Kubota BX22

[Anonymous Poster]

I own 3.5 acres in northern California (Loomis, Granite Bay area near Folsom Lake). I was contemplating purchasing a Kubota BX22 Sub-compact tractor with a LA210 FEL and BT600 backhoe to perform lite duties that will include installing irrigation lines, digging out 4-6 inch stumps, moving and tilling dirt. The soil composition is mostly decomposed granite. Would this be a wise purchase, or is the work at hand too much for this unit? The unit price is $16,200.00 for the above mention

Brad
email: langranch@juno.com

 

[techman]

Sounds like a good choice to me. I've had a BX22 for about 3 months now, and it is amazing what that little unit can do. The BH has been amazingly useful. It's obviously not as big as some other machines, but a few more scoops gets the same job done.

I think you would be pleased with the '22 as I have been.

paul

 

[yakima]

I agree with Techman. Some jobs may require that you take a few more bites, but I think you would be able to do everything that you listed with the BX22 without any trouble. I have a BX22 and have been really impressed with the power packed into that little machine. I have the TLB and a rake with a gauge wheel. I have pulled up a couple 4-6" stumps, moved piles of gravel, graded an 800' driveway, and the best part... I used the BH to dig a small pond for my ducks!
Good luck with your decision.

 

[kcook]

I take it everyone is happy with the capacity of the FEL, it was a concern for me at only 460lbs it was alittle light?

KCook

 

[techman]

Works for me. I can lift a bucket FULL of #2 stone w/o a problem. Curl it at the right time and up she comes. My guess is that it is over the official weight rating. I can't think of anything you scoop that would be heavier, except for lifting a chained load.

Again amazing what this little machine will do.


paul

 

[Charliebrn]

I've lifted over 720# with my BX to full height....very carefully, of course.... (9 80# bags of cement)

 

[SethO]

The unit should be adequate for you. I believe that this unit offers the best combination at this price point for non farmers. I stated non farmers because if you follow the posts about the BX series people (I believe are farmers based on their posts) will come up and talk about the height of the machine and the limitations of lift and so on and so forth. Limitation that are not tested by a regular person maintaining his property, and avoiding having to finish a big job in one day because he has rented a machine or worse, paying for a tool he will only use twice in 10 years.

 

[longway5]

We have a BX2200 at work, and for most jobs its just great. We got it because of its small size (able to fit into areas that our other tractors can't). Most of the guys who use it though agree the hydraulics are underpowered. We constantly hear the hydraulics whine, then again, we use it for things the average BX user might not, such as loading very dense sand into utility vehicles or topdressers (which require full height on the lift). I've filled the bucket on the FEL with sand and the BX was unable to lift it much past half the full height. I don't want to think about the actual weight it was really lifting. The past few days we've been using it to load loam, and its had a rough time with the loam pile. Its been sitting over the winter, so its tough to get into. A tooth bar would help out; in the mean time its just slow but steady work. You would have to go a long way up the tractor scale to get something that wouldn't have a problem with that pile (such as our Case 580M).
For most things I would agree that the BX's are great little tractors. I was pleasantly surprised to see it handled moving and spreading 4-6" rip rap with ease, and that stuff will even wreck a manual backhoe.

 

[kcook]

Thanks I am going to try to talk my wife into a BX22. First I will do some shopping!

KCook