Kubota BX1500 Questions

djsch · Sep 28, 2003

I just recently got to see a Kubota BX1500 and thought it was a sweet machine. I had the dealer price it out and I liked that too. However, he put a 50" 2 stage snowblower on it and said it could handle it but has no customers using it that way. Can 15 HP handle a blower that big? I have a 48" blower on a 23HP Kohler gas (24 year old tractor) and it was at its limit. Does a diesel have enough more torque to handle it with less HP? I live in South Dakota and we get some wet slushy stuff at least once a year that takes some muscle to toss. And if the impeller slow too much, the chute plugs so I'm just wondering if I have to dig deeper and step up to the 2200? (I really like the size of the 1500.)

Thanks for any help you can give.

Junkman · Sep 28, 2003

The difference between the BX 1500 and the BX 2200 is only in the engine...... the actual machine is the same size. I would believe that the 1500 will do the job, but for the small increase in cost, then I would buy the 2200. 7 HP is a 35% increase in power..... as for the gas Kohler engine, it doesn't hold the light of a birthday candle to the power of the Kubota. I had a 23 HP Bolens and it is a good machine, but it doesn't com-pair to the Kubota at all.... Difference between night and day.....

Henro · Sep 28, 2003

The difference between the BX 1500 and the BX 2200 is only in the engine...... the actual machine is the same size. 

Junkman,

I'm pretty sure the bx1500 is slightly smaller in size than the BX1800 and BX2200. The 1800 & 2200 are certainly the same frame size...

I'm going to have to jump over to the Kubota site and see if they really are different! Been wrong before... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I bought a 2200 over a 1500 for the exact reasons you state. I could afford the price difference and although the 1500 will certainly be a reliable machine, I did not like the look of the engine with that "thing" on the top of it. I think that thing is a rotating weight for engine balance...

r0GuE · Sep 28, 2003

( The difference between the BX 1500 and the BX 2200 is only in the engine...... the actual machine is the same size. )

This is not correct. There are a number of differenced in the scale of the differnt parts. The front axle comes to mind. BUT, I am not going to try to talk anyone in to the 2200 (even though everyone should own one /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) Anyway, the real question is on the big blower on the 1500. That I don't know. But I will say that if you have big jobs to do (a 50" 2 stage blower seems pretty big) , don't undersize.

Jim_Becker · Sep 28, 2003

( The difference between the BX 1500 and the BX 2200 is only in the engine...... the actual machine is the same size.)

The others are correct, this is not accurate. More specifically, the BX2200 and BX1800 share pretty much everything excapt the engine, but the BX1500 is a whole new machine scaled smaller in size. The BX22 shares the same general platform as the BX2200 and BX1800, but is substantially reinforced in a number of areas to better handle the increased weight and structural demands of the backhoe.

kevinj · Sep 28, 2003

I have had my BX-1500 since February and just got a blower for it. I can tell you that my old 22hp gas would bog down with a 50" mower and the 15hp Kubota has absolutly no problems turning the 54" mower even in heavy grass. The BX-1500 has 10.5 PTO hp so it will run a good load however not as much as the larger BX's. I size my tractors for the primary useage. For me that is lawn mowing, lawn rolling, tow a trailer. Etc. Snow blowing is small part of my use. If had need for other than lawn mowing such a a lot of dirt work I would have got the 2200. Now if I need more power I rent it for the weekend and use the right stuff for the job at hand.

Rick Jay · Sep 29, 2003

djsch,

Welcome to TBN. More power is always better. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

That being said, I have a 60" rear blower on my B2910. Last winter, going through 30" high compacted snowbanks, I had to slow the machine to a crawl, but it handled it well.

Snowblowing is one of the operations where a hydro really shines. You can easily adjust your speed to match the depth and heaviness of the snow. Light snow....more pedal....heavy compacted snow bank from the plow...let off the pedal. Keep the throttle at the proper PTO operating speed and adjust ground speed as conditions warrant.

That being said....if you can afford a few more hp, than go for it. It's mostly a money vs. time trade-off.

Good Luck,

~Rick