Advice on a New BX23S Setup

[Tractor_Chunks]

Hi Guys,

I have a standing order for a BX23S. At first I was going to pay cash, but then decided to go with the financing option. Now implements and accessories are looking rather cheap when rolled into the purchase, so I'm thinking ahead.

My application is in mostly residential areas. This is why I picked a small machine and went with a 54" deck so I could best sneak through spaces. I will be:
-Using the mower less for mowing and more for fall leaf pickup. We have massive old growth trees in our area, and I manage a dozen properties in a 4 block area. I'm going with a DR Power lawn vac to pull behind the tractor. Many places will be hard to get into, but I'll have a helper with a backpack blower.
-Using the backhoe for digging up stumps and old fence posts, and also for minor home renovations - digging out a basement egress window/door would be an example. Digging trench for downspout drains would be another.
-Regrading yards that have gone to hell.
-Regrading gravel driveways.
-Moving dirt and rock for the above projects.
-Moving logs for my small milling operation (I've been using a large vertical bandsaw, but I'm shopping for a proper sawmill).
-Moving material between houses (yard debris, dirt, rock, salt)
-Towing tools between houses (like a wood chipper).
-Moving pallets of stuff (I'm really tired of paying for liftgate service)

So far I'm going for:
BX23S tracktor/loader/backhoe with industrial tires
thumb
12" bucket
bolt-on cutting edge
54" deck + boot kit for my lawn vac
3 point hitch
quick hitch (it isn't clear to me how useful this is)
48" Land Pride box scraper (BB1248)
42" Land Pride forks (PFL1242)

I'm familiar with the lifting limitations - I won't be moving around my 2,500lb pallets of salt. But I think a set of forks will still be very useful.

Is there anything else I should looking into?

I thought about the 3 function diverter and a grapple (dealer was quoting like $1800 for the whole setup), but I had trouble seeing myself make use of that in the spaces I'll be working in. Rarely would there be space to pickup a pile of branches and carry them someplace with a grapple - it would just be too wide. More likely, I'd have to strap branches/logs and tow them out.

I have a pretty nice 34" walk-behind snow blower. I have a hard time seeing myself making a lot of use out of a snow blade. The sidewalks and driveways here are just too wacky - I think I'd just end up braking my tractor.

I wondered about a rake, but I think my dealer was quoting $800 something and that seemed a bit spendy for something I wasn't sure I would use.

An aerator would be cool, but I doubt I have enough yard to justify it. I have a walk-behind aerator being shipped to me right now that I haven't tried out yet.

Am I going to want to have turf tires too?

What about small things? ROPS mounted worklights?

Thanks!

 

[Roadworthy]

I think you'd find the Kubota worklight rather anemic and limiting. You may wish to consider installation of an aftermarket LED worklight of your own. I am.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

A couple other things have come to mind:

Is there a Kubota or Land Pride hitch receiver I could get? Something that works with quick hitch maybe? I have a combination of ball hitch and pin-hitch items that I need to move around, so switching between things would ideally not involve tools.

Is there a nice way to put a platform on the back of the machine? Either pallet forks, or something else, to have a way to haul goods on the back? Could be for either materials or tools. Almost like having a little dump bed, but I don't need it to dump. I guess I could always throw things in the loader, assuming that I had that on the machine for whatever I was doing. Thinking chainsaw, stump grinder, etc... Even just personal safety items like gloves, earmuffs, face shield. I don't see any nice way to keep your stuff with you.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I've had my BX23S for just over a year and it's a GREAT size for what I do,though it'll never have a mower on it. Get the SSQA up front ! Apparently you can get 'pin connect' bucket but SSQA is the ONLY way to go.
re: digging...can only go 6 feet down and not 'tight' against buildings like a miniex can,so you'll move 3-4x the dirt to dig egress and weepers.If 'time is money', rent a miniex for the job.
A 'carry-all' is what I call 'something on the back for hauling this and that'. Maybe one of those wiremeshed 2" sleeved units for cars will work for you ? It sounds like you might be swapping rear implements often, so perhaps semi permanent storage on the ROPS for 'must have ' items ?
re: ROPS. If you can leave UP all the time , that's a huge bonus ! I have to lower mine to get into garage...PITB ! Aftermarket LEDS can be installed in the existing holes, 2 fwd, 2 bkw, I'm designing LEDS for the loader frame as the headlights are ,well, useless with bucket or Pforks on !
Consider a 'sunshade' ! I need one but dang ROPS too tall again.....
upgrade the front tires !! KENDA K514 series , 6 ply,1100# capacity. if, IF, I could buy a pair up here they WOULD be on ! The OEM GM ones ,blistered out @ 215hrs of light use. Kubota replaced them free after I told them I was 'not a happy customer'.

 

[johnjk]

There are plenty of collapsible sun shades out on the market. I have a Tuff-Top, comes in Kubota Orange and you can either take it off for transport or fold it down with the ROPS to get in your garage. Definitely worth every penny if you are going to be out in the sun any amount of time.

I had a quick hitch (Harbor Freight) and ended up taking it off and going with Pat's Quick Hitch. Much better, easier to use especially when your attachments do not have a standard width to them.

Box blade works well for gravel, but have you considered a Land Plane? For an established gravel driveway this may be a better choice for you. My drive is over 1100' in length. I used the box blade for a couple years and this summer I added crusher run and had much better luck spreading it by feathering the dump on the FEL to distribute then backdragging with the FEL. The box blade still gets used, but mainly for trail maintenance.

 

[dirtydeed]

Looks like you've got thing pretty much covered. As others have posted, you could build yourself a carry all for the 3 point.

Regarding the forks/hitch option, check these out. The first link is to the Titan SSQA pallet forks with built in receiver. I have a set of these and it works great.

https://www.palletforks.com/skid-st...rs-and-pallet-forks/FRLDREC.html?lang=default

The second option (also from Titan) is a clamp on mount.

https://www.palletforks.com/skid-st...lamp-on-bucket-hitch/192100.html?lang=default

This piece can be quickly mounted to your bucket . In both cases, your trailer hitch would be mounted to the loader. Much easier to put any piece of equipment exactly where you want it. I had one of these as well and it worked great. I just didn't need it any longer after getting the ssqa pallet forks with receiver.

In any event, congrats on your order. The BX23 is a great machine. I had one for a dozen years when I had a part time landscaping business. That machine made quite a bit of money for me then.

 

[B737]

You are lined up for the Artillian attachment system...

def get SSQA as has been suggested here. I would not buy Land Pride Pallet forks, or a separate receiver hitch... Buy the Artillian fork frame, and his forks. You will get a receiver built into the frame. Down the road when you are ready for a grapple, you can simply add a grapple (or double grapple) to the frame. Need a mini stump bucket? can add that later too. You can DIY 3rd function later for the price of the kit (around $700). I cant believe they want $1500 to furnish and install the thing.

His system is light, and compact, its the perfect match for the BX.

https://www.artillian.com/products/pallet-fork-frames-forks/

 

[RCW]

For a receiver hitch, I got one of these "Draw Bar Extensions" to replace the drawbar plate. Works great, and you could make one pretty simply.

https://omni-mfg.com/Kubota-BX-Fixed-Draw-Bar-Extention--P2919512.aspx

I also have a drawbar I put on the QH or between the 3 PH lower links, but you need to be careful with a 2 wheel trailer lifting the tongue and your 3 PH links too.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

Regarding the forks/hitch option, check these out. The first link is to the Titan SSQA pallet forks with built in receiver. I have a set of these and it works great.

https://www.palletforks.com/skid-st...rs-and-pallet-forks/FRLDREC.html?lang=default

This says 98lb as the weight. That can't be right. Do you know the actual total weight?
A hitch on the nose of the tractor is not what I had in mind. You use this just for minor positioning of things? I don't see myself hauling something a few blocks in reverse.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

For a receiver hitch, I got one of these "Draw Bar Extensions" to replace the drawbar plate. Works great, and you could make one pretty simply.

https://omni-mfg.com/Kubota-BX-Fixed-Draw-Bar-Extention--P2919512.aspx

I also have a drawbar I put on the QH or between the 3 PH lower links, but you need to be careful with a 2 wheel trailer lifting the tongue and your 3 PH links too.

I would love to make some of my own parts. I'm only setup to weld 1/4" steel though. I may new a new welder soon. When you say be careful, do you mean not to exceed the weight rating on the 3PH?

 

[BXHoosier]

I have a hitch carrier I use as a carry-all. It fits into the 2 inch receiver on the frame I built for the 3-point. The frame also fits my hang-on bucket forks. I plan to build a rear ballast to hang on the frame as well.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

You are lined up for the Artillian attachment system...

def get SSQA as has been suggested here. I would not buy Land Pride Pallet forks, or a separate receiver hitch... Buy the Artillian fork frame, and his forks. You will get a receiver built into the frame. Down the road when you are ready for a grapple, you can simply add a grapple (or double grapple) to the frame. Need a mini stump bucket? can add that later too. You can DIY 3rd function later for the price of the kit (around $700). I cant believe they want $1500 to furnish and install the thing.

His system is light, and compact, its the perfect match for the BX.

https://www.artillian.com/products/pallet-fork-frames-forks/

The Land Pride PFL1242 forks are $650 and I can roll them into the 5 year 0% financing. I played around with the numbers and from an investment perspective, anything I roll into the financing "looks" at least 30% cheaper than its sticker price, because of my time value of money. I looked at the Land Pride forks in person and I liked them better than the Kubota 36" forks shown in the BX literature. If I remember correctly, the Kubota forks are heavier too. The only thing I didn't like about the PFL1242 is the 220lb weight. I know they're intended for compacts, but they still seem way overbuilt for what the BX23S can handle.

The Artillian forks seem to be $950 before shipping and I'm not sure of their total weight.

 

[B737]

wow those things are heavy. The Artillian forks are around 120-130 pounds. Earth and Turf also has sub compact forks for $650 that come in at 120 pounds, but do not offer the grapple, stump bucket, receiver system that Artillian offers.

if you want to pay over time through Kubota then you are kind of limited to specific options. But In the long run the Artillian system may come out to be less money, more compact, lighter weight, easier to store. With BX's limited lifting capacity, every single pound matters.

If you add EA 55" grapple later, you're looking at ~$2000 and it's 240 pounds. Artillian grapple while smaller, is modular, weighs just 90 pounds, cost $900 (+ the $600 frame). I think the land pride grapple is 48" and 150 pounds, no idea on cost.

i guess it just depends what direction you want to go. For me, I buy based on weight first because of how small, and how limited our capacities are.

 

[NoBiffBetter]

I have a hitch carrier I use as a carry-all. It fits into the 2 inch receiver on the frame I built for the 3-point. The frame also fits my hang-on bucket forks. I plan to build a rear ballast to hang on the frame as well.

I really like this man.. I had the exact same idea .. I don’t like the typical countryline carryall for the bx because in my option it’s a tad too large and looks kind of off putting.. my plan was to buy a 2” receiver atv rack that harbor freight sells and just slide that into the back of my custom made heavy-

hitch .. this way it’s not so big a bulky yet serves it’s purpose and is easy to remove.. yours looks just like the rack I was looking to buy from harbor freight.. is it?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

Just heard from my dealers on the cost of a couple items:

48" Land Pride aerator (CA1548) would be $1400
The tiller (RTR1242) would be $2100, but he advised that the slightly bigger RTR1250 would be better because the 1242 doesn't fully the tracks of the tractor. The RTR1250 would be $2200.
These are both more expensive than I'd guessed. It isn't clear to me, for something like completely regrading and reseeding a residential lawn, how useful the tiller would be vs just using the box scraper.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

wow those things are heavy. The Artillian forks are around 120-130 pounds. Earth and Turf also has sub compact forks for $650 that come in at 120 pounds, but do not offer the grapple, stump bucket, receiver system that Artillian offers.

if you want to pay over time through Kubota then you are kind of limited to specific options. But In the long run the Artillian system may come out to be less money, more compact, lighter weight, easier to store. With BX's limited lifting capacity, every single pound matters.

If you add EA 55" grapple later, you're looking at ~$2000 and it's 240 pounds. Artillian grapple while smaller, is modular, weighs just 90 pounds, cost $900 (+ the $600 frame). I think the land pride grapple is 48" and 150 pounds, no idea on cost.

i guess it just depends what direction you want to go. For me, I buy based on weight first because of how small, and how limited our capacities are.

I must be missing something. The Artillian frame (https://www.artillian.com/product/3000-lb-ssqa-pallet-fork-frame/) comes in at 99lb.
A pair of Artillian forks (https://www.artillian.com/product/42-inch-x-3-inch-standard-taper-fork-tine-pair/) come in at 120lb
So that's 219lb total for the Artillian.
The Land Pride PFL1242 (frame and forks altogether, I THINK), comes in at 220lb.
$650 for the Land Pride with 0% financing, or $950 cash now for the Artillian.
Am I putting it together wrong?
Besides the hitch receiver, I don't see a big difference.

I'm looking at the Artillian grapple products now.

 

[michigander]

The land pride fork set looks to have a nice backrest guard something to keep in mind.

 

[RCW]

When you say be careful, do you mean not to exceed the weight rating on the 3PH?

Actually two things to watch for. Usually not catastrophic, but something to be mindful of, ad things can go REAL bad REAL quick. Doesn’t matter if the tractor weighs 2,000 pounds or 20,000; you will poop yourself! [emoji15]

First, if you tow with a “drawbar” between your 3ph lower links ( or quick-hitch for me), the 3PH can rise up since there’s no down pressure. Problem on downhill slopes, or when there isn’t much weight on the tongue.

Second, if you pull real hard from a level above the elevation of the rear axles, there’s a chance to tip over backwards, or more commonly at least make the front end very light. Pulling from the side up high could cause a flip.

I prefer to pull trailers with a “fixed drawbar.” It’s very low, at the rear axle height, which keeps things from getting squirrelly. It’s how big tractors pull.

I will attach pictures of both types, as I have them on my tractor now.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pjoh784350]

I love my BX23s, but the only drawback is the capacity with forks on. It's really a low capacity and I find that having LOTS of pallets on hand makes it a lot easier. I end up stacking lots of pallets on top of each other, still easier and quicker than loading/offloading all that material. I understood the capacity issue, but until you go to pick up a small pallet of material and can't that you "realize" the capacity limitations.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

If you can /are setup to weld 1/4" steel , you can make ANYTHING for your BX23S ! Do what I do, grb pictures of what you want, then cut/hack/weld....
Having SSQA allows you to make 'blank' panels, then weld on whatever.....
Currently I've got a SSQA selfpowerd dual snowblower...the 'proof of concept' design works, just need time, to tweak 'this and that'. I'm hoping to have less than 500 Canucks into it, far less than the 8,000 'they' want for one...