Waking up a couple year old thread here - i have learned a few things over the past couple of years, something that may be potential helpful information for others...
in retrospect I wish i would have questioned a few things further when i first got this tractor, specifically the jerkiness of the clutch/shuttle, and not just taking the dealer word for that it is the way it is and normal.
I just kept on using it, annoying but learned to "live with it", along with annoying sync-issues with hot hydraulics after running pto speed for a while.
At roughly 275 hours, i suddenly lost nearly all power going forward, reverse still worked.
This prompted me to google around a bit, posted in a branson/tym FB group and pretty much determined it was a clutch problem, causing neutrual creep as well.
After i got it to service shop, they confirmed the same, forward hydraulic clutch pack "broken".
I found other people that have had the same issue with the same 5835R early models, and many who got the jerkiness fixed by dealer applying software updates. As far as I know this is one of very few branson models that actually have a computer.
So, I assume this will be covered by warranty (it better), but one would really wonder why branson/tym haven't issued a "recall" to get the software update applied, to lessen the amount of clutch packs they have to replace?
anyhow - the other lesson i really learned in this is that it can be more important to have a local good dealer and service dept, than just "the best tractor for my money" when your dealer is 3 hours away.
My machine is still in the shop, a few weeks now, awaiting parts, so i am likely going to eventually trade this in for another brand which has more local dealer presence.
The Tym Absorption of Branson may be somewhat impacting on parts availability, it changed dealer availability for me anyway, although the 5835R is still available under the TYM name, so i assume they will keep on making it for now.
Hearing from others it seems the 5835R is a good tractor with the newer software, and i quite like the loader capacity, my backhoe, and generally most things about it.
Aside from the software/clutch, a couple other items to mention:
- instrument panel is not well made, condensation seems to build up even when it is NOT sitting open in rain, and my first panel died just after 2 years (250'ish hours).
- The rocker switch on fender for off-seat 3pt up/down gets stuck (not great design, dirt gets in it)
- the wires for the remotes are on wheel side of fender, really stupid design, i had to make a custom steel protection bracket to safely use chains. (must set rear wheels a step or two out to have enough space for chains)
- Personally i dont care so much for the buttons with very odd symbols on them related to auto-pto things, i dont really want those auto-pto functions and the symbols make no sense one has to look in the manual, and it is somewhat easy to accidentally hit these buttons when turning forth and back.
