Using a BX as a mower/tractor

[Clumber]

I have 3 acres and currently have an MF1010(16hp) tractor, with FEL and rotating Gannon, for my tractor needs. I have 2 used riding mowers that I am constantly working on to keep the lower field mowed. The lower half gets a bit soft after rains, and I am unable to use the tractor with a finish mower, since I have R1 tires on it and they would sink in. The riders do just fine on this soft soil.

Today, was a good example of my needs. The grass/weeds were about 12" high, thick and about 50% of them damp. Pretty heavy load for the riders in that respect, which is why I wonder about the BX in the first place.

I am considering replacing the tractor, and the larger of my riders with a used BX with a belly mower.

What I am wondering, is how maneuverable are the BX's compared to a riding mower? Would that be overworking one, I only mow about 10 times a year, and only have one small hill.

My other option is a new, stronger riding mower, like the Husqvarna GTH24V52LS, with it's 24HP Kawi engine, and manufactured deck (welded not stamped) heavy duty spindles and a few other goodies. That mower will set me back about $3200 plus tax, so a little over $3400 total.

I figure I can get between 3 and 4K for the MF1010. If I got a decent deal on a BX I figure around 8K or so. A lot depends on how well the BX would do as a mower. I figure it will tractor as well as my MF without any problems.

Having a diesel would be nice for the extra torque and long engine life too.

You may want to consider a Power-trac utility tractor, which would be a good fit to your situation. There is a strong forum fore Power-trac here on TBN. The vendore site has adds for used machines:

Versatile Tractors,Compact Tractors,Trailer Packages,Landscaping,Utility Vehicle Rentals,Mowers-Power Trac

 

[OrangeRidge]

Do the BX's work with a 3pt post hole digger?

I believe they're not much use . There's also the down-force
and smaller hitch dimensions on these to consider a BX . I don't think a
BX is what you're looking for .

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I had a PH digger on my BX2660 and it did a fine job. The dig is determined by the weight and bit of the PH Digger and not the tractor. My nephew used my PH Digger on his BX2360 and was quite satisfied with the results.
The main issue is the height the digger can be lifted off the ground while traveling. The auger can be tied forward/toward the tractor while traveling for more ground clearance.
I've had several BXs and Bs. Big difference is ground clearance. The BX should cut the grass fine but wet grass sometimes (usually) lays down instead of doing a good cut. If the engine is bogging then speed up the engine or slow down the cut. I've cut 2' to 3' grass with a BX but slower than 8" grass and sometimes I've done two passes to mulch up the cut grass and cut the patches that were knocked down by the tires.
My brother has a Husq, his second one in 7 years or rather two different ones in seven years. They aren't in the class of a Kubota BX money wise or job wise.

 

[handirifle]

You may want to consider a Power-trac utility tractor, which would be a good fit to your situation. There is a strong forum fore Power-trac here on TBN. The vendore site has adds for used machines:

Versatile Tractors,Compact Tractors,Trailer Packages,Landscaping,Utility Vehicle Rentals,Mowers-Power Trac

I have seen those before and they really are not my cup of tea.

 

[handirifle]

I had a PH digger on my BX2660 and it did a fine job. The dig is determined by the weight and bit of the PH Digger and not the tractor. My nephew used my PH Digger on his BX2360 and was quite satisfied with the results.
The main issue is the height the digger can be lifted off the ground while traveling. The auger can be tied forward/toward the tractor while traveling for more ground clearance.
I've had several BXs and Bs. Big difference is ground clearance. The BX should cut the grass fine but wet grass sometimes (usually) lays down instead of doing a good cut. If the engine is bogging then speed up the engine or slow down the cut. I've cut 2' to 3' grass with a BX but slower than 8" grass and sometimes I've done two passes to mulch up the cut grass and cut the patches that were knocked down by the tires.
My brother has a Husq, his second one in 7 years or rather two different ones in seven years. They aren't in the class of a Kubota BX money wise or job wise.

What you described, as far as mowing goes, applies to any mower, for sure, and several here have attested to the additional power of the BX over a gas mower, which is what I expected. The ground clearance was another issue that came up in the discussion. I was concerned about the PH digger, which you seemed to address, and that sounds good. How has the BX been navigating rough terrain? I have a small creek bed that I cross, and have to maintain. I can see it looks like it might have a lower center of gravity than my tractor, and that is a good thing. There are some areas I mow that the mower runs at fairly steep angles, steep enough that no way would I try my tractor at those angles. I know side angles are not a good thing for tractors, but as a mower it is necessary, in my case. The steep areas are right at my fence line and are narrow enough that one pass cuts them. They are not wide enough to cut across them, like up and down.

I have some areas that I do not cut with the mower, just too steep.

How does the BX do for traction when say minor excavating? I have R1's on the MF1010 but would not want them (if they're even available) on the BX, but I think turf would be a bit too slippery for serious bucket work.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

What you described, as far as mowing goes, applies to any mower, for sure, and several here have attested to the additional power of the BX over a gas mower, which is what I expected. The ground clearance was another issue that came up in the discussion. I was concerned about the PH digger, which you seemed to address, and that sounds good. How has the BX been navigating rough terrain? I have a small creek bed that I cross, and have to maintain. I can see it looks like it might have a lower center of gravity than my tractor, and that is a good thing. There are some areas I mow that the mower runs at fairly steep angles, steep enough that no way would I try my tractor at those angles. I know side angles are not a good thing for tractors, but as a mower it is necessary, in my case. The steep areas are right at my fence line and are narrow enough that one pass cuts them. They are not wide enough to cut across them, like up and down.

I have some areas that I do not cut with the mower, just too steep.

How does the BX do for traction when say minor excavating? I have R1's on the MF1010 but would not want them (if they're even available) on the BX, but I think turf would be a bit too slippery for serious bucket work.

I owned a BX1500 MMM at one time and it was the most stable on hillsides because it was the smallest and closest to the ground. I mowed across my yard in front of my house with it and now with my F3080 4wd but would/wil not with any B I've owned/own.
This creek you cross made me think B but then you went on to express the need for mountain goat ability which is BX. If your crossing a creek with the MMM off then you gain several more inches of clearance on the BX.
I usually get R/I4s for my Bs and turfs for my BXs. I'd get R/I4s for a tractor with a FEL which most of my BXs didn't have. The BX2660 and the B25 had/have FEL but my other BXs didn't.
I currently have a BX25 which is a BX2360 with the factory installed FEL and BH. It is an excavating giant, I'm building an additional garage on the side of my current garage but my garage is 4'under ground on the upper side where I'm building the addition. I've had to cut the hillside out to make the 16'x26' flat spot and level out the drive into the new garage space. Lots of near bolders have had to be removed with my BX. I've flattened it and laid in 16 tons of gravel which I had to haul in because the truck bringing the gravel got stuck turning around and had to dump his load on up my hill.
Called a Concrete contractor to come give me labor price to pour the garage and drive. He measured, looked around and gave me the price then we man chatted for awhile. He told me Steve Barlow was "offering" to sell him a used B21 and had been for a bit of time and that he was going to go on out to Barlows and buy it. The B21 is a bit bigger with a bit less HP than my BX25. He said that he was so impressed with what my BX25 had done that he wanted the B21 for his work. Asked Steve Barlow Saturday if John A had bought a B21 from him last week and he said he did and that John A had told him how impressed he was with what my BX25 had done. John A has been in the Concrete Contracting business for years from small jobs to Commercial Jobs (Wal Marts, Factorys, etc).
So, to answer your question about excavating with a BX, yes but much better and quicker with the BH. I have done most of mine with just the FEL because that's what I had before I got the BX25 a couple of years ago.

 

[TripleR]

You can't beat the advice given by JOHNTHOMAS as he has owned and used them all. In reading your posts from one to the next I am finding myself on the bubble between the BX and B, but we mow some really steep stuff sideways with our BX that I wouldn't try with a B based on the posts from actual owners.

Many of us find ourselves buying a compromise and get not the ideal "one" tractor, but rather the one that works better under more circumstances.

Then there are those of us who had to break down and accept that oftentimes the only way to tractor happiness is multiple tractors though I realize it is not always an option.

 

[handirifle]

Yea I wish I had the funds to just add to the stable, but no go. I really would like a BH as well, don't need it often, but there are jobs it makes short work of for sure.

Well I guess I will have to save my pennies. There may be a BX of some model in my future. Did I read that the BH comes off fairly quickly as well? There are several fair sized jobs I could still do around here, now that I think of it. That WOULD be a one machine to do all for me.

 

[TripleR]

Yea I wish I had the funds to just add to the stable, but no go. I really would like a BH as well, don't need it often, but there are jobs it makes short work of for sure.

Well I guess I will have to save my pennies. There may be a BX of some model in my future. Did I read that the BH comes off fairly quickly as well? There are several fair sized jobs I could still do around here, now that I think of it. That WOULD be a one machine to do all for me.

I know what you mean about the cost, until I hit my 60's I had to depend on used machines my brother and I could get cheap and fix up. Even with multiple tractors now, we still have to rent an excavator or backhoe on the rare occasions needed.

 

[CHDinCT]

Just want to make you aware since you are talking about going used and also using a post-hole digger that Kubota changed the geometry on the later BX three point hitches to lift higher than the earlier models, so that might be a consideration on which models to look for. I believe the change was made to the BXxx50/BX24 series and continued with the BXxx60/BX25 series. Earlier models were considered more limited as far as lift height went.