2012 Branson 3120R
Model Year: 2012
This is the first tractor I've ever owned. I picked it up after looking at quite a few different brands. Was avoiding Chinese crap and this Branson, feature-wise for the price, stood well above the others I looked at. I paid $17K, $22k after tax. I looked at Kubota, Kioti, Bobcat, New Holland, John Deere, and Cub Cadet. I bought this machine from Scott at http://www.hobbytractors.com in Pleasant Grove, UT. Unfortunately the closest Branson dealer, about 35 miles away. Probably the only honest salesman in Utah. Would definitely do business there again. I use this tractor mainly up at my cabin site which 20+ acres in the clay and rock. The only complaints I have about the tractor are that the loader control lacks smoothness and the 4x4 cannot be locked in and it's really not 4x4. The two rear tires turn together but the fronts only turn one or the other depending on its mood. When I first picked up the machine I used it for a weekend and after about 15 hours the loader began to move very slowly. I looked at the hydraulic site glass and the fluid appeared milky. I took it back to Hobby Tractors and dropped it off. Scott called me back few hours later and told me it was fixed. Somehow the fluid became contaminated. He also adjusted the loader control. Apparently a cable had too tight of a radius. The loader control is still not real smooth but works better. Have not had any more hydraulic problems For the money none of the others even come close to loader power. To get a Kubota which can hoist 2100 lbs would have cost me $10k more than I paid for the Branson. The clay dirt where I use this tractor is slime when wet, fine dust when dry, and packs super hard after the rains have hit it. I can put the digging edge of the bucket into the ground, push it forward and roll the bucket up and it will fill the bucket with dirt, (11.3 CF, just shy of 1/2 a yard), and hoist it like the bucket is empty. This machine is rated at 32 hp. I bought a box blade for it from King Kutter. Couldn't find a used 72 incher so had to buy new. I paid $899 for the heavy duty version rated up to a 45 hp tractor. Let me tell you anything above 31 hp must be too much for it. The front edge above the front of the rippers needs a piece of metal welded to it like the bottom has. If you hit something hard the rippers strike the front of the box and bends the front edge out. That is in 1st gear, low range, so about 1/10th mph. Tried to contact King Kutter numerous times by email and phone. Have had no response. The tractor is 72" wide. The air seat makes the machine ride nicely over rock and uneven ground. The turning radius is amazing especially if you hold the brake on the inside tire. The axles are thick and solid. The machine has a well built sturdy feel to it. I worked with heavy equipment for quite a few years at the Kennecott Copper mine and know the limitation of machines is usually weight. This tractor is heavier than others for the price in its class but the 6' box blade can fill with dirt quickly and the tires will dig in and break loose. There is no lack of power so I fill the bucket sometimes full with dirt and rock and it will pull the box blade a little better. Again no problem with power. It will just break the tires loose. I have not filled the tires yet but will when money is right. That should make a difference I'm told. So far extremely happy with the tractor. I've built 2 sections of road, about 1200 ft. long, done some driveway prep for my neighbor (90' x 30' super hard clay/rock. So hard a fully loaded 9 yard cement truck didn't even leave a tire mark. The Branson didn't flinch), I cleared out a section of trees and raised a 100' x 80' area for a camp site, and pushed over a 30' tall 25" base, half dead pinion pine just for fun. Not too much of a problem for the Branson. Took about 2 minutes of pushing. Oh and smashed some rain gutter on my neighbors house without feeling it. Whoops! It holds 10 gallons of fuel and runs all weekend on that with fuel to spare. I usually run it about 1900 rpm. That seems to work great. love this machine and would buy it again.
Pros: Well built, sturdy feel, good power, reliably starting down to 0 degree weather, 2 year bumper to bumper warranty, handy little tool drawer on the side, easy to access engine, battery, pump, etc.
Cons: Dash components seem a little cheap, 4x4 not really 4x4, loader control not real smooth.