Can't decide on property, we want our cake and eat it too

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by mswlogo

I had a B2023DT (Manual), no mower deck. Had box blade, a "Beach Cleaner" and Front End Loader. I sure used it a lot considering it was a small property. I mainly bought it to repair the road that would often wash out and to clean the beach. Saved a lot of time. I also launched my boat with it. A manual was perfect. It gets more power at the PTO. It allowed the beach cleaner to work which normally requires a larger tractor. It was a real "farm tractor". It was MUCH larger than the BX and was a lot cheaper too. A Hydro never would have pulled my 4500Lb boat out of the water either.

I had a BX25 before it. I rarely used the backhoe, and whenever I did I seemed to get into a projects that I should not have I was constantly taking the backhoe off to put on rear implements that I used 95% of the time. I didn't miss the backhoe much when switched.

I have a small riding mower "Home Depot Type" down in MA. Might be all I really need for the lawn.

The previous owner was a builder. He used a commercial graverly walk behind that he left on the property for someone to mow for him. Some of his photos you can spot a bobcat on the property. I think he used it to regrade the steep gravel driveway. I'd like to pave the driveway, eventually but that will be big bucks. I don't want to do it to soon in case I want to do some large projects that might chew it up. But I'm tired of dusty gravel.

Not sure a Kubota is the best thing to spend money on, but if I ever do plan to get one, might as well get it now and put it to work. Lots of folks use them to mow large fields. Not properties like this.

I need to be careful of operating anything on slopes and I don't know the lay of the land yet. I was always worried I'd kill myself on my tractor because there were some steep "cliffs" and one wrong move with the shifter could be deadly (disadvantage of the manual). I've read zero turns can be dangerous on slopes (easy to pop a wheely) especially on non commercial ones that have no weight up front. The walk behind gravely type was probably a good match. I'm not being lazy, riding just saves time and energy for other chores. Best thing I ever did was dump the small walk behind honda I had at home. Mowing went from 3 hours to 1. I'm not drinking beer with the extra 2 hours a week gives me more time at the lake to mow it's lawn.

I want to plant some grass in a lot of un-landscaped rough spots. A tractor would help a ton for that. I always think, what could I use/justify it for and suddenly projects appear and thrilled I had it. Another BX or B might be a good idea. The neighbor I sold it to always said if I ended up with a property that needed it we could undo the deal. But she loves that tractor. She changed her profile pic online to her sitting on the tractor and named it. I could never take it back now. Ooh I just thought of another project. With 0% financing it's really tempting. I bought both at MBTractor in Tilton.

My initial list is:

Paint some bead board (take some rustic edge off).
Refinish porch floor, which is HUGE, done that type work many times.
Paint outside, probably hire someone, way to big, will be a fortune, could be $20k
Needs new roof (not leaking), will be a fortune, probably $20k
Grade and plant grass.
Pave driveway probably another $20k
Sort out all the fire places/stoves/gas inserts (there must be like 8 in all).
Want gas insert in the best spot, need to evaluate chimneys (not masonary). No more wood burning for me.
Need to sort out furniture left behind with ours

Yes, once you have owned a sub-compact tractor it’s hard don’t without one.
Don’t discount the BX’s pulling power! I have a steep driveway and the hydro has pulled all my heavy trailers up the grade many times! The secret is low range and 4wd and also pulling in reverse. I put a front trailer hitch on mine and that was a game changer as you can steer your trailers much easier forward and backwards.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by Hillcountry

Yes, once you have owned a sub-compact tractor it’s hard don’t without one.
Don’t discount the BX’s pulling power! I have a steep driveway and the hydro has pulled all my heavy trailers up the grade many times! The secret is low range and 4wd and also pulling in reverse. I put a front trailer hitch on mine and that was a game changer as you can steer your trailers much easier forward and backwards.

I have a 27hp B series, saved my back many times. Two things I could never be without, my pick up and my tractor!

[mswlogo]

Originally Posted by Hillcountry

Yes, once you have owned a sub-compact tractor it’s hard don’t without one.
Don’t discount the BX’s pulling power! I have a steep driveway and the hydro has pulled all my heavy trailers up the grade many times! The secret is low range and 4wd and also pulling in reverse. I put a front trailer hitch on mine and that was a game changer as you can steer your trailers much easier forward and backwards.

Yeah, the B and BX were both 23HP
What’s nice about the manual is you can control your RPM for implements vs speed more independently.
Pick an RPM you want. Then pick one of 9 gears.
With Hydro you get 3 gears.
Hydro is better for front end loader work.
Manual is better for grading or pulling.
Manual for Mowing fields.
Hydro for Mowing lots of obstacles.
If changing direction a lot Hydro wins.
And size wins if you have the space.
The B had better traction because of bigger tires and weight and it also had a locking rear differential. I don’t think the BX does. I used that a lot.
It’s just easier to make things smoother if it’s bigger.
B also had split brakes. Not that I used it much.

I had a hitch on my box blade.
I moved stuff around all the time.
And I could raise and lower the hitch.

The mowing deck for a Kubota cost almost as much as a low end (Home Depot) zero turn, like a CubCadet. And a low end Zero turn Is twice what conventional rider cost.

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by mswlogo

Yeah, the B and BX were both 23HP
What’s nice about the manual is you can control your RPM for implements vs speed more independently.
Pick an RPM you want. Then pick one of 9 gears.
With Hydro you get 3 gears.
Hydro is better for front end loader work.
Manual is better for grading or pulling.
Manual for Mowing fields.
Hydro for Mowing lots of obstacles.
If changing direction a lot Hydro wins.
And size wins if you have the space.
The B had better traction because of bigger tires and weight and it also had a locking rear differential. I don’t think the BX does. I used that a lot.
It’s just easier to make things smoother if it’s bigger.
B also had split brakes. Not that I used it much.

I had a hitch on my box blade.
I moved stuff around all the time.
And I could raise and lower the hitch.

The mowing deck for a Kubota cost almost as much as a low end (Home Depot) zero turn, like a CubCadet. And a low end Zero turn Is twice what conventional rider cost.

Yup, Kubota accessories are expensive. The BX does have a rear differential lock pedal just under the seat at the back of the floor area.

[NH.Solar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7RsiEJtTQw
Park it under a bi-facial solar canopy and you'll have the best of both worlds!

BX Kubota is an excellent yard tractor but as a former B owner there are two reason's you may not like one; very limited ground clearance and you need to run the rpm up fairly high to get full hydraulic pressure.

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by NH.Solar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7RsiEJtTQw
Park it under a bi-facial solar canopy and you'll have the best of both worlds!

BX Kubota is an excellent yard tractor but as a former B owner there are two reason's you may not like one; very limited ground clearance and you need to run the rpm up fairly high to get full hydraulic pressure.

Yes, and that's why I wear my ear muffs!
Ground clearance I have not had a problem with...I just don't take mine into the woods...need bigger tires for that!

[mswlogo]

Originally Posted by NH.Solar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7RsiEJtTQw
Park it under a bi-facial solar canopy and you'll have the best of both worlds!

BX Kubota is an excellent yard tractor but as a former B owner there are two reason's you may not like one; very limited ground clearance and you need to run the rpm up fairly high to get full hydraulic pressure.

Yes, I posted about the Nautique in the "Electric Jet Ski thread". That is a very cool boat. But it still would not be a boat to commute with to the islands. Need something like a "Deep V" 25ft. And someone even suggested a sleeper in case when you arrive it's bad conditions.

But that Nautique might be doable on NewFound as pleasure / ski boat. I bet it's over $150K though. I do have electricity on the beach front. Which is surprising given that it's a public road.

You bring up another good point on B vs BX, that was another nice thing about the B you didn't need high RPM for working the front end loader. BX80 might be better than the BX25 I had. But you are correct. The PTO is also limited on Hydro transmission. Hydro sucks some HP away. The manual B I had was nearly perfect. It was bigger (more stable), better traction, wider stance, pulled harder, more HP at PTO and it was cheaper. It was just a pain when shifting FWD and Reverse. But that was a small penalty.

I can think of 3 projects for tractor already. 99% sure I'll get another B. I need to be patient (not one of my strong suits) and wait until I scope out the place more. I could get a lot of outside work done before winter comes.

I never had ground clearance issues with BX. But the bigger B is less PSI on your turf because of bigger tires.