Comparison McCormick X1.45 is a Branson Clone?

   / McCormick X1.45 is a Branson Clone? #1  

njltax

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Tractor
McCormick x1.45
I believe above is true. How can I verify this is true? That my engine is a Kukje built A2300N?
 
   / McCormick X1.45 is a Branson Clone? #2  
Got any pics of the data plate on the engine? This is true that McCormick tractors are Kukje, but not sure on the ancillary differences vs. Branson as I've not seen any up close. The loader looks to be different for one.
 
   / McCormick X1.45 is a Branson Clone?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I’ll look for a data plate. Interesting that filters are same Kukje part numbers as I find for Branson.
 
   / McCormick X1.45 is a Branson Clone?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
I decided to check with McCormick. The X series are indeed Branson clones. You are correct the loader is different. The engine is indeed a Kukje manufactured version of the Cummins diesel in the Branson tractors
 
   / McCormick X1.45 is a Branson Clone? #5  
McCormick isn't a "Branson Clone". The word clone, implies that it is a copy of a Branson design made by a different company. Branson and McCormick (and Century and some John Deere's and others) are all made by Kukje in South Korea. Same manufacturer, same tractor, different nameplates. Sort of like how a Chevrolet truck isn't a GMC truck "clone"; and a Cadillac Escalade isn't a Chevrolet Suburban "clone".

As far as the Kukje engine being a "version of the Cummins diesel engine" you are backward. Cummins uses a Kukje-designed and built engine with the Cummins nameplate for some of their smaller applications.

I have a 2015 Branson 3520H that came with an Ansung loader and I believe that some McCormicks of the same model come with a different brand of loader. I think that is because of some deal that the McCormick "company", which is a sub-group of Kukje, made with their implement maker, but the tractors themselves are identical.

This is common in the tractor world. A blatant example is Cabela's tractors, which are made by Tong Yang Moolsan (TYM) also in South Korea - Like the Kukjes. In fact in Late 2016, Tym acquired Kukje, so Branson, McCormick, Century, Kukje, Tym, Cabela's and even some JOHN DEERE... are all now made by Tym in South Korea. Some John Deere are also made by Yanmar, also in South Korea.

They're all good tractors. Shop around. Find a good dealer and make the best deal you can on a tractor that has the features you need. "Made in America" pride is dead. I guess we can still be proud of the fact that we invented the tractor in the first place; as well as the computer, and software, and pizza, and freedom, and baseball...
 
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   / McCormick X1.45 is a Branson Clone? #6  
How do prices compare between Branson and McCormick? Just a quick run through on Tractor House would lead me to think McCormick is a little lower priced, but it could be dealers cutting deals to move inventory. McCormick X1 looks to be a good deal for a larger frame "deluxe" 35hp, around the $20k mark or so.
 
   / McCormick X1.45 is a Branson Clone? #7  
How do prices compare between Branson and McCormick? Just a quick run through on Tractor House would lead me to think McCormick is a little lower priced, but it could be dealers cutting deals to move inventory. McCormick X1 looks to be a good deal for a larger frame "deluxe" 35hp, around the $20k mark or so.

I have a 2015 Branson 3520H which is the 35HP version. I bought it in late 2015 and paid $25k for it. It came with the Ansung FEL and I got an Ansung backhoe with it too for that price. I got mine at Colorado Tractor Corp. in Berthoud Colorado. Both Google and Yelp say that they have permanently closed. That's the problem with buying tractors lately; the tractors are nice, but the dealers keep going out of business.
 
 
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