Kioti vs Branson - New purchase 35hp range

[keith841]

Thanks Aquamoose, this is exactly the kind of information I am looking for from people like you that own one. Near me here in Eugene, Oregon there is a Branson, Mahindra, Kioti and of course always the John Dear and Kubota dealers. A friend of mine is from India and has a small Kubota, I think 20hp or so, but he said never buy a Mahindra because they are made in India. That was interesting.

 

[Hombre]

I bought my Branson 4020R (same tractor as the 3520 but turbocharged) summer of 2016 from Bruce Danielson over by Bend Or. (www.best tractor buys. com) he has since retired and sold to another gentleman (same area) whom I have not met but have talked with on the phone. I do know that they have another store somewhere in the Salem, Or. area and one of the main distribution centers for Branson Tractors is in North Plains, Or. right near Beaverton, Or. Have I got you confused yet? :confused2: I live in farming country (Goldendale, Wa.) so most around here are BIG stuff and are John Deere, International, and MF. The compact market is pretty much dominated by Kubota but a new Mahindra dealer opened a couple years ago about 40 miles from me in The Dalles, Or. Forty miles may seem a ways for some of you fellas but around here that's "next door distance". I have 140+ hrs on my machine and I'll say it's been just stellar, a pleasure to operate. I use it for handling large hay bales, field mowing, and a LOT of road work (1 mile driveway). A friend and neighbor bought a (35 or 40hp not sure) Mahindra last year and we've kinda compared them side by side when I was down at his place doing some work. His Mahindra is a nice machine no doubt but doesn't have some of the features my Branson has, adjustable side links for one, (I suppose if using a quick hitch it wouldn't matter much for that) seat doesn't compare (not a biggy but just the regular type flip over seat on his) NOTHING on it is as heavy built. Not sure the weight difference. Doesn't lift as much (either end) but his IS a hydrostat while mine is a shuttle shift. He paid 24 and change, I paid under 20 but he also had a small box blade included. Tractor to tractor and feature to feature the Branson seems to be the better unit but his dealer is 100 miles closer if that's of importance. I have a 21ft tilt trailer and a diesel pickup and am used to hauling stuff (a necessity where I live) so hauling my tractor a hundred miles or so don't bother me a bit. A very long winded post just to say I like the Branson just fine. Good outfit.

 

[keith841]

Thank you for the input as these are things I did not know. I usually do a lot of research before I make an expensive purchase like this and end up learning a few things that change my decision to another product.

I'm fairly satisfied with my Branson 8050, that said there isn't a lot of information around for them.
Branson USA is just about worthless they will not respond to an owner and I believe that there can be a lot lacking
in what information they pass on to a dealer. If you have a good dealer it'll be a good tractor.
Most of the manufactures have a website with complete parts breakdowns, NOT Branson and it is extremely hard
to locate service manuals. I have been told that they never produced a service manual for my tractor any repairs
they just tell the dealer what to do and as I said they don't communicate with owners. I have no experience with the
other imports but while the Branson seems to be decently built with a good feature content for the dollar I have a real bitter
pill to swallow when my dealer and others tell me that there is no service manual for my tractor. I find this hard to comprehend
and impossible to find acceptable. My dealer has been good and the tractor has been good it had a few quirks to work out
but that been done. So my advice is it will depend on your dealer and your abilities for maintenance and as an owner of one I can't recommend them
even though mine runs good and works good.
Good luck with your search.

 

[keith841]

I bought my Branson 4020R (same tractor as the 3520 but turbocharged) summer of 2016 from Bruce Danielson over by Bend Or. (www.best tractor buys. com) he has since retired and sold to another gentleman (same area) whom I have not met but have talked with on the phone. I do know that they have another store somewhere in the Salem, Or. area and one of the main distribution centers for Branson Tractors is in North Plains, Or. right near Beaverton, Or. Have I got you confused yet? :confused2: I live in farming country (Goldendale, Wa.) so most around here are BIG stuff and are John Deere, International, and MF. The compact market is pretty much dominated by Kubota but a new Mahindra dealer opened a couple years ago about 40 miles from me in The Dalles, Or. Forty miles may seem a ways for some of you fellas but around here that's "next door distance". I have 140+ hrs on my machine and I'll say it's been just stellar, a pleasure to operate. I use it for handling large hay bales, field mowing, and a LOT of road work (1 mile driveway). A friend and neighbor bought a (35 or 40hp not sure) Mahindra last year and we've kinda compared them side by side when I was down at his place doing some work. His Mahindra is a nice machine no doubt but doesn't have some of the features my Branson has, adjustable side links for one, (I suppose if using a quick hitch it wouldn't matter much for that) seat doesn't compare (not a biggy but just the regular type flip over seat on his) NOTHING on it is as heavy built. Not sure the weight difference. Doesn't lift as much (either end) but his IS a hydrostat while mine is a shuttle shift. He paid 24 and change, I paid under 20 but he also had a small box blade included. Tractor to tractor and feature to feature the Branson seems to be the better unit but his dealer is 100 miles closer if that's of importance. I have a 21ft tilt trailer and a diesel pickup and am used to hauling stuff (a necessity where I live) so hauling my tractor a hundred miles or so don't bother me a bit. A very long winded post just to say I like the Branson just fine. Good outfit.

Great info! I am not familiar with how the shuttle shift works. I'll see if theres anything on you tube showing it.

 

[DK35vince]

Scuzi... it was a CK-35. I thought it was the norm with regards to operating it & moving dirt. When I tried out the Branson, I was surprised at the difference and thought my friend had a lesser horse powered model so I asked him. Nope, itç—´ the same. 35 hp. I believe itç—´ the weight of the tractor and the lifting capacity that made the difference.

The Kioti DK 35 and DK 35se models were bigger in size, weight, and lift capacities on the loader and 3 point than the CK 35.

 

[Omega Woods]

The Kioti DK 35 and DK 35se models were bigger in size, weight, and lift capacities on the loader and 3 point than the CK 35.

Which are still quite a bit lighter than the Branson 3520.

 

[Texasmark]

My tractors are listed. I got service manuals with both when purchased. I have no dealer nearby but the telephone and UPS put them at my door step.

I agree that the way Branson set up their management structure just sucks! I don't know how much business they lost because of that attitude.....a lot of it via word of mouth from dissatisfied customers, myself included.....but I bought their products regardless. I haven't even tried to contact the main office in Rome, Ga. so I don't know what they have or don't have to offer today. However, when I bought my 6530 I had some minor problems and got super service out of their field rep who either worked out of the Plainview site or spent a lot of time there since it is one of their distribution sites. Warranty was bulletproof.

So you take the initiative to find the dealers that are interested in staying in business and provide the services you need if you like and want their products.

If you get lost you can call up Buster Jenkins, the "has all the answers" guy in the Plainview Branson site. If you can't find the phone number anywhere, and mine is misplaced for the minute, just google Branson sites and or Jenkins Automotive, Plainview, Tx. I have other eager to help me dealers in Granbury, Tx. and Sulphur Springs, Tx.

 

[Texasmark]

Great info! I am not familiar with how the shuttle shift works. I'll see if theres anything on you tube showing it.

Shuttle shift is made for shuttle type work primarily used in industrial construction operations and things like dairies and places where manure needs to be removed, or sileage fed, helps in hooking up to implements.

On my 6530, you select a range and gear....have 12 options plus double that number with the creep function if used. You depress the clutch and with the shuttle lever, in the position on the steering coulmn as the turn indicator selector on a truck, you push it up or pull it down for F-R, let the clutch out and away you go. You can change directions as fast and smoothly as you can move your foot and the lever....totally synchronous. For long row-crop operation it's of no real value.

 

[Hombre]

I'm fairly satisfied with my Branson 8050, that said there isn't a lot of information around for them.
Branson USA is just about worthless they will not respond to an owner and I believe that there can be a lot lacking
in what information they pass on to a dealer. If you have a good dealer it'll be a good tractor.
Most of the manufactures have a website with complete parts breakdowns, NOT Branson and it is extremely hard
to locate service manuals. I have been told that they never produced a service manual for my tractor any repairs
they just tell the dealer what to do and as I said they don't communicate with owners. .

LouNY, I deleted part of your response just to address this part. Sorta. I've heard a lot about the non-responsiveness of Branson USA corporation if contacted directly. The response from others has been that "they" (Branson) leaves all that to their dealers as they don't have the resources to respond to a tractor owner asking about how the clutch is adjusted or why it overheated while running a mower. I'm kinda an old guy and have owned a lot of vehicles and equipment over the years and cannot remember ever a time I needed (or wanted) to contact a Corporate headquarters (Chrysler for instance on my Dodge cummins when an issue showed up) for anything. Of course not knowing why one wanted to contact them, I'm just supposing here but it's probably to complain about (something). But Corporate to me is a bunch of guys sitting around desks trying to figure out how to sell more and make more money. I want to talk to the do'er guys (dealers).
The service manual thing IS a problem and from what I've ran into trying to locate one is the cost is about 300 bucks (for my model) if you can find one. HOWEVER over on the Branson/Century forum there is a thread for downloading Branson manuals, I managed to do just that. There are 9 sections to it and encompasses right at 800 pages. Just about burnt up my new printer. Obviously I haven't gone through the whole thing but it covers several different models and a lot (probably most) of the things I wouldn't even attempt to "fix".....but good reference just the same.

 

[murph1]

Which are still quite a bit lighter than the Branson 3520.

200lbs? is quite a bit?