Advice on Branson purchase

[Mercracing]

Hello and thanks in advance for your advice.

I am looking to upgrade from a BX Kubota to a tractor the size of a 3015/3515H or possibly a 3520H (due to Branson's prices vs Kubota and Kioti). I would like a tractor that can unload a 2000lb pallet from an open trailer on smooth ground (no need to lift to full height). The heavier loader options for the above mentioned Branson tractors on paper say they can both lift (at the pin) more than 2000lbs to full height (BL200- 2700lb and BL150- 2200lb). Does anyone have any experience moving this type of weight (with forks and properly ballast)?

I would also appreciate any feedback on your experiences with Branson and your ownership experience. Unfortunately for me the nearest dealer is 1.5 hours away and the next option is 2.5 hours out. Both dealers have been very good so far, but the distance is still not ideal (Kubota, Deere, Kioti are all within thirty minutes).

Also on the off chance that anyone who sees this is located anywhere near Desoto, Kansas and willing to let me check out their 3015, 3515, or 3520 I would really appreciate it. Neither dealer I have spoken with has the models I am interested in currently in stock, plus the drive makes a demo tough to pull off.

Thanks again.
Ryan

 

[lowriderb]

I have a 4720 and with quick attach pallet forks we have to break up pallets of pavers/bricks in half and stack them close to the cage/tractor. Not sure what the weight is on these? maybe 1500#?. Maybe a three point forks have more lifting capacity.

 

[ericm979]

Keep in mind that your load's CG is at half the depth of the pallet (assuming it's loaded evenly). So you need to lift 2000 lbs at that distance plus the depth of the pallet forks to the pins. I think you can estimate the capacity using the distance from the loader pivot to the pins.

But compensating the other way, if you're not raising the load to full height then you can lift more than the full height capacity. I believe the breakout force is the lifting capacity at the bottom of the loader travel. Assuming that it's a linear relationship (which may be incorrect) you can calculate the lifting capacity at the height you'd be lifting these pallets to.

I have llfted logs that felt close to the loader's capacity. Even with loaded rear tires and a 550 lb box blade on the back, the rear feels light. I will be making a 900 lb ballast (Titan ballast box full of concrete).

My dealer's 3.5 hours away. They are used to having remote customers and will ship stuff to me. So far all I have needed is filters. The regular maintenance items are not that difficult if you're used to changing your own oil etc. on vehicles. Only the fluid amounts are larger.

 

[TomIre]

I settled on a 3725h partly for price vs weight/features. Just did 50 hour service and 100 percent happy, zero issues. Dealer support not great though.

 

[ning]

With my 3520h I just picked up a half-pallet of 6x16 landscape "architectural" block - that's 24 blocks at 60+# each - call it about 1500#.

The load was evenly distributed on the pallet - two layers of blocks covering the entire pallet - so the center of mass of the load was about 24" from the back of the bucket, idk 30" from the pins?

Pretty sure it was pretty maxed out as it picked it up about 2' off of the ground and didn't want to go any higher, but I had the engine at idle. I didn't need or want and more height considering I had insufficient ballast, so I didn't test the capabilities any further.

As far as FEL lift, I just finished a project where I was overfilling the 66" bucket with not-quite-damp dirt freshly dug from a hillside; the loader lifted it well but not super fast. Not sure what the weight of that dirt is.

 

[ptsg]

Another really happy Branson user over here in Portugal. I have the F36R, same as 3515R in the US apart from some minor stuff, like no DPF and the mid mounted ROPS.

Not a single problem. My dealer is fine. Even got to the trouble of getting a can of the Branson grey paint for me to paint the winch I've made.

 

[Texasmark]

Hello and thanks in advance for your advice.

I am looking to upgrade from a BX Kubota to a tractor the size of a 3015/3515H or possibly a 3520H (due to Branson's prices vs Kubota and Kioti). I would like a tractor that can unload a 2000lb pallet from an open trailer on smooth ground (no need to lift to full height). The heavier loader options for the above mentioned Branson tractors on paper say they can both lift (at the pin) more than 2000lbs to full height (BL200- 2700lb and BL150- 2200lb). Does anyone have any experience moving this type of weight (with forks and properly ballast)?

I would also appreciate any feedback on your experiences with Branson and your ownership experience. Unfortunately for me the nearest dealer is 1.5 hours away and the next option is 2.5 hours out. Both dealers have been very good so far, but the distance is still not ideal (Kubota, Deere, Kioti are all within thirty minutes).

Also on the off chance that anyone who sees this is located anywhere near Desoto, Kansas and willing to let me check out their 3015, 3515, or 3520 I would really appreciate it. Neither dealer I have spoken with has the models I am interested in currently in stock, plus the drive makes a demo tough to pull off.

Thanks again.
Ryan

Before you plunk down your money, have them demonstrate the lifting capability, just like you would be doing. Numbers can be deceiving. My 6530 strains at a 2000# pallet full of fertilizer and it's 65 hp.

 

[TomIre]

Before you plunk down your money, have them demonstrate the lifting capability, just like you would be doing. Numbers can be deceiving. My 6530 strains at a 2000# pallet full of fertilizer and it's 65 hp.

Now that right there is near genius in a "why didn't I think of that?" way! Sometimes simplest is best. I would have tried to get numbers from manuals, did calculations, etc.
One of the best wood workers I ever knew rarely measured. He would "offer it up", mark it, create little jigs, do a hundred little things without thinking about it and ended up with very tight joints!

 

[Texasmark]

Now that right there is near genius in a "why didn't I think of that?" way! Sometimes simplest is best. I would have tried to get numbers from manuals, did calculations, etc.
One of the best wood workers I ever knew rarely measured. He would "offer it up", mark it, create little jigs, do a hundred little things without thinking about it and ended up with very tight joints!

Reason being that the posted numbers were derived either from pure calculation (math) or by a specific test environment. What you are interested in is YOUR environment and YOUR performance. If the dealer balks, there are lots of dealers with lots of tractors to sell!

 

[sikmusicfreak8]

You would be hard pressed to find a compact tractor that will unload a 2000# pallet.