Which Kubota BX

[CurtisB]

Hello, I am new to the list but am thinking about buying a Kubota BX series tractor. I have 1.5 acres that I am going to be building a custom home on and want a tractor that will serve all my needs on this property. The land is currently wooded with lots of boulders and I will be doing alot of the cleanup myself.

I am leaning towards the BX1500 because I do not need a large tractor. My original instinct was to go with a GX345 JD but when I started researching the Kubota I found it a much better tractor for the price and the options available are much greater.

I am going to mainly use it to do the following: mowing, pushing dirt and snow, snowblowing, moving rocks and dirt and leveling with a rear blade. I think the BX1500 will accomplish most of this but I am a little concerned about the HP. The BX2230 seems like a big jump in price and I am not sure whether it will be worth it for my purposes.

Any oppinions or comments?

Thanks.
Curtis

 

[Bilser]

I was considering a 1500 because I didn't think I really needed any more power for what I wanted to do. My dealer explained that the 1800 is quieter due to it's 3 cylinders. He also pointed out the massive steel counter weight required on the 2 cylinder 1500 to keep the vibration down. The 1800 and 2200 are engines produced by Kubota whereas the 1500 is supplied by another company. In addition the 1800 and 2200 have a longer wheel bases. Arguably that can improve the ride. To make my story short I bought the 1800 and am glad I did. The 1500 may be great and the 2200 may be better but afer 120 hour of seat time since September 2003 I'm happy.

Bill

 

[art]

I haven't heard of any power complaints from the 1500 owners. For your lot size and any potential landscaping the 1500 is more then enough and would give decades of service. The shorter wheel base is a plus for you for manuverability. The loader would be such an asset for gardening and yard clean-up. The money saved from buying the larger tractor might give you an extra attachment or two. The largest deck you can get for that tractor is the 54" which seems to be the same on that as the 60" on the 1830.

 

[Wood_Butcher_Dav]

I can only comment about the BX2200. First what ever you get make sure it has a FEL you will find many uses for this. I have done a lot of landscaping around my place and it has done everything that I have ask of it. I have turf tires but I have a set of rear tire chains for playing in mud or snow. Pulls a 4 foot box blade or 5 foot rear blade with no problems. I will be getting the 60" mower deck as soon as my 42" MTD craps out.

Dave

 

[DaveInColorado]

As a BX1500 owner on 1.7 acres, I add my 2 cents: It does all I ever ask of it in quiet syle! I have a 36" tiller and a 42" box blade plus the FEL and a 54" mower deck. I may get a posthole digger in the spring. The 54" deck is extremely well built. Don't even think of going with the 48" deck - it is not as heavy duty (but still pretty good). I've never run out of power, but I do run out of traction sometimes when I use the box blade. I don't think the BX2200 would fix that problem, and it is mostly a learning-to-use-the-dang-tool issue anyway.

From what I've learned, the 15hp diesel is a more modern or later-designed engine than the 18hp or 22hp diesels. Don't listen to the other opinions - it is not noisy and does not vibrate much once you get off idle speed, which I always do immediately after I start it up. It is a great engine! I think it is the new D902 diesel, as featured in the following web link: http://www.engine.kubota.ne.jp/english/prod/01.html. You can follow that link all over the place to answer all of your engine questions. In my opinion, a Kubota BX1500 on 1.5 acres is going to outlast You. My sons run mine all over the neighborhood doing landscaping and I still expect it to outlast me.

 

[kevinj]

Colorado Dave and I agree on the BX1500 operation and performance. I would like to know if that 2 banger is Kubota built. When I bought mine I was told it was Kubota built.

 

[art]

I do believe it is to the best of my knowledge.

 

[KEVIN7]

I haven't commented in months on this forum but thought I should throw my opinion in on the BX1500 too. I bought a BX1500 in March of last year and have 120 hours on it. Of course, I too was concerned about the 15 HP but was convinced immediately that it was not an issue. I bought the loader, rear blade and 54" deck. Last spring I moved about 75 ton of gravel into french drains w/o a hitch. The engine has a mild vibration at low idle but no biggie. The mower works great and I have cleared snow on our 400' driveway a few times this year using the loader and rear blade turned backwards and angled. Keep your speed up in reverse and the blade works fine. I also was told the engine is made by Kubota. Bottom line is I have no complaints and am not sorry I didn't buy the BX1800 or BX2200 at the time. I'm sure they are all great machines but the BX1500 is worth a test drive.

 

[Henro]

I Bought a BX2200 last summer. I wanted a smaller tractor for grass cutting and misc. things. I already have a B2910 so I did not get the BX2200 over the BX1500 for size reasons.

I mainly did not like the BX1500 engine. That extra flywheel for balancing did not turn me on. It is probably not an issue. It just did not seem like something that should be needed.

There is a fair jump in price from the 1500 to the 1800, but from the 1800 to the 2200 was something like $500, so I ended up with the 2200. For reasons that have all ready been stated by others in this thread. Also liked the 60" mower.

In Japan, Kubota offers a 2 cylinder diesel in their tractors down to 10.5 hp. There is no rotating weight on them. They look just like the 3 cyl. engines, with one cyl. missing. I did not think to put my hand on one running so I don't know about vibration...I doubt it would be THAT bad, but I don't know.

Attached is a shot of a Kubota Granbia-boy Series GB11.5. Engine size is 2 cyl. 10.5 hp.

I will also post an engine pic...

 

[Henro]

Here is an engine shot. Hope it is not too dark...

These pictures were taken last November when I was in Japan. I have more and if I ever get them resized I will start a seperate thread showing them... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif