When is a BX enough?

[Idahomestead]

I have 3.5 acres in rural Idaho that needs some work and I am trying to decide about tractor options. My needs include general clean up, brush removal, small stump removal, about 400 feet of driveway to put new gravel on, small rock removal, leveling, and trenching for electrical and water lines. My mowing and snow removal needs are taken care of. I’m pretty set on Kubota because the dealer is close and I like them. I’ve been planning on a BX23s for quite sometime but whenever I read threads about the BX line, the advice of upgrading to a bigger tractor is almost always given. I’m convinced I need a backhoe and though the B series looks great, a similarly appointed 2601 runs about another $7,500 and doesn’t have the quick connect feature of the 23s BH. I thought about buying the 2601 with just the FEL and saving up for the backhoe but am worried that if I don’t get the BH from the start, I probably never will.

 

[cathy liebchen]

Go bigger. A BX will do all of those things but painfully slowly

 

[CalG]

Buy what suits you. Use it and see how it goes, They hold value, so you can move up. ( I better be careful here, supply issues!)

But for MY MONEY. 3+ acres and "earth moving "ambitions". The B series might be a better bet.

I enjoy the abilities of my ancient B7200, the 35 HP Hurlimann is a bit disruptive for some tasks , but only just capable for moving earth and stone.

You might be like I am, Get one of each! ;-)

or..Buy once, cry once. Owner types differ!

 

[bcp]

I have a BX on 5 acres. A low BX because the only flat land is under the house. I find the BX right at the limit or not enough every once in a while. On flatter land, a B would be just right for me.

Bruce

 

[dodge man]

I had a BX for 10 years, great little tractors but I agree, a B sized machine would be better for you. So far I’ve never needed a backhoe. I often see advice given to rent a backhoe or trencher and do all your stuff like that at once.

 

[SF82]

Agreed, the B2601 is a good bit more machine than a BX and well worth the extra. Definitely would consider just how much you think you'll use the backhoe in the future. Takes quite a few mini ex rentals to get to that number and a mini ex will do much faster

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I have 3.5 acres in rural Idaho that needs some work and I am trying to decide about tractor options. My needs include general clean up, brush removal, small stump removal, about 400 feet of driveway to put new gravel on, small rock removal, leveling, and trenching for electrical and water lines. My mowing and snow removal needs are taken care of. I’m pretty set on Kubota because the dealer is close and I like them. I’ve been planning on a BX23s for quite sometime but whenever I read threads about the BX line, the advice of upgrading to a bigger tractor is almost always given. I’m convinced I need a backhoe and though the B series looks great, a similarly appointed 2601 runs about another $7,500 and doesn’t have the quick connect feature of the 23s BH. I thought about buying the 2601 with just the FEL and saving up for the backhoe but am worried that if I don’t get the BH from the start, I probably never will.

I cannot imagine how anyone would need to own a backhoe just to use on a 3.5 acre lot. Rent a backhoe, get the backhoe work done and move on. A tractor, especially a compact or sub-compact is not a bulldozer, is not an excavator, is not a stump grinder. Rent the equipment for each of those tasks as needed. That’s my two cents.

 

[Vigo327]

I have a 5 acre property that goes from a hilltop to a creekbed and has some flat and very not-flat sections. I have a B6100 with a loader that is BX-sized, and a B8200 with FEL and backhoe that is closer to B than BX. There are definitely places I will take the B6100 that i wont take the B8200, but that's largely because of the backhoe and if the backhoe was on the 6100 it would be nearly the same effect in terms of limiting what im willing do drive through with it. It's mostly because it will drag its backhoe 'swing mount'/base part, or drag the bucket unless i stick the dipper up, and if i stick the dipper up the tractor gets a lot longer and i have to keep reaching back there and swinging the boom from one spot to another when driving through narrow stuff. But most people wouldn't drive through that many tight spaces to begin with.. it's just something to consider. When driving my backhoe tractor across a steep slope I have swung the boom to the high side as counterweight and that's a nice help for my piece of mind if nothing else.

Im fixing up another B6100 WITH a backhoe for a friend so ive had some opportunity to explore whether I would be satisfied if i downsized my small b8200 backhoe capabilities to even smaller.. and im not sure i'd take that trade. My 6.5ft backhoe is already frustratingly short on reach, plus i use it with a grabber (sort of a thumb thing) to grab and place large rocks and chunks of broken concrete building half-a$$ retaining walls and if it has less lifting ability at the end of its reach it would probably frustrate me.

I love the tinyness of my b6100, wouldn't change a thing about that for loader/3pt stuff since all im doing is landscaping stuff. But for backhoe purposes, i would say my 8200's 6.5ft backhoe is close to bare minimum capabilities and even with owning it i still spend a fair amount of time thinking about getting a slightly larger chinese mini-excavator or adapting a slightly larger backhoe attachment into a skid steer attachment and using it with a small skid steer i have, which in my mind would be the next best thing in function to a mini ex since i could easily move and rotate it while operating the hoe.

I think the bx would 'work' but for backhoe purposes you wouldn't regret going larger. If the backhoe is not very high on the list of why you need a tractor, i wouldn't hesitate to get the BX as the one you'd be getting is basically the size of my larger tractor anyway and overall im very happy with it.

 

[Henro]

I started with 3.5 acres and a B2910 with backhoe and loader. I never regretted buying a tractor larger than a BX, although my son-in-law bought a BX23S for use on 3.2 acres, and I think that was a good choice for him, because most of his property is steeper than mine.

Over the years I’ve gotten a great amount of use out of my backhor and I never regretted buying it. The thing about having a backhoe is it’s there when you need to do something small. You would never rent a backhoe or mini ex to do small jobs. It just would not be cost-effective.

I did buy a BX a year after buying the B2910. Mainly to use as a mower, but it is useful for me in other ways as well. The B is my work horse, but the BX is more stable, but does not have the backhoe or loader.

The B series was the right choice for me. I now have 8 acres and I am still happy with it all in all.

 

[Idahomestead]

So when would you say the BX23S would be the right choice? What situation would it fit best?