250# you cannot add much weight using the anti-freeze compounds now offered. The old calcium solution added a lot more weight depending on concentration. A corrosion inhibitor added to Calcium is a must on the tubeless tires. That is why I went to suitcase weights. Still working on attachment devices front and rear.

I do my own welding so I tend to make stuff rather than buy. My iron worker capability is pretty complete. Freight cost these days kills a lot of pricing in my favor. If $ are not a problem for you, go for the manufactured stuff, it is all good.

Traction is a problem with the industrial tread and worse with the turf tread. K does not offer an AG tread. Been going to check Les Schawb and see if they can get one. Problem I gather is the OD of the AG for that size rim is considerably larger and is a clearance problem. Did Kitsap sell you the wheel extenders? Of course I was asking about 4". I figured anything less would not add much stability factor. I do not need a MMM as I have a new Husky rider that I bought at Jennings. Stay away from the Big Box Store mowers as they are a cheapened version. My 54" upgraded mower was only $400 more after negotiations. If you have a lot of brush and tall grass in rough terrain; a brush hog is a must. My Land Pride chops of 3" saplings in a heart beat. Half rotted stuff, if it gets under the skirt becomes chips. I have Chinese 6" 3PT chipper so I do not burn much around here. I have a huge compost pile.

Let's set a date to have coffee or lunch in Bremerton or Silverdale next week. What is your Engineer discipline? I am a management consultant to Construction and AE contractors doing Federal contracts.

Ron

 

[jim_wilson]

Thanks RaydaKub. Yes I have thought about filling the tires but want to look into doing it myself. When I purchased my BX, I heard another salesman talking about the price to have some tires filled and it seemed quite expensive (don't remember the $$$ and don't know what kind of tractor). I also don't have a trailer and I am hoping to save a bunch of dollars on by doing as much maintenance, etc. myself. I assume tire filling can be a DIY job?

There's a number of threads here on TBN about doing the fill yourself including tips on what pump to use - etc. I've never filled a tire myself (although I have drained some) - but from reading thru the threads it appears like it's not that hard. The best part about the BX is that it has a self jacking system built in to get the tires off the ground.

 

[dodge man]

Lots of good advice hear. All I can add is I was in the same boat about 5 years ago. I'd never had a tractor, but I learned as I went. With my loader, I've gotten to the point that I'm at least adequate using it and I can almost always get the job done. Looking at your pictures, I'd say you for sure want to work and drive up and down the hill, not side way. Like others have said, you might want to use the backhoe to get the flat areas started, and then use the FEL.

 

[BXpanded]

Cutting a level road into the side of a hill really isn't hard. As mentioned before. the loader "tilt" is controlled by the rear wheels.
Let's say for sake of reference, the uphill side is on the left. To start, angle the tractor slightly up hill. Take a cut with the bucket while turning left into the hill. The cut should be on the uphill side and if you have the tractor angled correctly, will mostly load the left side of the bucket. Back up a little more than a tractor length, and while reversing, turn the steering wheel to the left swinging the bucket to the down hill side. Dump the dirt where your low side rear wheel will be on the next cut. Repeat the process as you progress, cutting from the high side and dumping on the low side. Obviously, you'll need to smooth the dumped dirt as you go, since the humps and bumps will raise and lower the rear wheels which has the opposite affect on the loader bucket.
It takes some practice and a tooth bar to make real headway.
Have fun!

 

[RaydaKub]

The reason why we bought the place... a million dollar view and why I have to keep it cleared!

I think your assessment is a tad low... wow!

 

[dragoneggs]

Great advice by all on which I can't improve, agree beautiful view. As to maintenance, JOHNTHOMAS has a good thread on initial maintenance and ongoing maintenance on these things is really easy, we have had a BX for 10 years and only had one service done at the dealer when I was too sick to do it.

Kubota BX Service

Thanks RRR. Great link that I will sure to use.

 

[dragoneggs]

Lots of good advice hear. All I can add is I was in the same boat about 5 years ago. I'd never had a tractor, but I learned as I went. With my loader, I've gotten to the point that I'm at least adequate using it and I can almost always get the job done. Looking at your pictures, I'd say you for sure want to work and drive up and down the hill, not side way. Like others have said, you might want to use the backhoe to get the flat areas started, and then use the FEL.

Yes dodge man, that is becoming very evident in practice. I also think it will be necessary for a beefy tooth bar on my FEL to handle the very rocky soil.

 

[dragoneggs]

I think your assessment is a tad low... wow!

Yes maybe so. I have been lucky as my job has allowed me to travel much of the world and I think I can pretty much unbiasedly say that this is as beautiful a place to live as there is all things considered, even with a lot of gray days!