kubotas littlest tractor

[escavader]

After weeks of preperation,trailor buying,brake installation etc.,i finally got courage up to haul my bx-23 up to plow out my camp in the mountains.When i say "up" thats what i mean. You see its at a mountain pond deep in the heart of the western Maine mountainS, The last three miles takes you up a very steep climb,on a rough,icy,narrow dirt road.I have been a little edgy,about my 6 cylinder cherokee failing me on one of the steepest grades.you see this car hauler and little BOTA is the heaviest load i have ever pulled.It is not like hauling my 2 snow machines more like the weight of 5 or 6.I am happy to say i put my jeep in 4wd so not to strain a single drive shaft,low gear,and she hauled her up with little effort. trailor brakes were great coming down too.
I met a neighbor along the way and he said."HI ALAN,did you buy a new toy.WHATS THAT ONE OF KUBOTAS LITTLEST TRACTORS? I simply replied"DONT underestimate her,this little tractor will surprise you.
Now alot of you have seen my pics at my house 20 miles south of there.REMEMBER ALL THAT SNOW.Well let me tell you its chin deep every where up at 3000 ft.
Well since all my new friends on TRACTORBYNET love pics here are a couple for you
heres a blury picture of success in making it up the mt. without a hitch[no pun intended]
ESCAVADER

 

[escavader]

HERES A PICTURE BEFORE I PLOWED THE DRIVEWAY TAKEN FROM THE SNOWMOBILE TRAIL I DROVE UP
ESCAVADER

 

[escavader]

hERE IS THE AFTER PICTURE A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR LATER,I BET THE NEIGHBOR WONT BE SO SMART WITH ME NEXT TIME.EVEN MYSELF I NEVER DREAMED THIS LITTLE TRACTOR had such big power. IF I wrecked tommorow id buy another just like her.
escavader

 

[JimMorrissey]

They are amazing rigs! A 3 cylinder diesel and some hydraulic fluid can put an aweful hurtin' on a whole lot of stuff /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[ZackaryMac]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have been a little edgy,about my 6 cylinder cherokee failing me on one of the steepest grades.you see this car hauler and little BOTA is the heaviest load i have ever pulled...)</font>

If it makes you feel a bit better, I haul my 'Bota on a single axle trailer, including plow, blower, steel ramps, front weights with my extended cab Sonoma 2wd with a 58hp diesel installed. Yes, I haul it up hills with 58hp. Not very fast, mind you. No, it doesn't have tractor-trailer torque either. Your Cherokee has at LEAST 115hp, depending on the year.

My point is, you're probably quite safe with the Cherokee.

Keep up the great work with the Kubota!!

 

[Scrounger]

What size trailer are you towing on? A 12 - 14 or the 16 footer. I'm trying to decide on length right now.

 

[escavader]

i shopped around and bought a BIG TEX 14foot 6000lb car hauler.It has the ramp holders built in,electric brakes,andbreakaway battery,dexter axles,replacable pt bed.[which is great considering all the salt up here]i paid 1950 for it,which was a bargain--i went to 3 different dealers.steel stuff is getting rather pricey.the minute i laid eyes on it i knew it was perfect for bota.Can put the loader bucket right up against the front iron_perfect hitch weight.has the heavy rated sidewall tires too.spare was pricythough 130.00 .dealer said im in my legal window ,here in MAINE,hauling my tractor.MIGHT NOT BE HAULING A LARGE VEHICLE WITH MY JEEP. HAVE TO PULL THAT WITH BOTA HAHA. Ihad a single axle 10foot with mobile home axle[my firewood trailor]Bota would fit but was afraid of losing my hitch weight going up that steep grade and id loseher.When i drove her up the ramps it would lift the cherokees rear tires off the ground 2 feet. like the lower center of gravity and the double axles,was also afraid of getting a blow out and losing bota,aint worth the risk for me.2 grand is a good insurance policy.
ESCAVADER

 

[Stef]

Scrounger

The length of my trailer is 16 feet and I think it's a good one because it gives you a bit more than a foot in front of the loader to bring some stuff with the tractor (BX23 with loader and back hoe is more or less 15 feet in length with the FEL laid down flat). If the trailer is made in aluminium it has the advantage to weight 25% less than steel.

 

[Stef]

Nice rig /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

You really need a snow blower for next year. You did a great job with your FEL though. About your neighbors, I think that the only way to know what a BX23 can do is to sit and drive. My neighbors were septic last summer... now they ask me to help them with my "little toy". Size is irrelevant, what's important is the potential. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[surfran]

I would say 14 is minimum and 16 would be best. You want to have room to adjust for load. Here is my BX1800 on my 10' which I hope to finally replace this year with a 16' dual axle and brakes!!!

 

[surfran]

Nice work, love to see the victor posing for the money shot /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I can see she isn't shy /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Volfandt]

I likes my BX23 too! And I imagine it'll get better when mow'n season starts /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I can squeaze mine onto my 6x12 single axle by swinging the BH all the way to one side and placing the FEL bucket onto the front rail. And since I don't plan on hauling it around I decided to keep the trailer.
Now if'n I was going to start hauling it around on a regular basis then a twin axle car hauler w/brakes would be the ticket.

By the way, and I've asked this before, what is all that white stuff /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The brown is turning to green down around my way /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Volfandt

 

[JimMorrissey]

Matt,

I've used a 4x8 trailer with my BX multiple times (with a 60" deck and the loader on) and it worked fine for over 80 miles rides. You're not going to need a 16' with aux brakes for a BX. A 12' would work; single or double axle is up to you. If there is a remote chance you might get a bigger machine in the future (B or L series), then maybe a 16' might be a better decision. 16' is a pretty big trailer though... Maybe rent or borrow one and see how it feels and tows before you cut a check.

There is lots of trailer talk in here /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Tom_H]

I don't live all that far from the local Kubota dealer and imagine needing to take the BX2200 in for service no more than once every several years. I, therefore, did not want to invest tons of $ in the trailer. Since I have no backhoe and anticipate not needing to take the FEL in on most trips, I decided to go with a 5' x 8' Snow Bear from Home Depot for $599. I have no snow and the roads from here to the dealer are totally flat, straight, and mostly quiet rural roads on which I can cruise at 35 to 45 mph.

The trailer is quite versatile. Two ft. high sides are removable. The front and rear sides can be removed or flipped to act as bed extenders, increasing bed length to 12.5'. The bed is a tilt bed, while the rear side in its horizontal position has integral ramps, facilitating easy drive on and off. The bed not only pivots, but can be repositioned on the tongue for various tongue lengths. The rear axle can be placed in alternate positions on the bed as well. When I know I'm not going to use the trailer for a long time, I remove all side and end panels as well as the tongue. This goes pretty fast. I then use a worm-gear winch to pull the bed up vertically and chain it to an interior garage wall. It's amazing how little space it takes up.

There are no brakes, but brake lights, along with both front and rear turn signals work well. The main bed is a combination of steel with 2 stips of 3/4" pressure treated plywood screwed to a steel sub-frame. Tires are 21" dia. Weight is a little under 500 and gvw around 2100, so a BX with no bh subframe and no attachments is within specs.

Great little trailer. I like it.

 

[Av8r3400]

I found my 18' car hauler was cheaper than the 16' when I was shopping. It is the same trailer, only adds the 2' beaver tail on the back. These are heavy machines, and deserve some respect when towing.

Putting a BX on a lumberyard special 4x8 is risking too much in my opinion. I hope those that do this are careful. It can very quickly get out of hand and kill someone. $15,000 tractor on a $200 trailer, kind of like a $25 motorcycle helmet, means you have a $25 head. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

My BX on the 18' trailer

 

[Tom_H]

For the most part, I agree. You are really right about that word "careful". If I had to take this on the freeway, curvy, hilly, or icy roads, I wouldn't do it. I am within the legal gvw limits and on my straight, level, rural roads, I drive slowly for the few miles to the dealer. One consideration for me was that my tow vehicle will take just over a ton. A larger trailer would have meant a larger tow vehicle. Because of this, the $ factor was more about a new vehicle than a few hundred more for a bigger trailer. As far as motorcycle helments, motorcycles are not a risk I care to take at all, but I also don't feel the need to insult those who do.

 

[MarkV]

Tom, I have the same trailer as you and also find it to be a great little trailer. We use ours around the property for many things behind the ATV.

MarkV

 

[MarkV]

Looks like a great place you have in the mountains. The “little” tractor did a job on that snow you people in Maine seem to like so much. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

You might want to check the local rules about attaching the tractor to the trailer. I am sure the ratchet straps are heavy enough for that size tractor but here they would not be allowed by DOT. Not being critical, just trying to save you an expensive ticket. And no, I don’t want to say how I learned that. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

MarkV