Considering a Branson 5520H

[Slowpoke Slim]

I'm probably 90% in M range. 5% H and 5% L. If my tractor is still cold, or on an incline I seem to have more difficulty getting it to change ranges, or go back to N. Once it's warmed up all the way and I'm on level ground it's not really a problem unless I'm in FWD and drivetrain is bound up from turning, etc.

I find that quick, short "jabs" like I'm stabbing it into gear seem to work best for shifting ranges or into N.

 

[ericm979]

Even with the smaller IND10 wheels and tires high range is useless for me. There's not enough flat-ish land here. It's all M, with L for pulling or going up the steepest grades. The other day I was pulling logs up a hill with a cable. M range to back up and get into position, L to do the pull. Back and forth about 10 times. Each shift went right in, which is a first.

 

[PeteN]

I've been looking at all the different compact tractors and have settled on Kubota (MX6000) or Branson (5520H). I'm leaning toward the Branson since it seems to be well built and is more reasonably priced than a Kubota. My closest dealer doesn't seem to be able to get any tractors (no new one in the last 4 months) but a dealer about 50 miles away states they can get tractors (without cabs) in 3-5 weeks. Sounds like Branson is having problems getting the glass for the cabs. I'm planning on getting a ROPS model with industrial tires. One of my biggest concerns is the ground clearance and the low location of some components like the fuel tank, loader quick disconnects and filters. I would think they would get full of mud and dirt since they are so low on the tractor. I'm planning on doing a lot of woods work so I am also concerned with snagging these and other components on brush. I don't see any guards on the front axle u-joint or on the fuel tank or quick disconnects for the loader. Has this been an issue with the 20 series Bransons out in the field? The Kubota does have more ground clearance and guards on areas that need it. Looking underneath a Kubota reveals a much smoother profile compared to the Branson so I can only assume there would be less issues when driving over brush or tall grass. Any experience with this?

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I think the MX is also a bigger chassis?

I don't run my 25 series (call it identical to the 20 for size) in the woods. I've been over rough ground for sure, plenty of mud, and certainly plenty of snow (including the one and only time I managed to bury it in snow to the frame). I've never damaged anything underneath mine, but again, I'm not running it in heavy woods. I've been through tree rows, small stands of trees and some woods mowing and clearing land, but I'm always pretty careful to watch all my angles and overhead limbs (I have a cab). I do a lot of field mowing in the summers, most of the time (ok, all of the time now) it's on someone else's property, so I'm less familiar with what is lurking under the grass. So I intentionally leave my FEL and bucket (or sometimes forks) on and keep the bucket low in front of me, say a foot or slightly more off the ground. This acts as a "feeler" if I'm running in heavy grass on an unfamiliar field that someone "forgot" to tell me had a rock pile, or tree stump, or strings of old fence wrapped up in fence posts, or an old car frame sitting in a corner, etc.

Nothing under the Branson is going to be armor plated, but I've certainly been over a ton of brush, sticks, heavy tall grass, etc with mine. I know a few members here have indeed damaged things underneath theirs, I think one member punched a hole in a filter, or tore it off, something like that. Also a couple of members (various brands) have speared their radiators through their grills by pushing through heavy woods. Some expanded metal across the front brush guard will help that. I haven't done that yet, but I probably should.

If you're looking for a dedicated heavy, thick woods tractor, maybe the MX is worth the look and the extra $?

 

[ericm979]

My 3725 has the "IND-10" wheels and tires, which are the smallest of the three sets they use on 20/25 series machines. It normally came with IND-20s. I got them to lower the CG for operating on side slopes. But I also run mine in the parts of my woods that are not too steep or too thickly wooded. I've not had a problem. But I'm pretty careful about what I run over. I'm not on the clock so I can take my time. A 5520 would come with the tallest IND-25 wheels & tires giving it more ground clearance than I have.

If you aren't careful about what you run over, for whatever reason, then a few inches of ground clearance are not going to matter much. You'll want skid plates. Some members here have fabricated some really nice ones for various tractor makes. On the Branson you might be able to use the front cross member that the backhoe connects to as one skidplate mount.

 

[PeteN]

My 3725 has the "IND-10" wheels and tires, which are the smallest of the three sets they use on 20/25 series machines. It normally came with IND-20s. I got them to lower the CG for operating on side slopes. But I also run mine in the parts of my woods that are not too steep or too thickly wooded. I've not had a problem. But I'm pretty careful about what I run over. I'm not on the clock so I can take my time. A 5520 would come with the tallest IND-25 wheels & tires giving it more ground clearance than I have.

If you aren't careful about what you run over, for whatever reason, then a few inches of ground clearance are not going to matter much. You'll want skid plates. Some members here have fabricated some really nice ones for various tractor makes. On the Branson you might be able to use the front cross member that the backhoe connects to as one skidplate mount.

Thanks for the info. I agree that you have to be careful going through brush or even tall grass when operating the tractor. I haven't had any issues with my JD 2020 but it seems older tractors generally have larger wheels and more ground clearance. However when traveling through the woods the occasional small branch gets shoved upward and that is where my concern is on snagging low hanging parts. I sometimes do drive over brush when I'm using the bush hog and that's where it would be nice to have some protection on the front u-joints like the Kubota does. It doesn't sound like I'm going to do anything that you guys haven't already been through. I still don't get why you'd want the loader hydraulic connection so low and likely to get coated in mud and dirt. Same with the filters. That's one area where you want to keep clean to keep contamination of the hydraulic oil from happening on connect/disconnect. If you look at the avatar pic of my 2020 you can see the lowest thing on this tractor is the low exhaust system and drawbar. Nice for not snagging on tree branches but bad when working at the back of the tractor when running.

 

[captainbars]

Good choice. I had a 2017 Mahindra 40hp still under warranty. Hadn't put 10 hours on it and the engine locked up - blown head gasket. Repaired under warranty, but a hassle. Sold it and wasn't long before the new owner wanted to know if the warranty was still good since it was stuck in gear.
So I found a Branson 5220r with a BH76 backhoe and am very satisfied. Had to replace the front differential which was broken when I got it, but the sales price was right. I found a used serviceable differential online for way cheap and put it in myself. So far so good, have put over 50 hours on it this summer already.