Is a Branson 4520R a good tractor?

[wmoze]

Looking to see if anyone else has had any experience with Branson. There is a 4520r for under 22K near me with the FEL, R4 tires and 2 rear remotes. My dad has always gotten Kubota but the same featured tractor in Kubota line is alot more money. Anyone have any experience with Branson? I saw one other review on a 2012 that seemed to indicate the fuel tank had an issue on hills if less than half a tank. I went and looked at the tractor yesterday and since it is a demo, I need to give the dealer a thumbs up or down today. Any help would be appreciated as this is my first time buying a tractor for myself.

 

[GManBart]

Looking to see if anyone else has had any experience with Branson. There is a 4520r for under 22K near me with the FEL, R4 tires and 2 rear remotes. My dad has always gotten Kubota but the same featured tractor in Kubota line is alot more money. Anyone have any experience with Branson? I saw one other review on a 2012 that seemed to indicate the fuel tank had an issue on hills if less than half a tank. I went and looked at the tractor yesterday and since it is a demo, I need to give the dealer a thumbs up or down today. Any help would be appreciated as this is my first time buying a tractor for myself.

They aren't bad machines, but for the same money, you could get an LS, or Kioti, with an HST tranny, and more powerful loaders. I haven't looked at the newer Branson's because there wasn't a dealer close by when I was shopping, but I think the general feeling is they aren't quite as "good" as an LS, Kioti, Mahindra, etc....whatever that means.

 

[wmoze]

The engines are supposedly Cummins according to the dealer. Any idea if this is true?

 

[GManBart]

The engines are supposedly Cummins according to the dealer. Any idea if this is true?

I'm not in the industry, so someone may have a better answer, but the engine appears to be a Kukje A2300N2-R....Kukje us a Korean company. It's possible they license their design from Cummins, but that's outside anything I could figure out.

 

[alleycatdad]

I have a 3510 HST and it's been a great machine. Very very pleased with features and function compared to the available competition and the price was right.

SA

 

[wmoze]

This one is a shuttle shift. Any benefit of HST over Shuttle?

 

[wmoze]

Thank you all for your quick responses and help by the way. This is a rather spur of the moment decision. I'm really only interested in it because the price is so reasonable. I called a local Mahindra dealer and they have a 4035 which runs 25K. I liked that it is rated to lift over 3000 lbs. Should I be concerned with the differences in HP? The Branson is 47HP while the 4035 is only 40HP. I've got about 80 acres of which 10-12 is field.... the rest is logging trails and woods so this will be used for anything and everything on the "farm".

 

[TSO]

That engine is very likely a Kujke built "Cummins" ... just like my LS has an LS built "Mitsubishi" --- basically the companies buy the license to build the engine. I can't say if my version of the Mitsu is any better or worse than if it had been built directly by Mitsu in their own factory, so I would assume the same logic would apply to Branson's engine.

I think the Branson's look like decent machines. There's no dealer near me so I had to shop them ONLY via the internet and I didn't know enough about them to keep them high on my list. I've read about some problems with them from this forum, but that's all I know.

Keep in mind, that "lift" number you are using for the Mahindra (lifts over 3000 lbs) does NOT apply to the loader, it applies to the 3-point linkage (actual number is 3090 lbs at ball ends). The 4035 loader lifts 2400 lbs at max height (measured at the pins) with 3900 lbs breakout force at ground level (at the pins). If you shop Mahindra, some of their tractors are made by Mahindra, some are made by TYM, some engines are Daedong (parent company of Kioti), etc etc etc... but they seem to be pretty good tractors, and if I had the money, I'd be inclined to seriously consider a 5035, 5010/6010 cab version.

Lots of good tractor companies out there right now. I would say don't bother looking at Case or New Holland, because LS makes them. You can literally buy the exact same tractor directly from LS for thousands cheaper. Kioti is a good tractor. (McCormick is a red Kioti) TYM's are pretty good, but seem to have some problems (see the TYM forum). Kubota makes good tractors. JD makes good tractors. But JD & Kubota seem to be #1 & #2 in the pricing lines across the board (from what I've seen).

HST vs Shuttle: If your PRIMARY task is ground-engaging work like plowing, grading, etc ... then get the shuttle. If the majority of your work is going to be EVERYTHING BUT those things, then get the HST. It's better for loader work, mowing, and most every other task where you go any direction but straight. HST rocks. Kubota has an HST system on their "Grand L" line called HST+ and it has some advanced features that make the HST even better, but you'll pay a premium for it.

Good luck. And, if you like the Branson, buy it. No one will fault you for it. Just do yourself a favor and test drive everything you can (within an hour or even 2 if needed) because you will definitely find pros & cons to all of them.

 

[wmoze]

Thank you sir! Appreciate the time and effort put into your response! I'm going to stop and try the Mahindra on the way home but I think I'm going with the Branson just because I can get the tractor, fluid in the rear tires and some extra implements for less $ than the Mahindra.

 

[wmoze]

Purchased the 4520R and it was delivered yesterday! Really impressed with the tractor so far! It has lots of power and with the rear tires filled, the FEL and my new 6' box blade it weighs in over 7000 pounds. One thing the dealer mentioned was that if I could get off road diesel I should. Is this the case or can I just get it at the pump at Walmart?

 

[DavesTractor]

Congrats on the Branson. Great machine. As far as the engine, many years back Cummins needed a supplier for the smaller A-series engines. Kukje went after this contract and designed and got an engine series approved by Cummins. Cummins has pretty stringent standards, but Kukje made the grade. So they sell the engine as a Cummins, and then they also install it in their tractors. They are not noted as Cummins on the engines installed in the tractors, although the numbers are all the same, like A2300, etc. And I believe them to be the same as the Cummins labeled units. But to put the Cummins decal on the engine and get the max benefit of that branding requires a payment to Cummins for each engine. That label has some value. So I guess you can say it is identical to a Cummins A-series, but is not actually branded as such. But the engine rolls off the same assembly line with the same parts.

On the LS, someone noted that it is a Mitsubishi designed engine built by LS. I suspect that LS simply buys the engine from Mitsu and installs it in their tractors. I really doubt they build that engine. Mitsu, Kubota, Yanmar, etc., are all commonly bought engine to put in industrial and commercial rigs. All are good.

The 4520R is a sweet tractor, you will enjoy it.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Pump diesel is fine. You just save on the taxes by buying offroad diesel.

 

[GManBart]

On the LS, someone noted that it is a Mitsubishi designed engine built by LS. I suspect that LS simply buys the engine from Mitsu and installs it in their tractors. I really doubt they build that engine.

LS has gone through something of a change in this regard. They started out buying engines from Mitsubishi, and now they absolutely make them under license. TSO sent LS an e-mail about the topic, and someone who I recall as being a relatively high level exec at LS confirmed the engine in his R4047H was a Mitsubishi model built by LS.

 

[TomSeller]

Purchased the 4520R and it was delivered yesterday! Really impressed with the tractor so far! It has lots of power and with the rear tires filled, the FEL and my new 6' box blade it weighs in over 7000 pounds. One thing the dealer mentioned was that if I could get off road diesel I should. Is this the case or can I just get it at the pump at Walmart?

Congratulations. There is a dealer nearby but I have not been able to take the time when I am in that area. They look good and the Cummins connection gives them clout. I would get either off road or pump diesel whichever is the fresher source. I add Power Service treatment to mine.

 

[DavesTractor]

LS has gone through something of a change in this regard. They started out buying engines from Mitsubishi, and now they absolutely make them under license. TSO sent LS an e-mail about the topic, and someone who I recall as being a relatively high level exec at LS confirmed the engine in his R4047H was a Mitsubishi model built by LS.

Thanks GManBart. I learn something new every day! Are they staying with the Mitsu engine for the Tier IV models?

 

[GManBart]

Thanks GManBart. I learn something new every day! Are they staying with the Mitsu engine for the Tier IV models?

I'm not entirely certain on that. I know that some models definitely now have a Tier IV compliant Shibaura engine, but others appear to still be a Mitsubishi. I know some models with the Mitsu will go away when current stocks are depleted, but that doesn't answer the question of a few new models that they don't specify the engine source.

 

[Texasmark]

The engines are supposedly Cummins according to the dealer. Any idea if this is true?

My engine is the Cummins B3.3NA made by Komatsu in Japan. No supposition, just fact. If you want to know facts, get on the www and look it up including Cummins licensees, Kukje in S. Korea that builds the tractors and some Cummins engines under license, and also some dearly beloved colors and all that.

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Purchased the 4520R and it was delivered yesterday! Really impressed with the tractor so far! It has lots of power and with the rear tires filled, the FEL and my new 6' box blade it weighs in over 7000 pounds. One thing the dealer mentioned was that if I could get off road diesel I should. Is this the case or can I just get it at the pump at Walmart?

In Texas off road is usually the same as over the road diesel minus the 40 cent per gallon road tax. The dealer where I buy says the state sets the price but still it is within a few pennies of what I said. You get forms from them, fill them out and apply for the tax free number. Here the number is good for fuel and other farm related purchases which saves you the 8.25% sales tax.

Personally I think you made a wise decision......biased answer????? Naw. What would give you that idea? Grin.

Mark

 

[TomSeller]

My engine is the Cummins B3.3NA made by Komatsu in Japan. No supposition, just fact. If you want to know facts, get on the www and look it up including Cummins licensees, Kukje in S. Korea that builds the tractors and some Cummins engines under license, and also some dearly beloved colors and all that.

Mark

I would dare guess that the Cummins connection could rank them higher on the quality list than some other up and coming manufacturers. I would like to hear more about them.

 

[TSO]

I would dare guess that the Cummins connection could rank them higher on the quality list than some other up and coming manufacturers. I would like to hear more about them.

Not sure about that ... respectfully, many people believe that the Cummins engine is the only good piece of a Dodge truck. That engine alone isn't enough to move them up the quality list though.

My "Mitsubishi" engine gets high praise from many people who report it being used in numerous commercial applications around the world.

Unfortunately, there's really no way to know which engine (ie Yanmar, Kubota, Cummins, Mitsubishi, Shibaura, Perkins, etc) is better in our tractor applications, because there are just too many outside factors that would need to be controlled.