Just after the last mowing of the 2004 season, I decided to consolidate my venerable ole TE20 and practically new JD L130 into one SubCut. I had been needing an FEL for the longest time and even found an old kit that would bolt up to the TE20 for around $500. But after giving the kit a good daylight check out and seeing that not only did every hose need replacment but that all those cracks in it's frame would lead to future problems, I started looking at the TE20 in a different light. I could have kept it, I'd had it around 15 yrs, but with space at a premium and seeing as how I like to keep my machinery in the dry, it was time for it to help someone else to tame some new property elsewhere, like it did for me.
I also took along hard look at the L130 and even though it was one of the best riding lawn mowers I've ever had, I decided that it too would serve someone else better as my new SubCut would do alittle of everything, especially finish mow so it too had to go.
Both sold within a few days of putting them out by the road with a fer-sail sign on 'em and I got my price for each. So with with a good year behind me and an additional $4500 in cold cash, selling of the TE20 before, the L130 a few days after, I started on my very enjoyable quest to bring a diesel powered SubCut back to the humble abode. :bannana:
I went to every tractor dealer within 100 miles and test drove every brand I could. And let me tell you, every brand had their good and bad points and all were close enough in size/capacity/features/pricing that I decided that getting to know the dealer/dealership/service dept would figure in as much as the hardware did. To make a long story short, it ended up that I was most at ease dealing with a Kubota/Toro dealer and another Kubota/MF dealer. Some of the other dealers didn't want to or couldn't deal while some others acted like I was wasteing their time so the decision to go orange was easy, picking which dealer would collect what I considered a large sum of my hard earned $$$'s wasn't. This checkout phase took a month. Thank goodness my job gets me out and about.... :fing32:
Since both were similar I went with the closest and have had a good relationship since. They made me a good deal up front and have made more since the sale, re. scheduled maintenance materials. When I go to add some more implements I'll go there 1st and if/when I go bigger, they'll get the 1st visit too!
The BX23 has done all that I've tasked it too do and more. As a finish mower it's 60" floating MMM, power steering and HST makes finish mowing pleasurable. The combined decibles of the engine and MMM at PTO speed is so low that I don't needed ear protection and it's low center of gravity makes mowing on hills stressfree. I've only needed 4wd to get out of some deep muck and at other times the traction lock got me out. I've yet to get it stuck!
The FEL is adequite and could use some more breakout power but 85% of the time it does an outstanding job of digging and replacing my ole wheelbarrow.
The BH works surprisingly well once I figured out how to work it properly and both are so easy to mount dismount that I leave them off when mowing and when needed can mount either or both without any tools in a few minutes.
I've since put on alittle over 100hrs since and I still highly enjoy operating it. If'n I could I'd do it for a living :smilie_fl
A few pics when it was still shiney and new.
I also took along hard look at the L130 and even though it was one of the best riding lawn mowers I've ever had, I decided that it too would serve someone else better as my new SubCut would do alittle of everything, especially finish mow so it too had to go.
Both sold within a few days of putting them out by the road with a fer-sail sign on 'em and I got my price for each. So with with a good year behind me and an additional $4500 in cold cash, selling of the TE20 before, the L130 a few days after, I started on my very enjoyable quest to bring a diesel powered SubCut back to the humble abode. :bannana:
I went to every tractor dealer within 100 miles and test drove every brand I could. And let me tell you, every brand had their good and bad points and all were close enough in size/capacity/features/pricing that I decided that getting to know the dealer/dealership/service dept would figure in as much as the hardware did. To make a long story short, it ended up that I was most at ease dealing with a Kubota/Toro dealer and another Kubota/MF dealer. Some of the other dealers didn't want to or couldn't deal while some others acted like I was wasteing their time so the decision to go orange was easy, picking which dealer would collect what I considered a large sum of my hard earned $$$'s wasn't. This checkout phase took a month. Thank goodness my job gets me out and about.... :fing32:
Since both were similar I went with the closest and have had a good relationship since. They made me a good deal up front and have made more since the sale, re. scheduled maintenance materials. When I go to add some more implements I'll go there 1st and if/when I go bigger, they'll get the 1st visit too!
The BX23 has done all that I've tasked it too do and more. As a finish mower it's 60" floating MMM, power steering and HST makes finish mowing pleasurable. The combined decibles of the engine and MMM at PTO speed is so low that I don't needed ear protection and it's low center of gravity makes mowing on hills stressfree. I've only needed 4wd to get out of some deep muck and at other times the traction lock got me out. I've yet to get it stuck!
The FEL is adequite and could use some more breakout power but 85% of the time it does an outstanding job of digging and replacing my ole wheelbarrow.
The BH works surprisingly well once I figured out how to work it properly and both are so easy to mount dismount that I leave them off when mowing and when needed can mount either or both without any tools in a few minutes.
I've since put on alittle over 100hrs since and I still highly enjoy operating it. If'n I could I'd do it for a living :smilie_fl
A few pics when it was still shiney and new.