Sub-Compact Implement Question

[Poopdeck Pappy]

When I was looking at BX's I made the decision that if I needed a BH I could hire/rent and therefore went with the 2660 and was very pleased with it. In my case that was an incorrect decision, but it worked out for me. My daughter had a client leaving town in a hurry and I picked up a 250hr BX23 for $3500. Having two is great, but I find uses for the BH all the time...as do my friends and previously mentioned daughter, and I don't have to wait for someone to show up or to haul the rental up here. In addition to digging I've added a bucket hook and sling material all the time. If I was starting from scratch I'd go with the BH.

You've got the same two BX tractors as me: A BX2660 and a BX23.

 

[nikerret]

You've got the same two BX tractors as me: A BX2660 and a BX23.

I bet he paid less...…


$3,500 GOOD LORD!!!!!

 

[plowhog]

I frequently use the backhoe on my Massey GC1710. Projects:

- dug out a great quantity of old juniper bushes,
- trenched for power and internet from garage to shop,
- trenched from the residence to a RV location for a RV power pedestal,
- use it yearly to clean/improve 800 ft of irrigation ditches on the property,
- will soon use it to trench a new power line to the well,
- will soon use it to trench a power line to the pond, to add an aerator,
- and more.

To my surprise, during a recent project I had difficulty using a box blade to create a level pad on a sideslope. The consensus here was to use the backhoe to dig and move the material from the high side to the low side, then come in with the box blade to smooth it out. Worked great. I enjoy having the utility of a backhoe.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Most folks who recommend not to buy a backhoe have never had one, therefore they are just looking at cost to own vs rent when they come upon a use for one that they cant do with anything else. Just like any other tool, if you don't have it or never used it, you see no use for it but once you do have it and use it, it becomes indispensable.
If you have to hire someone to come dig some small item that may take 30 minutes with a SCUT backhoe, then you likely will either find a much harder resolution or just forget about doing the task. But if you have a backhoe setting in your shed and need to plant a tree, you don't go get the shovel. You may just mow around a large rock rather than dig it out if you only have a shovel but with a backhoe the job is not only easy, but fun to do.
Mine has about 650 hours on it now and all are from TLB use. At $50 per hour, it has paid for the entire tractor and then some.
Each persons use varies and only you can determine if the $$$ are worthwhile. One time avoidance of back surgery is enough incentive for me to purchase a TLB.

 

[Gary Fowler]

The BH is a lot of weight and using it adds more pressure to the tractor. Thus, a "sub frame" is added which is essentially reinforcement for the weight. On the BX series, the sub frame is built in but on the B series, it can be removed when the BH is not in use. Further, when the B series has the subframe installed, the MMM can't raise as high above the 4in mark versus the BX. So, with the BX, the subframe is "integrated" into the body already.

The sub-frame on my B26 might be removable with lots of time and energy but it wont be easy since it is tied to the FEL and the backhoe. I don't consider it to be removable at all. It also wont accept a MMM so RFM or bushhog is all that can be used with it to mow.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

My 26XL has the BH subframe standard and "can accept a backhoe at any time." Even though I don't have a BH and no plans to get one, I like the extra sturdiness this extra subframe provides.

 

[4570Man]

Most folks who recommend not to buy a backhoe have never had one, therefore they are just looking at cost to own vs rent when they come upon a use for one that they cant do with anything else. Just like any other tool, if you don't have it or never used it, you see no use for it but once you do have it and use it, it becomes indispensable.
If you have to hire someone to come dig some small item that may take 30 minutes with a SCUT backhoe, then you likely will either find a much harder resolution or just forget about doing the task. But if you have a backhoe setting in your shed and need to plant a tree, you don't go get the shovel. You may just mow around a large rock rather than dig it out if you only have a shovel but with a backhoe the job is not only easy, but fun to do.
Mine has about 650 hours on it now and all are from TLB use. At $50 per hour, it has paid for the entire tractor and then some.
Each persons use varies and only you can determine if the $$$ are worthwhile. One time avoidance of back surgery is enough incentive for me to purchase a TLB.

Exactly. My backhoe because an indispensable tool. So much so I bought a JD310. Most people would be better off without a tractor at all and simply renting one once a year. Nobody seems to recommend doing that. All people use flawed math in the comparison. A backhoe retains some or most of the value where renting is money gone forever. Renting is a lot less convenient. Some of the tools that I used to see little use for, but now use all the time since I own them are a cordless grinder, cordless circular saw, cordless impacts 1/2 and 1/4, SDS max hammer drill, oscillating tool, and cordless sawzall. I don’t see very many disappointed backhoe owners.

 

[4570Man]

I bet he paid less...…


$3,500 GOOD LORD!!!!!

I don’t even need one and I’d have snatched that up. It would be a tough call between doubling my money and keeping it for the jobs where my 310 is gross overkill. I’d probably have to take the double my money option and put the funds towards a skid steer mower.

 

[Diggin It]

To my surprise, during a recent project I had difficulty using a box blade to create a level pad on a sideslope. The consensus here was to use the backhoe to dig and move the material from the high side to the low side, then come in with the box blade to smooth it out. Worked great. I enjoy having the utility of a backhoe.

Part of the back hill slopes toward a small shed. A few years back, I used a tiller and shovel to alter a small portion of that; enough to keep most water runoff out of the shed. I wasn't able to do much with the real problem causing area though. Until I got the bigger digger that is. I've been working on it a bit at a time in recent days. Digging one side out to lower, swinging the dirt over to the other side to raise. Then I smooth some with the loader bucket before going over it with a walk behind tiller to break up the clumps of clay to even things out.

Planting trees is almost fun now. Same with digging out stumps and decades old 12 x 12 fence posts.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Absolutely get the 23S. It is a new version with FEL and BH that are very easy to remove and replace.

I have the 2008 version this tractor, and I use the backhoe a lot, and I am amazed at what it can do.

With respect to the three point hitch, you do have to remove it when you put the backhoe on, but it only takes about 10 minutes to put back on when you need to use it. Also, you can get a quick attach feature for the Backhoe bucket, which I use to put my ripper tooth on when I need to dig a narrow trench, or to go to dig out a stump, cutting the roots.

The Massey GC TLBs seem to have the easiest backhoe/implement swap procedure. He backhoe comes off in a few minutes and all the 3pt linkage is just folded up between. Nothing on the 3pt needs to be added/removed.

Unless Kubota downgraded the design for this new BX23S, the rear 3 point arms should fold straight up like the BX25(D) before it and then the backhoe gets pinned on. Remove the backhoe and fold the 3 point arms down.

The only minor inconvenience is that you take the links off from the 3 point arms to the transmission linkage so that you can fold the 3 point lower arms up. It is very quick and easy to install or remove the backhoe, I have a video on YouTube from last year doing it in I believe 3 or 4 minutes... in the snow... on a slope.

The BX is a pretty nicely refined product and at this point the backhoe and the loader removal or installation is pretty much engineered/refined/enhanced/dumbed down to where a suburban house wife can do it with the owners manual in hand. These little machines are truly built with the masses in mind. You are not assumed as being a farmer/mechanic as Kubota's target customer. Instead they developed this little bull to fit very well into the suburban housing plan and with the types of buyers that would live there. The machine also has enough true grit designed in to it to satisfy the rural users who are not into agriculture and who do not have the need or space to deal with larger equipment.

Overall, the BX and its copy-cat competitors are all very user friendly. But none are as user friendly and polished/refined as the BX.

(Don't get mad about the copy cat statement. Kubota invented this market segment, therefor the competition literally copied the product concept so as to enter into this new tractor segment and offer valid competition to the once lone standing Kubota brand.)