Quality Control Problems with BX Series?

Oct 24, 2019
228
8
18
IN
Just got off the phone with my dealer, wondering why I don't have a tractor yet. He told me that instead of transferring a BX23S from another location, he'd just put in a retail order. However, he found out this week that Kubota is holding all shipments of their BX tractors due to some quality control problem. My dealer didn't know what the problem(s) was. Does anyone here know what might be going on? I hope I don't receive something imperfect.

My dealer did offer to drop off another machine for me to use while I was waiting for my order. I was pretty surprised by this.
 

Roadworthy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L2501 HST
Aug 17, 2019
1,649
525
113
Benton City, WA
The quality control problem may be the hold up but if fixed it will probably prevent a future recall. That could make it "better" than the ones sold before the recall. As far as an imperfect versus a perfect tractor - I don't think there is a perfect tractor, car, truck, microwave, or anything else. Just be thankful the problem is being addressed befor the tractor is delivered.
 

beex

Member
May 21, 2019
312
5
18
on my bx
I wonder if they are fixing the POS leaking flat face quad connection everybody complains about.


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greeno

Member

Equipment
B2710 w/LA402 FEL, BL4690 hoe, RB1560, GS1560, Haban 5' sickle bar, 5' JD RC
Jul 14, 2018
187
2
18
Big Lake MN
Sounds like it’s not a Quality Control problem if they are keeping defects from leaving the factory, which is what the QC department is supposed to do.


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BAP

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2012 Kubota 2920, 60MMM, FEL, BH65 48" Bush Hog, 60"Backblade, B2782B Snowblower
Dec 31, 2012
2,513
657
113
New Hampshire
I fixed that problem once and for all yesterday
Except for the fact that pioneer style couplers are prone to leaking too. After time, they will leak like a sieve.
 

orange crusher

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2680
Sep 30, 2017
356
479
63
ontario canada
Except for the fact that pioneer style couplers are prone to leaking too. After time, they will leak like a sieve.


Perhaps, but they are easily serviced with new "O" rings commonly available.
If they need replacement, it is a $15.00 piece as opposed to a $57.00 piece at your friendly Kubota dealer.

Point being that after buying a "premium" tractor I really am not content to have it pissing out oil all over my driveway and garage floor. The dealer has had two attempts to fix it and Kubota continues to use crap parts without any solution on the horizon.
 

FUSE

Member

Equipment
B3350-B2650-Z125s-KX008-Bobcat MT100-Case/Davis TF310
May 24, 2017
77
10
8
North Dakota
That single action quad connect is garbage..... from experience our 23s was replaced twice and the 2680 was 3 times..... 3 times in 14 months of ownership. It was leaking again when it got traded in. Every time warranty and they would just replace the entire assembly.
 

MadMax31

Member

Equipment
BX23S, 60" MMM
Nov 5, 2014
766
8
18
New York
That single action quad connect is garbage..... from experience our 23s was replaced twice and the 2680 was 3 times..... 3 times in 14 months of ownership. It was leaking again when it got traded in. Every time warranty and they would just replace the entire assembly.

Thats crazy, my BX23S leaked once, as I didnt connect it squarely. Now I make sure its lined up and I reef on the ends. No leaks since. My biggest gripe is the paw loader mast lock. I almost bought 2 70 series loader masts and swapped them out to go back to a locking pin setup. Loader hasnt popped off more than once, but that was enough to shake my confidence in its long term reliability.

It’s certainly quicker than the old generations, but is the 5 minutes worth having a sloppy loader and leaky hydraulic connections?
 

beex

Member
May 21, 2019
312
5
18
on my bx
No, absolutely not worth it, my 60 series loader is about 45 seconds on or off, yea have to get off the seat to put stand up or down, connect disconnect lines. If getting off the seat is a problem, you probably shouldn’t be doing whatever you’re doing with the loader.

but still 45 seconds, zero leaks in 10 years, zero mounting problems in 10 yeas, vs what? 20 seconds on / off plus how much time cleaning up the oil mess and fiddling with replacing connectors, working with the dealer... frustration?

On the general topic of design/ quality of the BX

Glad I got the 60 series when I did. 70 series ROPS sucked, the common story at that time was bashing garage doors with the too tall and ugly looking ROPs. people cut them down, or bought the old 60 series ROPS and swapped it out. They moved the brake to the left side, but who cares, no one uses it except as a parking brake, I like it better on the right side to keep the left side more open for entry exit.

80 series loader sucks, new grill guard doesn’t suck but not as good, looks kinda ugly, old removable cowling gives better access than the 1 pierce hood, so in my opinion new hood design is not as good, optional drive over MMM sucks, takes longer to fiddle with, the 54” fine cut MMM not available (IMHO the best BX MMM deck). overall I think no improvements in 10 years, oh except they have better tie rod bushings, only improvement in 10 years.

The 50 series had plastic cracking problems and transmission jerky problems. The original bx2200 was good but there where later improvements like integrated loader valve, better bakes, better dash, better looking, better MMM.

I really think the 60 series was the peak, close to perfect.

If something changed and I needed a TLB or a higher HP BX, I would first shop for a low hours 60 series before going for an 80. Or go to the B01 series, would hesitate on those because they are too tippy, same width as BX but much higher. The other near perfect Kubota is the B2650/LX2650, don’t see anything wrong with those. Standard Ls have the split brakes on the wrong side. Grand L, very good, but very complicated computer controlled stuff, probably good for the home fixit guy.

Sorry for the rambling, but wanted to put that out, see what others think.


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dalola

Member

Equipment
BX2380 w/FEL & Woods RM48 RFM, Yazoo/Kees Max2 ZTR
Jun 30, 2017
316
6
18
Ohio
I love my 2380.....going on year 3, no major issues at all. Have the FEL on & off several times a month in the spring/summer/fall, never a leak.

I have no experience with the older BX's, so I can't compare, but I certainly have no complaints with the one I have, which I choose over comparable JD, LS, & Kioti from my comparison shopping 3 years ago.
 

NBKubota

New member

Equipment
2650HSDC
Aug 3, 2017
75
0
0
New Brunswick
I love my 2380.....going on year 3, no major issues at all. Have the FEL on & off several times a month in the spring/summer/fall, never a leak.



I have no experience with the older BX's, so I can't compare, but I certainly have no complaints with the one I have, which I choose over comparable JD, LS, & Kioti from my comparison shopping 3 years ago.
This is good to hear, just had a new BX2380 dropped off yesterday! Hoping it works as well as my B2650 did!

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beex

Member
May 21, 2019
312
5
18
on my bx
well, don’t get me wrong, I think the 80 series is a nice machine, I’m just putting out my preferences.


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leveraddict

Well-known member

Equipment
2017 BX23S 60" LP BoxBlade 54" mower 60" BackBlade EA 12" 1 bottom plow & Forks
Apr 1, 2019
906
580
93
NEPA
Lots of talk about leaks and no leaks on the quick coupler! I wonder if the machines that leaked at the quick coupler had the hydraulic pressure increased over speck? I bought the shims and gage. Mine was in speck so I didn't try to increase it. If it drops some over the years Ill throw a shim in it.
 

beex

Member
May 21, 2019
312
5
18
on my bx
mine dropped a little below spec after 8 years, I shimmed it back to mid spec range.


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FUSE

Member

Equipment
B3350-B2650-Z125s-KX008-Bobcat MT100-Case/Davis TF310
May 24, 2017
77
10
8
North Dakota
Our 23s had shims, was within spec, leaked twice. Behaved after the second replacement.

Our 2680 no shims and leaked 3 times, when kubota took it back it was leaking again
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
546
83
USA
I have a 3 set stacked with flow control valve on both my M's and they are Pioneer and they all will leak but as said, fix is quick, new 'O' rings, Takes about 30 seconds per connector and the 'O' ring sets are available about anywhere that has Pioneer fittings. I like Pioneer because they disconnect and connect under pressure and breakaway under stress conditions.
 
Oct 24, 2019
228
8
18
IN
I was in the store today buying a Stihl BR800CE backpack blower and was able to speak to my dealer again about my tractor order. He said the QC problem has something to do with the seat of the BX. He said since the seat is considered part of the safety system of the tractor, that puts production to a halt.

Inching up on 4 weeks since I placed the order....sigh.