Prospective Bx 2230 buyer

[birdfan]

I have been reading post at Tractorbynet.com for the past couple of months trying to decide which compact tractor is best for my needs. I am thinking about buying a bx 2230 to do the following things. Grade my 600 foot up hill gravel driveway (large ruts I plan to buy either a box blade or a rear blade for this), Mow a pretty small law, clear snow, and drag small trees out of the woods.

Some background: I live on 4 acres on the top of a hill in Bucks County Pa. Most of my property is wooded (around 3 acres). I don't plan on doing much in the woods besides cutting up a little firewood for the fireplace. In the winter time I have had real problems clearing the driveway of snow. I tried an mtd lawnmower with a snoblower but that machine lost traction on the hills (my drive goes straight up a hill). I am hoping that I can get by with the fel and or a back blade.

What I am considering getting:
bx 2230, 60 mm, fel, box blade or rear blade, and toothbar.

Also, after visiting several local kubota dealers the best price I could get for the bx 2230, fel, mm, and a back blade is 12,600.00 an comments on this price?

I would like some help with the following questions.

Will a bx be able to grade and maintain a driveway?
Box blade or rear blade? (to maintain the heavily rutted gravel driveway)?
Will the front end loader be able to clear snow? Time is not an issue!
How big a tree can a Bx pull out of the woods?
Is this a good price quote (see above)


Thanks for your help!

 

[om21braz]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
Will a bx be able to grade and maintain a driveway?
Box blade or rear blade? (to maintain the heavily rutted gravel driveway)?
Will the front end loader be able to clear snow? Time is not an issue!
How big a tree can a Bx pull out of the woods?
Is this a good price quote (see above))</font>

(1) Just remember you don't have much ground clearance w/ BX
(2) see #1
(3) I'll let other BX owner respond to that
(4) see #3
(5) That price I'd consider very good as it's almost identical to a price quote from my local dealer which is hard to beat.

I'm in a similar position as you, except lots of snow - we get some here in Piedmont area of NC. I have a Kubota TG diesel mower that does good job and was interested in something I could do a little more with than mow. I have since been advised to keep my mower and get a compact tractor for other chores - especially small scale logging. And like a lot of folks here my idea of the perfect machine is getting bigger and bigger. From what I've gathered here it is better to err to the larger side than smaller. Good luck and hope you only have to buy once !

 

[JimMorrissey]

birdfan,

Will a bx be able to grade and maintain a driveway?

-Yes. You will NEED a good "york rake", or landscape rake. It's a must have IMO. I've used a rear blade before and it's a waste of time for grading a driveway.

Box blade or rear blade? (to maintain the heavily rutted gravel driveway)?

-As I said, heavy duty landscape rake (Woods makes a nice one). I had mine shortened to work with BX.

Will the front end loader be able to clear snow? Time is not an issue!

-Yes, but it's time consuming...and depends where you live. I live in Vermont and a loader would work, but definitely not the implement of choice.

How big a tree can a Bx pull out of the woods?

-With the right chain setup, I've pull big logs 14-16" in diameter that were limbed and had a clear path out. The lenghs were about 10 -12'...amazing.

Is this a good price quote (see above)
-Sounds great.

-If you can afford a bigger machine, 7610 or 7800 for example, I'd consider it for what you are trying to do. The BX is an unbelieveable mowing machine...something to think about if you have a lot of grass.

-Jim

 

[birdfan]

Thanks Jim and Braz,

I had been thinking that the rear blade would not get enough bite to grade the driveway. Since I have never used a back blade, landscape rake, or boxblade could some one post a description of the major uses and limitations of each? thanks

birdfan

 

[Jim_Becker]

Birdfan (name also applies to LOML and I...we have 'em inside and out), the BX is a very capable machine. We have 4 acres in Buckingham and both BXs we've owned have been up to the task no matter what the season. Frankly, I use the FEL for grading our stone drive (back dragging), but will likely get a back blade or box blade "one of these days".

Scott, if you want to get a look at the BX up close and personal away from a dealer, let me know.

BTW, with three dealers to choose from in the area, at least you can have fun shopping! My first one came from dealer "H". My current one came from the folks just on the other side of the river as they made a much better deal "up front" without my asking. I never made it to dealer "P"...

 

[Yankee]

"I had been thinking that the rear blade would not get enough bite to grade the driveway."

Depends on the driveway. It was described as gravel. It is really is loose gravel, pea stone, river rock, or anything like that, a blade would work (as would the rake or box), as the stone never really takes a set. If it's crushed rock or crusher run (i.e., mixed with stone dust and fines), the combination of blade on a small tractor doesn't have the oomph to cut into it once set.

The box works because of the scarifiers, which break up the set surface. The blades of the box then pick up the loose material, accumulating it in the box, which then drags it to the low spots, where it drops out. I'm new to using a box, and maybe it's just me, but it's not easy to master. My driveway is crusher run, has set up very hard, and the box sures works, though.

I think a rake would also break a set surface, just not as aggressively as the box's scarifiers (which could be a good thing). I'm going to eventually get a rake, and when I do, I think I'll try it alone on the driveway first. If it works well enough, fine. If not, I'll use the box first to loosen, then the rake to shape. Using the box takes too long for this amateur.

 

[birdfan]

Jim and Yankee thanks for the help,
I have been to “H” and “P” they were both very close in price (only 200 difference). I would rather buy from h as they are only 4 miles from my home. Based on Yankees comments I was thinking that I could use the back blade and the toothbar to break up the stones and use the fell to smooth it out. The driveway is in some places very hard packed.

birdfan

 

[Jim_Becker]

Do get a quote from Gregg at MidState...you may be surprised. Aside from a possible better price, they do all service on-site. (They were net 2 grand better than H on my last transaction...)

 

[birdfan]

Jim,
I have stopped at mid state before but I didn't get a quote yet, based on your comments I will stoping by on the way home from work.

birdfan

 

[hwew]

I had a BX2200 and just sold it and purchased a B7500 to replace it. For me the BX2200 did not have enough ground clearance and the hydrostat and hydralics is not as strong as the B7500,B7510 or B7610 series. I had problems with the hydralics loosing lift strength after 3-4 hours of run time with a box blade. But otherwise the BX2200 was a fine machine for mowing.
The B7500 or 7510 might be worth checking out. Even though it is 1 HP less it seems like it has more power then the BX2200 and that is probably due to the HP on the B7500 and B7510 comes on at lower RPM's. Make the right desision the 1st time and it will not cost you trading in or selling and loosing money on a wrong desicion. Spend some time doing a search on the pro's and con's on the tractor that you might be considering to purchase. Oh and check out and see what service issues the models have. I am glad that I went a little larger this time.The extra ground clearance and extra lift cappacity is what I needed. Before I would get hung up and stuck in soft soil using the box blade on the BX2200 (even with bar tires). and now I have yet ot get stuckwith the B7500. I can now go throuth some swampy soil instead of going around. Oh I only have 1-1/2 acers. Both are great tractors. You just have to figure out what will be best for you.

 

[ByronBob]

Birdfan
I live in WNY between Roch and Buffalo. My driveway is 650' long and the 2230 is really good at the driveway clearing. I am sooo glad I did the Bota vs my other thoughts. My only recommendation to you is chains for traction on hard pack ect... I slide some with ice and it's a little wild when that happens. You have more pitch than I do as my driveway goes up and down not straight up like you have

Lawn............No problem

Backblade?? You could but I like the yorkrake option better than that. It will work it's way into hard driveway with some time/effort

Tree's.....Can't answer that one never done it.

Price is right on. Mine was right there at 12.6 with FEL, 60" and rake.

Welcome to the family and you'll like this machine.

Another thing you'll hear from everyone is a heater for the engine. For the extra $35 have then throw one in for you when you get it. Although it's new they groan some when it's zero out and you want to start them cold. I feel in the long run it's better on the engine because of the wear factor. 30 min plugged in isn't a big deal.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I'd think about a 7610, it should only be about $2500 more.

 

[ByronBob]

Neil
Don't get me wrong because Bota has a nice line-up of tractors but after the 2230 the price increase to step up is tough to do for some people. If your the casual tractor user where it's not a daily machine to survive with it can get hard on the wallet to some. At my time in life with kids ect....the 2230 was my limit. Great machine and I struggled with the BX or a plow truck for the payment book. I chose the BX and I'm glad I did. I just don't understand why the wife doesn't want to go to dinner on the back of the BX /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Jim_Becker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have stopped at mid state before but I didn't get a quote yet, based on your comments I will stoping by on the way home from work. )</font>

Talk to Greg if he is there (one of the owners) and tell him I said he was a nice guy to do business with... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Henro]

BirdFan,

I have a BX2200 and a B2910 on 3.7 acres.

If I had to have only one tractor for the long haul, I think it would be something like the B7500.

Only you know your budget though. As mentioned above by others, the BX does not have the ground clearance that the B series does. And the BX has a plastic cooling fan and a hydraulic filter waiting to be damaged by a stick or rock or whatever. Now I don't think a rock would get the fan, it is somewhat protected, but the filter is right there waiting.

I would go bigger than the BX if I could afford it...probably because I know what my larger tractor can do and what the smaller tractor can do. If I did not have the larger tractor I might be saying something different, I don't know...

 

[Rainbow6]

I used a 4' boxblade to maintain my gravel drive. Its 500' long and it (the blade)works great. Every so often I use the teeth to turn up buried gravel and have added weight once to get more bite. Overall its more than adequate. BTW, I agree w/ the poster who said the BX is an incredible mowing machine. Its like NOTHING can slow it down! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Gomez]

Scott,

Just thought I'd second Jim's opinion on Mid-State. I bought my B2400 used, but before I did, they had the best deal of the three dealers in our area (I'm in Pineville). When I finally wised up and went decided to get an FEL, I went to Pipersville and Midstate. Both dealers were very helpful Bob Sr. at Pipersville and Wayne at Midstate. Midstate gave the best deal. Also, they didn't charge for pickup/delivery like "P" wanted.

Welcome to TBN and Good Luck!

 

[birdfan]

I would like to thank everybody for their help with my decision. I stoped by midstate on my way home Friday to compare BX prices and they wanted 13,400 for the same setup that histands wanted 12,600 for. I ended up getting a new bx2230, fel, landscape rake, 60 mm, and a bolt on tooth bar with the fel. Jim did you get a engine warmer for your bx22? Do I need one for Bucks county PA? This machine will be kept in an unheated garage. THanks again everybody for your help.

-birdfan

 

[Junkman]

You should have a block heater for any climate that gets snow. For the $25 investment, it will be there for you even if you never need it. For that one time that you do need it, you will be kicking yourself if you don't have one installed. It is like a seat belt, you never need it until one day when something bad happens and you are really glad that you were wearing it. One will save your life and the other will make your life more survivable. LOL ... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ByronBob]

Welcome to the family.
As I said before I'd get the heater. Not sure where Bucks Co is exactily but if it gets down to 20 degrees or lower the engines let you know it's cold out. Last winter mine was outside uncovered and there were days it never got above 10 for a high. The engine struggled to start even after 15 seconds with the glow plugs prewarmed. For the little money it costs do yourself a big favor and do it while they have the tractor in the shop. It takes less that an hour so it's nothing to do.