I have to agree with the other posters who say that a 5ft. box blade is too big for a BX. I have a BX23 that I bought a Woods GBC48 Box Blade for and I think anything bigger than that would be too much. The tractor pulls the 48" Woods fine until it starts to fill up and then the bar tires will either dig themselves a hole or the tractor will bog down depending on what kind of ground I am on. I will also agree with the other posters who say the backhoe is invaluable. The BX23 backhoe is small enough that you can pretty much throw your shovels away. A bigger tractor might be unwieldy for very small jobs - the BX23 hoe however is great for small jobs like ripping out stumps of small bushes, pulling rocks out of the ground, digging drainage ditches etc. You will find a use for it.
I had a bagger on my JD 318 garden tractor. It did fine for grass and did a good job on leaves HOWEVER, it meant emptying the bags about 30 times per mow (1.5 acres LOTS of trees). With the 2230 I am looking at getting a pull behind Vac system... separate motor or PTO driven, mulching and a large hopper/wagon. I really want one with the optional remote hose for getting into flower beads etc.
I thought about getting the mulch kit but I would have to remove it at the end of the mowing season so the vac system would work for leaves.
I love the 2230. I need to get a box blade and the tooth bar. Great advice on this board.
Three cyliners? It's a Geo Metro then! Ok seems to me I need to start making a "dealer do" list. I've read on other boards to get them to fill your tires for free. Of course the hat (and maybe two). Installing the block heater, which I should pay for parts but not labor. How about paint? I see a lot of boards here about paint, and I know when I buy a new Snap On box, I always have to armwrestle the guy to get touch up paint! Anything else I should get them to do? Maybe free air conditioning? Maybe a nice free die cast 2230? How about a spare parts list?
And by the buy what is a small box scraper going to run me?
Again, thanks,
Jeff
Also, here is a pic of the side yard of the new house.
The paint is cheap, but if you are cheap also, then push the dealer for a can of both orange and grey. If you want a parts breakdown, you can go to www.tractorsmart.com and get it from their website. If you e mail them, they will send you a link for all the items that you request parts breakdown pictures. I am certain that you will get free air conditioning. The diesel conditions the air fragrantly every time you start it up. Ask dieselsmoke if you don't believe me. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif As for the "free" diecast.... that will take some arm twisting in my opinion. You will have to keep fishing for the price of the box blade, I have never purchased one. After reading all the responses, I believe that you should take the good advise given and purchase the BX23. After all, we know how best to spend your money. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
I just looked at the picture of the house. Nice looking and the grounds are well kept. You must have gotten a heck of a deal on it, since the builder didn't own a level. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Yeah, I think the house is so slanted in that shot I will be afraid to set anything down on a table for fear it will wind up in the ravine! Went to the dealer today and found out that the box scraper is $377, so not bad at all for taking care of the driveway! I'm having serious thoughts about the 23, just have to pinch the pennies and see what I can come up with. He has one in stock, and can deliver the day we move in! Although, I think I had better wait until the day after. I don't think the wife will like it if I am mowing the lawn while there are still boxes to be unpacked. He also had some fancy mower blades that he says all the guys are using around here instead of the mulching kit. He said they cut the grass pretty fine and do a good job with the leaves to, so I think I'll start with those. So right now to recap the standing order is the 23 (maybe 2230), 60"MMM, front blower, 48" box scraper, tiller and the free air conditioning! Now all I need is a delivery and some seat time! I can't wait, haven't been on a tractor since my aunt and uncle literally "sold the farm" 15 years ago!
Jeff
I keep forgetting that I can add files, here's the front view of the house, and the little bit of drive that is actually blacktopped. I notice the house is crooked the other way in this one!
If you are pinching pennies, then consider leaving the tiller till next summer, unless you want to get it into the financing. Hope that you get the house straightened out.. LOL... The machine can be used for moving the heavy boxes... You drive and the wife loads and unloads them. After all, women do want equality.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I was in your situation a couple of months ago. I went to look at the BX 2230 and saw a backhoe for another tractor sitting around so I asked my salesman about it. He showed me the BX23 and for the extra $3500, I couldn't ignore considering it. The more I thought about it and thought how ticked I would be with the 2230 the first time I needed the backhoe, the easier the decision was to make. I now have a BX23 and wouldn't consider any of the other BX's. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Stay the course on getting the blower. I also live in a snow belt with lots of lake effect. I pushed around the snow last winter and although the bx2230 will push any snow you want a blower would be much quicker. In fact, I am spending the $2200 bucks in Oct to buy a front mount blower
The guys are right, you will love your 2300. I love mine.
Junkman, you are going to get this poor boy killed. They will dig his hole with his backhoe!
One thing to NEVER do Gentleman, is let her know you LOVE the tractor seat time.....(grudgingly pronounced) work! I have the 23, I get a few snickers having a hoe and an acre, until I tell them about the 3.5 foot hole I dug the other day for a bird feeder, and never broke a sweat......end of story!
I do not want to be rude but.... go with the BX23. I have only had mine for 2 weeks and it has proven to be priceless. The BH is fabulous!! The FEL is great but the BH is the ticket to getting the real work done. Well worth the pain of the extra $ per month...
Ok friends, thanks for all the advice. The deed is done. I went with the 23!!! Bar tires (filled), block heater (installed for free), 60"MMM, mulching kit, 48" box scraper, snow blower, FEL (toothbar), and tiller. I get to go for my first ride on the 4th of September!!!
All of us who posted to your 1st request will be DELIGHTED you went with the 23 /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
May you enjoy it as much as I do !!!!
Post a pic when ya get it.
Nice house!!
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I went with the 23!!! ... I get to go for my first ride on the 4th of September!!! )</font>
O.K., now for the IMPORTANT advice. You said that to swing this, you'd also be explaining to the BOSS why one of the kids might have to skip a semester or two of college. Sounds like the boss agreed to some sacrifices for you to have this rig. Now here's how it works. You don't go for your first ride on Sept. 4th; SHE gets to joy ride it all SHE wants to on Sept. 4th while you take pictures of HER driving it around. You then post those photos here on TBY while repeatedly telling her how beautiful SHE IS sitting on the tractor. The correct spin on this has got to be comin' outta' your mouth, so remember: SHE is the one that's beautiful. SHE is the one who'se fun to spend time with (the tractor's just for "necessary" workin' /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) and most importantly SHE's the one that you LOVE. Repeat this aloud ten thousand times and you will be ten thousand times blessed.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The deed is done. I went with the 23!!! Bar tires (filled), )</font>
You may want to question the dealer about filling the bar tires. Page 48 of my BX23 owner's manual states "While BT600 backhoe is installed on the tractor, liquid ballast in the rear tires should be removed."
My bar tires were filled by the selling dealer and I have a BX22. Have never had any problems and I also quizzed Kubota about this. They couldn't give me a reason that this was put in the manual. Said that many dealers fill the bar tires and there never has been a problem to their knowledge. Just because it is in print, that doesn't cast it in stone. If it did, then check the page of the manual where they give the amount of oil to replace in the engine for a oil change. Would you follow these instructions?????
I am very new to the BX world, so I don't have a lot of experience to draw from. However, on one of the occasions that I got to play (work) with the BX I dug up a huge stump on the side of a hill. I then had to push some of the dirt UPHILL with the FEL to try to backfill the huge hole and I was amazed that it pushed the dirt just fine and didn't bog down nor spin any tires. And for what it's worth, I have TURF tires that are not loaded (got it used so I couldn't choose the tire type). I figure that the weight of the backhoe provided plenty of traction for the rear tires.
I said all of that to ask this: With the backhoe mounted on the BX, has anyone NEEDED to have the rear tires filled? If not, then why not follow the owner's manual recommendation? I am not trying to be argumentative; I'm just trying to get feedback on the need for filled tires on a BX.
FWIW, my Bx22 manual only says that "The amount of rear ballast should be matched to job and the ballast should be removed when it is not needed." IMHO, I always need it and thus I will never remove it! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
