anyone have opinions on Branson Tractors?

[arlen4720]

Here is info on all the different manufacturing locations

 

[eagle628]

Also in general, the specifications section of an individual model page will have the manufacturing location noted under "miscellaneous."

 

[TSO]

Screw that, get a REAL American tractor ... a Massey Ferguson. I mean, what name sounds more American than Massey Ferguson? Of course, Massey (and Massey-Harris) were Canadian companies, and Ferguson was from the UK ... and even when they merged as Massey-Harris-Ferguson (and then MF) they were still Canadian. They were later acquired by AGCO, one of the worlds largest global farm/machinery companies, based out of Duluth, GA. And even though the Massey Compacts are made in Japan by Iseki, and even though the current 26xx series tractors are produced in Brazil, and even though the 46xx series tractors are also built in Japan by Iseki... all that matters is that SOME of the MF tractors are built in the US by AGCO, and of course it has an American HQ ... so MF must be American?!?!

Point is, it really doesn't matter anymore who/where something is built. Most people probably still think that blue tractors are American because blue means Ford. When I had my LS, quite a few people assumed it was a Ford (these are older folks that probably don't use the computer much). When I had my Kioti, one of my neighbors (old-timer) said "Oh, you got one of those Ku-Botee tractors.... I heard those Jap tractors were pretty good." LOL, funny... it was a S. Korean tractor by Daedong.

I wouldn't get hung up on final assembly locations either. Most of the LS tractors are "final assembled" (which basically means fluids & tires installed locally, since it saves on shipping-crate charges) in NC ... that doesn't make them an American brand. I would expect that many of the Deere parts that go into an "American assembled" JD tractor are either manufactured in a foreign JD plant, or by some other foreign or domestic 3rd party company.

 

[Mr Bitz]

Screw that, get a REAL American tractor ... a Massey Ferguson. I mean, what name sounds more American than Massey Ferguson? Of course, Massey (and Massey-Harris) were Canadian companies, and Ferguson was from the UK ... and even when they merged as Massey-Harris-Ferguson (and then MF) they were still Canadian. They were later acquired by AGCO, one of the worlds largest global farm/machinery companies, based out of Duluth, GA. And even though the Massey Compacts are made in Japan by Iseki, and even though the current 26xx series tractors are produced in Brazil, and even though the 46xx series tractors are also built in Japan by Iseki... all that matters is that SOME of the MF tractors are built in the US by AGCO, and of course it has an American HQ ... so MF must be American?!?!

Point is, it really doesn't matter anymore who/where something is built. Most people probably still think that blue tractors are American because blue means Ford. When I had my LS, quite a few people assumed it was a Ford (these are older folks that probably don't use the computer much). When I had my Kioti, one of my neighbors (old-timer) said "Oh, you got one of those Ku-Botee tractors.... I heard those Jap tractors were pretty good." LOL, funny... it was a S. Korean tractor by Daedong.

I wouldn't get hung up on final assembly locations either. Most of the LS tractors are "final assembled" (which basically means fluids & tires installed locally, since it saves on shipping-crate charges) in NC ... that doesn't make them an American brand. I would expect that many of the Deere parts that go into an "American assembled" JD tractor are either manufactured in a foreign JD plant, or by some other foreign or domestic 3rd party company.

Love it..

 

[GManBart]

I
Here is an interesting fact that I'm finding as I'm doing my research though. The tractors that are made to be sold under the JD, NH or Case name by these foreign manufacturers seem to have lighter duty chassis/frames and less lift capacity than the tractors these companies market under their own name. If seems that the US companies are focused on hobby farmers for their compacts. But others have realized that most people don't really need a 50-60hp tractor...but do need a tractor that can lift a fair deal.

That is the market I am in. I don't need a large HP tractor...but I do need relatively high lift capacity on many occasions. First new tractor was a Mahindra. Awesome tractor that served me well. I just bought 40 HP Branson. Lift capacity is equal to what most would describe as a utility tractor...not a compact.

You need to do some more/better research. The Case and NH machines that are made by LS have the same engine, frame, axles, etc regardless of whether they're blue with NH stickers, blue with LS stickers, or Red with Case stickers.

The versions with blue paint and LS stickers do have a more powerful loader than the Case or NH versions.

The other machines (compact tractors) made for CNH come from Shibaura, and you can't buy those directly, so it's an entirely different scenario.

Your Branson can lift 2,200lbs to 103.8" at the pins....not even close to what a Utility machine is normally capable of, and there are 40hp compact tractors that can lift a fair amount more. For example, Kioti's DK40SE or NX4510 can lift 2,761lbs to 108.3"....that's a big jump in capability to lift 561lbs more weight an extra 4". Short version...the Kioti loader is at least 25% more powerful, but it's still not a Utility tractor loader. Jump up to Kiot's RX series (Utility) and you add another 600lbs of lift (3,384lbs) but it will lift that an extra two feet higher. That's a major jump in capability...more than twice what your Branson can do to the same height.

Look at a Deere 5045E (smaller Utility machine) and the FEL capacity is 3,133lbs to 122"....again, a huge jump from 2,200lbs to 103.8"....well over a 50% increase.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with your Branson, but it doesn't remotely compare to a Utility size tractor when you're talking about FEL use. The other thing is that there is more to it than just lift capacity...you have to be able to use it safely, and the Utility machines will have an advantage there as well.

 

[TSO]

The versions with blue paint and LS stickers do have a more powerful loader than the Case or NH versions.

I just discovered that at least Case is putting a stronger loader finally on their version of the LS XR4046 (the FarmAll 50c). They were putting the L350 on, same as the NH 250TL, which was only rated for 2000# @ pins to 103". Now they have the option of the L360 (NH 270TL) which is rated to 2,500# at 113".

FYI.

 

[GManBart]

I just discovered that at least Case is putting a stronger loader finally on their version of the LS XR4046 (the FarmAll 50c). They were putting the L350 on, same as the NH 250TL, which was only rated for 2000# @ pins to 103". Now they have the option of the L360 (NH 270TL) which is rated to 2,500# at 113".

FYI.

That's a major improvement!

 

[acrozier]

You need to do some more/better research. The Case and NH machines that are made by LS have the same engine, frame, axles, etc regardless of whether they're blue with NH stickers, blue with LS stickers, or Red with Case stickers.

The versions with blue paint and LS stickers do have a more powerful loader than the Case or NH versions.

The other machines (compact tractors) made for CNH come from Shibaura, and you can't buy those directly, so it's an entirely different scenario.

Your Branson can lift 2,200lbs to 103.8" at the pins....not even close to what a Utility machine is normally capable of, and there are 40hp compact tractors that can lift a fair amount more. For example, Kioti's DK40SE or NX4510 can lift 2,761lbs to 108.3"....that's a big jump in capability to lift 561lbs more weight an extra 4". Short version...the Kioti loader is at least 25% more powerful, but it's still not a Utility tractor loader. Jump up to Kiot's RX series (Utility) and you add another 600lbs of lift (3,384lbs) but it will lift that an extra two feet higher. That's a major jump in capability...more than twice what your Branson can do to the same height.

Look at a Deere 5045E (smaller Utility machine) and the FEL capacity is 3,133lbs to 122"....again, a huge jump from 2,200lbs to 103.8"....well over a 50% increase.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with your Branson, but it doesn't remotely compare to a Utility size tractor when you're talking about FEL use. The other thing is that there is more to it than just lift capacity...you have to be able to use it safely, and the Utility machines will have an advantage there as well.

You proved my point in your response. The LS has more loaloader capacity than equivalent NH. If you start comparing what you can get for equivalent money...the LSachines are heavier. LS has 3 makes. G, R and XR. The G seems to compare to the Boomer. It is the lightest of LS.

You compare my loader specs to utility tractors...but it is a CUT. Compared well to Kioti DS4510. I got the loader capacity I needed and tractor size / wt I wanted.

Had I wanted nearly 3000# of loader capacity...I could have step up to a larger branson. LIkely would have gone with a mahindra though.

 

[GManBart]

You proved my point in your response. The LS has more loaloader capacity than equivalent NH. If you start comparing what you can get for equivalent money...the LSachines are heavier. LS has 3 makes. G, R and XR. The G seems to compare to the Boomer. It is the lightest of LS.

You compare my loader specs to utility tractors...but it is a CUT. Compared well to Kioti DS4510. I got the loader capacity I needed and tractor size / wt I wanted.

Had I wanted nearly 3000# of loader capacity...I could have step up to a larger branson. LIkely would have gone with a mahindra though.

I agreed that LS had higher lift capacity on their versions, but that is no longer the case, as pointed out by TSO....the new CNH loader options are actually more powerful than what LS uses on theirs (and higher max lift height). FYI, I used to own an LS R4047, so I'm not anti-LS at all.

You're wrong about what sizes are comparable between LS and CNH. An LS R-series is the same as the New Holland Boomer 40/50 and Case Farmall 40/50B. They are essentially identical machines (different grille and headlights) that weigh the same.

The G-series LS is a much smaller machine than the NH Boomer or Case Farmall B models.

In the old line of machines, the LS R-4047 was the same as a NH Boomer 50 and Case Farmall 50B....same weights, same machines, different loaders.

In the new line of machines, the LS XR-4046 is the same as the NH Boomer 51 and Case Farmall 50C....same weights, same machines, different loaders. You can't go off Tractor Data info because they only list the weight for the XR with a cab, and the CNH models open station.

The XR loader will lift 2,500lbs to only 96.1". The CNH machines now offer the NH 270TL or Case L360 loader which can lift 2,500lbs to 113"....a significant improvement considering they lift the same weight an extra foot and a half.

When I compared your loader, I used a direct comparison...a Kioti DK40SE. Your 4020R base weight is 4063lbs with a wheelbase of 70.9". A DK40SE has a base weight of 4,230lbs and a wheelbase of 74". In short, the two are in the same basic size/weight class. A Kioti DS4510 has a base weight of 3,538lbs....so it's 500lbs less than your Branson, and it has the same loader as the DK40SE, so it can lift a lot more than your Branson.

You were the one to bring up the comparison with Utility machines when you said:
"Lift capacity is equal to what most would describe as a utility tractor...not a compact."

That's simply inaccurate....many CUTs offer as much, or significantly more than the FEL on your Branson, and Utility machines normally offer far more than that.

 

[eagle628]

You don't "think" ANY of the JD lawn tractors are American made? And you "know" your neighbor's JD riding mower is not? Please explain to me where JD Lawn Tractors and "Riding Mowers" are built, please?

P.S. I know where all of them are made, so please do your homework before replying

I think it comes down to whether "assembled" is the same as "made." I know my Deere garden tractor was assembled in Wisconsin. But the engine is a Japanese Yanmar and the transmission is a Japanese Tuff Torq. Same for my zero turn. It was assembled in North Carolina, but the engine and transmission are both Japanese (in this case Kawasaki and Kanzaki). I'm pretty sure the assembly was a little more involved than just adding fluids and tires, but still, it's not like I can say with a straight face that they're completely American made.

I try to buy American as much as I can. I do believe in supporting the US economy. That said, I'm also a realistic guy. Very few things are going to by 100% American made now, certainly nothing as complex as machinery. I'm not gonna lie, the fact that Deere equipment is at least partially made in the US is absolutely a factor in why I tend to buy green. If the choice is assembled in the US of foreign components versus assembled overseas of foreign components, I'll pick the former every time. But it's not the biggest factor.