I'm Done With Branson

[backintheday]

So as I am standing in my local Branson dealer which I buy all my implements from because he is best pricing and servicing I get a call from the east coast Branson territorial manager (404 - File or directory not found.) which he asked me not to use his name on here and began yelling at me about bashing the Branson tractor company. I let him know that I did not like the fact when someone becomes an authorized Branson dealer that they were not legally bound to do warranty work on a Branson tractor. I completely understand that if I bought a Branson tractor in another state but wanted warranty work done at my closest dealer that he puts his customers first before me but should be obligated to fix mine if there was a warranty problem even if it took me at very bottom of his list. My rep told me that he was sorry for getting mad and raising voice with me but really believes in the company and gave me his word that Branson would stand behind the warranty problems if something arose. In this world now a days a mans word does not hold water with me unless I personally know you. He also told me he was bending over backwards to try and find me the new model tractor and no other dealer would do that. I replied that the new holland dealer drove to Tennessee Monday to pick up my tractor and to Virginia to get me the loader and will deliver it tomorrow by noon. Which I think is awesome for a dealer to go out of his way and do on a 25k tractor when I have not spent any money with them yet. I am still going to buy a 8foot brushog 2950 6ft tiller 1850 7ft box blade 575 and a set of quick attach forks 850. Which is around $6,225 from my local Branson dealer. So I am not bashing Branson I loved my 2400 just needed something bigger but did not like the fact Branson don't have their dealers legally bound and covered in my opinion. I also told the rep I can and will say anything I want in this country because I am a service connected disabled vet and fought for his freedom of speech and mine. I am sure my other fellow veterans on here feel the same way.

MODERATOR
please remove the name Andy and replace it with East Coast Territoral Manager (404 - File or directory not found.)PLEASE

This is interesting, I was also yelled at and had some foul language used from the guy in the branson office. I am also a service connected disabled/ medically retired combat Vet and would like to meet this turd face to face and see what kind of little man he truly is.
Hope your new machine is performing as it should.

Happy Veterans day.

 

[Garandman]

..but I don't think any other tractor has the quality that branson does. .

Well, that sounds like a Good Thing.

 

[backintheday]

Well, that sounds like a Good Thing.

I should clarify that the tractors are great but branson doesn't build the back hoes.
If I were to do it all over again I would have bought a woods BH or some other aftermarket brand. I basically went through 4 of them until they bumped me up to the next heavier duty model, even that one showed up with a faulty valve of some kind, the dealer was speechless when I called him saying it won't swing to the left. Pour guy was stuck in between an upset customer and a corporation that wouldn't help him. I'll definitely buy from him again.

 

[LARRY0071]

I Feel your pain. Parts are a BIG issue with them. I love my 3510 iyt has been a great tractor with very few problems iber the years (2005 model). I get My filters at a local auto supply. Maybe this will help AIR FILTER - WIX - 46438
HYDRAULIC FILTER - FRAM - P3755, FLEETGUARD - HF6103, WIX - 51202
FUEL BOWL FILTER - WIX - 33263
OIL FILTER - FRAM PH3593A OR TG3593A, I FORGET THE WIX NUMBER.

GLOW PLUG RELAY - OMRON K68JR-A12T 12VDC 70A (OMRON - KOREA)
- Hyundai part number 368604X000
- REPLACE WITH OMRON LA0B 36860-4X000 12VDC 70A
* FITS 2009-2010 HYUNDAI GENESIS COOLING FAN
MOTOR RELAY
* ALSO FITS KIA

Doughnut oil cooler - I found that MODINE OIL COOLERS manufacturers a exact match with better quality for very much less than Branson charges.
I ham currently looking for the main hydraulic pump through-out the open market if anyone has any ideas on where to find one that would be great !
I also found a new starter on E-Bay which also fits Mahindra at half the cost. It was the same starter ay half the cost. Just had to drill the mounting holes with a drill press to the next larger size. New 03101-3180 1700100A1 Branson Starter americantractorestorations on eBay

 

[airbiscuit]

Anybody have concerns that Branson may not be a viable tractor brand in the US in 5 years?

 

[Terrapro88]

Anybody have concerns that Branson may not be a viable tractor brand in the US in 5 years?

I think they will be around. At least I hope they will, as I am looking at buying one. They are bringing out new series tractors, are competitively priced and just extended their warranty. You read about people that have a few problems, but also people that are happy with their tractors. Hopefully, the parts and service are just growing pains that will work themselves out over time with a stronger dealer/service network.

 

[Tomtint]

I don't have any personal experience with Branson, but a local dealer here had them about 3-4 years ago and I saw them have several birthdays on his lot. They have since switched to Mahindra... and I see those growing old on his lot as well. .. I think there are actually 2-3 "new" 4-5 year old Branson's still there today.

 

[airbiscuit]

TYM bought out Branson's parent company. Will both brands still exist 5 years from now, or will one be an orphan tractor (like Montana, Farmtrac, Scorpion, Century, etc.)? If that happens parts will be difficult to come by and resale value will plummet.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I would expect more consolidation in the Ag industry as a whole. I've read Kubota's interest in Case/IH New Holland with Iveco as the deal breaker. It's about distribution and market share. I don't know where Branson stands in those areas. I would expect TYM, Branson, and other smaller manufacturers continue to struggle to gain market share against the likes of Kubota, Deere, Mahindra, Massey - Agco, and Case/IH New Holland.

 

[DavesTractor]

Just read through this. We are one of the largest Branson dealers in the USA. It is embarrassing to know that there are dealers that do not stock parts. A dealer that will not stock parts ought not to be a dealer. Parts are a profit center, it makes no sense to not stock them. At least filters and fast moving parts. And as a dealer grows and has more units in his area, he can grow his parts supply.

As for Branson not responding, we do not see that. Yet it is rare that a customer of ours wants or needs to speak with Branson. A dealer ought to do all of that. Even if a customer has a complaint about warranty coverage or something like that, the dealer needs to advocate for his customer.

As for Branson not responding directly to the customer, I think that is wrong. Even if the question is really just an unsolvable complaint, the customer should have a response. There may be a time that a customer is beating a dead horse, communication at that point might change a little. But I think it is always wrong to ignore a customer.

In summary, I'd like to blame the poor dealer and not Branson. But I will acknowledge that Branson is the one that set up the dealer and allows him to remain a dealer, so they must shoulder some blame.

There are quite a few larger dealers across the USA that will UPS/FedEx you parts. The closer they are to you, the cheaper and faster the shipping will be. It makes little sense for us to send parts from California to the east coast, so this response is not a veiled advertisement for parts orders. Support your local dealer, or if you do not have one, you next closest good dealer.

 

[EddieWalker]

Dave, do you know what happened to the owners manuals that used to be available online? I have a 2003 Century 2535 that I bought from a dealer that gave up on Branson when three other dealers opened up in a ten mile radius. Big Red is where I get my parts online, but it's very hard finding them, and so far, impossible to find an electrical schematic.

 

[LouNY]

Hello Dave from Daves Tractor;
I have seen quite a few posts on here from you, I'm glad that you are staying on top of things.
I have been fairly well pleased with my Branson dealer also J.C. Tractors and Restoration in Hoosick, NY.
As far as Branson responding to customers, they sure as **** do not!!!
I had some questions that my dealer couldn't answer and he seemed to get no response from Branson also.
As far as the parts availability Branson removed the parts look up from the customer access of there web site,
I can go to the New Holland/ Ford or the IH or CNH or John Deere web sites and find all the parts break downs and exploded drawings
which not only gets me the parts numbers but will also link to the dealers parts and will even price them out for me or anyone.
The exploded drawings are a great help when working on equipment. Manuals, are Branson manuals available for purchase? It doesn't seem like it.
I spent quite a bit of money on my Branson as I purchased a new 8050 it was around $45,000,
a New Holland was going to be over 50,000 equipped similarly.
I contacted Branson directly after going to my dealer the first winter I had the tractor as it was almost unusable,
The dealer had installed a lower radiator hose heater which didnt' work very well, my tractor would not start when it was cold,
the starter was not strong enough, it would crankover about 2 revolutions and stop cranking, boosters would make no difference.
I came to the conclusion that it was hydraulic locking itself, either engine oil, or the main hydraulic pumps, or the internal transmission pump;
I switched to Rotella T6 synthetic motor oil and Cen-Pe-Co hytran, unfortunately I changed them both at the same service time
so i'm not sure which one did the most good, I suspect the transmission fluid change was what cured the no start condition.
But, Branson USA was absolutely worthless when I was sitting there unable to start a tractor to clear snow with in the winter.

 

[DavesTractor]

Dave, do you know what happened to the owners manuals that used to be available online? I have a 2003 Century 2535 that I bought from a dealer that gave up on Branson when three other dealers opened up in a ten mile radius. Big Red is where I get my parts online, but it's very hard finding them, and so far, impossible to find an electrical schematic.

Eddie, I don't know why they do not have owner's manuals online, in fact I'd sure like it if all equipment did. Big Red is often the #1 Branson dealer in the USA. From my dealings with the owner and visiting with them at meetings and such, they seem top notch. I might be able to find you an electrical schematic. I think we kept shop manuals on most all common models going back to the early days. I'll look when I get a little time.

 

[DavesTractor]

Hello Dave from Daves Tractor;
I have seen quite a few posts on here from you, I'm glad that you are staying on top of things.
I have been fairly well pleased with my Branson dealer also J.C. Tractors and Restoration in Hoosick, NY.
As far as Branson responding to customers, they sure as **** do not!!!
I had some questions that my dealer couldn't answer and he seemed to get no response from Branson also.
As far as the parts availability Branson removed the parts look up from the customer access of there web site,
I can go to the New Holland/ Ford or the IH or CNH or John Deere web sites and find all the parts break downs and exploded drawings
which not only gets me the parts numbers but will also link to the dealers parts and will even price them out for me or anyone.
The exploded drawings are a great help when working on equipment. Manuals, are Branson manuals available for purchase? It doesn't seem like it.
I spent quite a bit of money on my Branson as I purchased a new 8050 it was around $45,000,
a New Holland was going to be over 50,000 equipped similarly.
I contacted Branson directly after going to my dealer the first winter I had the tractor as it was almost unusable,
The dealer had installed a lower radiator hose heater which didnt' work very well, my tractor would not start when it was cold,
the starter was not strong enough, it would crankover about 2 revolutions and stop cranking, boosters would make no difference.
I came to the conclusion that it was hydraulic locking itself, either engine oil, or the main hydraulic pumps, or the internal transmission pump;
I switched to Rotella T6 synthetic motor oil and Cen-Pe-Co hytran, unfortunately I changed them both at the same service time
so i'm not sure which one did the most good, I suspect the transmission fluid change was what cured the no start condition.
But, Branson USA was absolutely worthless when I was sitting there unable to start a tractor to clear snow with in the winter.

I won't defend the lack of communication from Branson to their customers. I know they have been growing and are short staffed, but that can only be a valid excuse for a very short time. Because you add staff when a problem like that exists for any period of time, and meanwhile you work overtime.

I'd have to check with our parts department and see if there is a parts lookup available online. There was, and then the website had a change and it was taken down. I assumed it would be put back up. I'll ask someone in our parts department. Edit: I just talked to parts, and as far as they know Branson is not planning to put the parts look-up back on line anytime soon. I do not know the reasoning. I really like part look-up as it saves us time as well. I'm not sure of the downside, maybe a dealer will chime in that understands the reasoning.

As far as heaters, we sell pretty much every Branson with a factory block heater that goes right into the block. They are about $1000, a no brainer even if you live in an area that seldom gets cold. On the 8050, we have never sold one. They did not get that tractor (8050) California approved, so for the last few years it has been 55 HP maximum for us on Bransons. We sell other brands, so no big deal.

In cold weather, which I probably should not even speak about living where I do, you have diminished battery power just when you need the most power. And like you are saying, when you crank a cold engine you are also trying to push cold hydraulic fluid through the pumps. Then of course you need nice hot glow plugs which rob what little battery power you have. But this isn't a new problem, it was that way 10 years ago and 20 years ago, etc. No excuse for a tractor to not be able to start well in reasonably cold weather. I have family in Alaska with equipment, and they have a lot of things that they do to their rigs to make them usable in the winter. They would not expect a tractor to start well without a coolant heater, oil heater, battery blanket and so on. And when it is super cold, a heated shop is the best answer. But I am out of my realm of knowledge, our average high temp in the summer in Red Bluff is 99 degrees. Extreme cold to me means I need a sweatshirt.

We have found Branson to be getting better and better in the last 3 years about parts and about communication. But every once in a while we still have a "your kidding?" moment. Like maybe a new model will arrive and we have no manual. So we sell the tractor with a manual for the previous "close" model for a while. Really? But for the most part they are so much better. And of course you can't tell if they don't answer your calls, but they are the nicest folks. They truly are. They treat their dealers very well as evidenced by the dealer surveys each year.

 

[EddieWalker]

Eddie, I don't know why they do not have owner's manuals online, in fact I'd sure like it if all equipment did. Big Red is often the #1 Branson dealer in the USA. From my dealings with the owner and visiting with them at meetings and such, they seem top notch. I might be able to find you an electrical schematic. I think we kept shop manuals on most all common models going back to the early days. I'll look when I get a little time.

Thank you. I'm trying to figure it out from a manual sent to me for a Branson 3015/3515/4015 which is probably nothing close to my Century 2535. I believe the Branson 3510 is either the same thing as my 2535, or maybe even the same thing, but I can't find a manual for one of those either.

My problem is that I'm totally dead at the key. I have 13 volts at the battery and the starter, but nowhere else. Nothing at the key, nothing along the way that I've tested so far. It was running all morning without issue. I turned it off to refill my sprayer tank, and when I tried to start it, nothing.

 

[LouNY]

Thanks for the reply, maybe I should have mentioned that I have been starting tractors in the cold for awhile,
From hand cranking an Allis Chalmers WD, Farmall 400, 560 ( all gasers) in the early 60's, Our first diesel was in 68 a 8000 Ford,
then it was numerous mostly red,574, 1066, 1086, IH hydro, IH Magnums, a little green 4020, 4440, then of course the good green an Oliver 1550.
I traded the old 1550 towards the Branson, that old Waukasha diesel with a manifold heater(same style as the Branson 8050)
would start right down to single digits without being plugged in.
The 8050 without the expensive lubricants would not start in the teens with brand new battery, booster cables to running pickups, even with starting boost from chargers,
The starter just does not have the power, when it would crank it would be a couple of revolutions and then a dead stop, wait a half an hour and it would be the same,
it just needs more starter then the little 2.2 KW they put on it.
also I do like my tractor, it a nice sized unit, it does an excellent job on my driveway plowing snow, loading sand in a sander and grading and ditching, the economy speed PTO works
very good for the generators, tedding hay, brush hogging( light to moderate)
ThanksLou

 

[DavesTractor]

Thanks for the reply, maybe I should have mentioned that I have been starting tractors in the cold for awhile,
From hand cranking an Allis Chalmers WD, Farmall 400, 560 ( all gasers) in the early 60's, Our first diesel was in 68 a 8000 Ford,
then it was numerous mostly red,574, 1066, 1086, IH hydro, IH Magnums, a little green 4020, 4440, then of course the good green an Oliver 1550.
I traded the old 1550 towards the Branson, that old Waukasha diesel with a manifold heater(same style as the Branson 8050)
would start right down to single digits without being plugged in.
The 8050 without the expensive lubricants would not start in the teens with brand new battery, booster cables to running pickups, even with starting boost from chargers,
The starter just does not have the power, when it would crank it would be a couple of revolutions and then a dead stop, wait a half an hour and it would be the same,
it just needs more starter then the little 2.2 KW they put on it.
also I do like my tractor, it a nice sized unit, it does an excellent job on my driveway plowing snow, loading sand in a sander and grading and ditching, the economy speed PTO works
very good for the generators, tedding hay, brush hogging( light to moderate)
ThanksLou

Yes I'd say you have a little experience! Sounds like you totally have this figured out regarding the shortcoming in starting cold. That is interesting. I bet a guy could get a more powerful starter that would fit it. Then make sure the battery cables were adequate, etc.

 

[DavesTractor]

Thank you. I'm trying to figure it out from a manual sent to me for a Branson 3015/3515/4015 which is probably nothing close to my Century 2535. I believe the Branson 3510 is either the same thing as my 2535, or maybe even the same thing, but I can't find a manual for one of those either.

My problem is that I'm totally dead at the key. I have 13 volts at the battery and the starter, but nowhere else. Nothing at the key, nothing along the way that I've tested so far. It was running all morning without issue. I turned it off to refill my sprayer tank, and when I tried to start it, nothing.

The 15 series are very unlike your tractor. They may have similar wiring, perhaps, but the old 3510/3520 would be dead bang on. I will check tomorrow. If we do not have a wiring schematic, I'll ask my service manager for some advice. Most tractors have power at the key all the time and the safeties are in line after it. If a safety has failed or is doing it's job, you should get lights on the dash but no crank. If you have no lights on the dash or elsewhere I would suspect a fusible link that is well hidden. Some tractors have a fuse by the starter that powers everything, or a fusible link. I'll help you sort this out, but my guys are gone for the day.

I'll be back in touch. Dave

 

[LARRY0071]

Dave, I really like your customers service oriented response. It show's that you still have a good customer service attitude about things. I commend you in your attitude. And you are right, it is mainly the other Branson dealers out there. Yet Branson needs to stand up and make a few changes in requiring the dealers out there to do a little better. As you already know, and I might add are smart enough, parts availability can be the making or breaking of a company. I would hate to see Branson going by the way side in the future because of this parts issue. Thay make a fine tractor and at a more reasonable price than most. Mine is a 2005 3510. I have worked the bejesus out of it throughout the first 10 years and I have had only 2 real problems. A fuel pump issue which I replace with a aftermarket one with a metal plunger in it instead of the one from Branson which has a plastic plunger. Nut in all fairness it lasted 5 or six years. The other was a couple of electrical problems with some connectors. They caused starting problems and was difficult to find and fix, especially with the wiring so very tight. Branson and all tractors alike have some little design flaws which are a little aggravating and unique to their brand (just like cars), however It is overall a really good tractor. It is dependable abd very strong. Thank you for your post it was excellent.

 

[LARRY0071]

I had this same problem once on my 3510. Dave is absolutely correct there is a fusible link there. Also check your wiring connecting block for any signs if a short or loose wire/ There is also a starter relay underneath the dash. My problem was a combination of a bad connection in the wiring block which shorted and killed both the fusible link and fried the starter relay. Hope this helps.....