Thinking about a bx1880.

79 powerking

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Equipment
1970 economy 1614 1979 powerking 1614 at least they're orange.
Feb 4, 2021
33
11
8
Lemont Furnace Pa
Looking at a new bx1880 with 48" mmm and loader. My local dealer is the murphy family dealership in Washington pa. Anyone ever deal with them?
 

PaulL

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Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,098
1,106
113
NZ
Nope. But you'll get the obligatory questions. I'll start. :)
  • Why a BX1880 and not the BX2380? I think most people go with the 23, and it seems to have better resale. It's not that much more power, but it gets slightly bigger wheels as well
  • 48 inch MMM - any reason for that? The BX1880 will easily run the 54", and the BX2350 will easily run the 60". Do you specifically need a 48" to fit into some gaps you have?
 

atitus

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Equipment
BX1880+FEL,MMM,Blower
Feb 11, 2019
144
21
18
Worcester, MA
Very good questions being asked. I have the 1880 and 48" deck. I'm generally happy with it. If I was choosing again, would get the 2380 and the 54" deck. It's actually easier to get closer to things with the larger deck as it sticks out further from the frame of the tractor.
 

79 powerking

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Equipment
1970 economy 1614 1979 powerking 1614 at least they're orange.
Feb 4, 2021
33
11
8
Lemont Furnace Pa
I have limited storage area and I've always heard a smaller deck mows better. When i was a kid we had an old bolens articulated mower with a 3' deck it mowed real nice.
 

Chinook3

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BX2380,FEL344S,LP forks,BX2816snowb50,mmm60, log arch, Wicked 55 grapple
Nov 13, 2020
31
24
8
Michigan
I have limited storage area and I've always heard a smaller deck mows better. When i was a kid we had an old bolens articulated mower with a 3' deck it mowed real nice.
Storage is an issue for me as well. This is what I did to compress deck storage.

Chinook3
 

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Jmsossi

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Equipment
Bx1880 bx2830 rck54-23
Oct 8, 2013
27
31
13
Calumet, mi
Looking at a new bx1880 with 48" mmm and loader. My local dealer is the murphy family dealership in Washington pa. Anyone ever deal with them?
I purchased the bx1880 just because of its smaller size so it would fit in my storage shed the 2380 has larger tires and with a cab would of been to high to get in the door.
I have a 54” deck with mine and as for power the 1880 has plenty of power for mowing and blowing snow. Just had about a foot of heavy wet snow and could through the snow about 30 ft no problem.
 

xrocketengineer

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX1880, FEL, Grapple, 36 in. Forks, 48in. MMM, Quick Spade, Ripper
Nov 14, 2020
688
568
93
Merritt Island, Florida
I have the Bx1880 with the 48 in MMM and pin on bucket. The reason for the mower size is storage and going through gates and in between trees since I only have an acre. It is also lighter when servicing time comes. However, the storage scheme that Chinook3 shows in the picture for the deck does not work with the 48 in MMM since the rear anti-scalp rollers are fitted differently.
The reason for the pin on bucket was to have less dead weight. I used instead a the AI2 Quick Attach to switch implements, about 35lbs. vs 100 lbs for the SSQA. Additionally, I purchased the tractor with a 48 in Land Pride grapple. If I had chosen the SSQA would have been 54 in and even more weight.
Since the BX1880 uses smaller front wheels and smaller all 4 tires, the only tire choices are turf or R1's. I got the R1's and they pretty much destroyed my lawn. The front tires are too small and sink in our wet soil. I can pretty much only use the FEL during the dry season. Still, I have managed to remove and haul out a bunch of palms that otherwise would not have been possible without the tractor. Additionally, when mowing, the 4wd would get me out of trouble many times. That was the main reason for getting the tractor. My 38 in Husqvarna was getting stuck left and right and I had messed up my shoulders trying to get it unstuck.
I have since replaced the tires and wheels hoping that they will help to heal my lawn and so far it looks that way. The rainy season is not here yet, so we will have to see.
 

79 powerking

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Equipment
1970 economy 1614 1979 powerking 1614 at least they're orange.
Feb 4, 2021
33
11
8
Lemont Furnace Pa
Well I placed my order. Bx1880 with FEL 48"MMM 3 point draw bar with reciever for a hitch and suitcase weight mount. How many weights should i buy for the draw bar?
 
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79 powerking

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1970 economy 1614 1979 powerking 1614 at least they're orange.
Feb 4, 2021
33
11
8
Lemont Furnace Pa
Forgot about the rear wheel weights and quick connect pallet forks. I heat with wood so the forks will help out with lifting logs. The drawbar is for pulling a trailer around the yard moving firewood. My dealer says i shouldn't need any weights on the drawbar. You guy own these tractors I don't yet. What do you guys think?
 

PaulL

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B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,098
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You shouldn't need weights on the drawbar for anything. If you needed weights, they're usually ballast for when using the loader. For that, you're better with a ballast box that goes on the 3ph. Then it lifts itself, you don't have to lift the weights on.
 

79 powerking

Member

Equipment
1970 economy 1614 1979 powerking 1614 at least they're orange.
Feb 4, 2021
33
11
8
Lemont Furnace Pa
You shouldn't need weights on the drawbar for anything. If you needed weights, they're usually ballast for when using the loader. For that, you're better with a ballast box that goes on the 3ph. Then it lifts itself, you don't have to lift the weights on.
Im planning to use the drawbar instead of a ballast box. How much weight will i need?
 

xrocketengineer

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Equipment
BX1880, FEL, Grapple, 36 in. Forks, 48in. MMM, Quick Spade, Ripper
Nov 14, 2020
688
568
93
Merritt Island, Florida
Forgot about the rear wheel weights and quick connect pallet forks. I heat with wood so the forks will help out with lifting logs. The drawbar is for pulling a trailer around the yard moving firewood. My dealer says i shouldn't need any weights on the drawbar. You guy own these tractors I don't yet. What do you guys think?
You will need some ballast when using the FEL. I went cheap and bought the cheapest and smallest 2 in. cargo carrier. I use four concreteblocks 16x16x4 about 90 lbs each that I already had. The manual recommends about 420 lbs.
 

PaulL

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B2601
Jul 17, 2017
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I've never heard of someone using the drawbar for weights. How do the weights attach to it? Ballast boxes are really cheap, seems quite unusual what you're planning.
 

79 powerking

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Equipment
1970 economy 1614 1979 powerking 1614 at least they're orange.
Feb 4, 2021
33
11
8
Lemont Furnace Pa
I've never heard of someone using the drawbar for weights. How do the weights attach to it? Ballast boxes are really cheap, seems quite unusual what you're planning.
There's a couple companys that make a drawbar with a 2"×2" hitch reciever and a bar to hang suitcase weights on. Titan attachments and heavy hitch are a couple I found.
 

PaulL

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B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,098
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Are that bar and suitcase weights cheaper than a ballast box? I think a ballast box would be easier to work with, and you can fill it with anything heavy - I have old bricks in mine, but sand, dirt, stones, even water I guess would work. So the only cost is the ballast box itself, and they're relatively cheap. With the receiver and suitcase weights, you're going to need to lift each suitcase weight onto the drawbar. With a 3ph ballast box, you just back up to it, hook up, lift the 3ph and you're off.

Each to their own I guess, but sometimes the most common solution has a reason for it.
 
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79 powerking

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Equipment
1970 economy 1614 1979 powerking 1614 at least they're orange.
Feb 4, 2021
33
11
8
Lemont Furnace Pa
Are that bar and suitcase weights cheaper than a ballast box? I think a ballast box would be easier to work with, and you can fill it with anything heavy - I have old bricks in mine, but sand, dirt, stones, even water I guess would work. So the only cost is the ballast box itself, and they're relatively cheap. With the receiver and suitcase weights, you're going to need to lift each suitcase weight onto the drawbar. With a 3ph ballast box, you just back up to it, hook up, lift the 3ph and you're off.

Each to their own I guess, but sometimes the most common solution has a reason for it.
 

79 powerking

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Equipment
1970 economy 1614 1979 powerking 1614 at least they're orange.
Feb 4, 2021
33
11
8
Lemont Furnace Pa
I was thinking I would isolate the 3 point travel from the deck lift and use the drawbar when pulling one of my trailers. When using the FEL I could put the suitcase weights on for counterweight. That's why I'm here to get some opinions.
 

armylifer

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BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
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113
Thurston County, WA
I would recommend getting a quick hitch and putting it on the 3 point permanently. You could use the QH to attach many implements to it including a towing hitch on a drawbar. Here is an example of using the QH with barbell weights as ballast when moving rocks.
DSCN0337.JPG
 
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79 powerking

Member

Equipment
1970 economy 1614 1979 powerking 1614 at least they're orange.
Feb 4, 2021
33
11
8
Lemont Furnace Pa
I would recommend getting a quick hitch and putting it on the 3 point permanently. You could use the QH to attach many implements to it including a towing hitch on a drawbar. Here is an example of using the QH with barbell weights as ballast when moving rocks. View attachment 54526
This will be something to keep in mind. Thanks