New Branson 3520H

[ChrisRyan]

Thanks, that is my thought as well. I'm going to see how I like the Clutch feel and see if the "H" is something I'd prefer. Either way, I'd hate to lose any Horsepower simply for the Convenience of Hydrostatic.

 

[TXCOMT]

Good points pro and con for an H vs. an R...I'm a tractor newbie and bought a 2400H just a few months ago to go along with a 12-acre "spread" in western North Texas. The H is perfect for me as my property is flat, but well-treed (mostly nasty mesquite but with a nice screen of oak and other desirable hardwoods scattered on sandy loam). As a result, I'm constantly going around, and under, limbs of all shapes and sizes. "Lil' Red," as we call it (a Carroll Shelby reference), can "get in amongst 'em," like my Dad used to say, and I go forward and backward often as a result. While I'm sure I'd get along fine with a plain, ol' 2400, the hydro allows me to concentrate on other fundamentals of tractoring, such as keeping it upright, not running into things or grenading the RC. Bottom line, the local B dealer had mine, a used '16 model with only 50-odd hours on it, for sale at a great price.

If the H you're testing is anything like mine, stepping off the go-pedal quickly will stop that tractor quickly, too, at least on level ground. To ease to a stop, one must ease off the pedal.

TXCOMT

 

[ChrisRyan]

Good info TXCOMT. I'm going to test drive both a bit and see how they feel. Price is pretty similar, so I'm just more concerned about loss of HP if anything with the Hydrostatic.

 

[LouNY]

Quite often the hydros will be noisier, the hydro whine especially when worked hard.

 

[TXCOMT]

Quite often the hydros will be noisier, the hydro whine especially when worked hard.

That may be, but I wear earplugs when operating my tractor, so I haven't really noticed.

TXCOMT

 

[ericm979]

Good info TXCOMT. I'm going to test drive both a bit and see how they feel. Price is pretty similar, so I'm just more concerned about loss of HP if anything with the Hydrostatic.

For many uses, losing a few hp is not a big deal. HP is not important for loader work for example. Often with ground engaging work traction is the limit not power, even with a heavy Branson with loaded rear tires. For mowing losing a couple HP might be an issue if you are mowing very tall of thick material and using a wide mower. But then with the HST you can just slow down a hair to compensate. While with a gear drive you have to shift to the next lower gear, losing drive (which can be an issue on a hill) and then you're stuck at that speed.

For me after research before getting my first tractor, I wanted HST. It's better on hills (our place is steep). The stuff I mow is not super tall/thick. I have to back and turn a lot when mowing to stay on the flatter parts and to get around trees. I do a lot of loader and grapple work. I can spin the tires with the box blade fully loaded down. The only place I need all the HP I can get is when using the PTO chipper on larger material. And there I could use an extra 15 or 20 hp. The three HP the HST costs isn't going to make much difference.

OTOH if I was on flat ground and doing only mowing or ground engaging work, it was long runs with few turns, and no loader work, I'd consider gears. The advantages of the HST would go unused so why get it.

Keep in mind that "shuttle" covers transmissions with a F/R lever that you have to clutch to use, and ones with automatic clutches. The latter is what loaders and many serious farm tractors have but Branson's requires you to use the clutch. I used to do motorcycle trials competition which requires precise clutch use so I'm familiar with that but the idea of having to slip the clutch a lot when doing precise loader work in tight quarters was not appealing, especially since clutch replacement requires splitting the tractor. With the HST I can move the tractor just an inch if thar's what I need.

 

[Gafn]

For mowing losing a couple HP might be an issue if you are mowing very tall of thick material and using a wide mower. But then with the HST you can just slow down a hair to compensate. While with a gear drive you have to shift to the next lower gear, losing drive (which can be an issue on a hill) and then you're stuck at that speed..

Eric - (I was going to disagree with you - but then remembered my "H" may have been busted since I took it out of the box) I have hills to mow, and with the "H", I see my RPM drop 300 -400 revs on the hills, and that takes the tractor out of the proper PTO RPMs. I changed form a 3520H to a 3520R - and the exact same hill, same speed, same mower - RPM drop was 50 revs. That's more than slowing down a hair... The "R" kept the PTO speed the entire hill, which resulted in a better cut, and a single pass. With the "H" - I always took the steepest bits and ran downhill or I would have to make multiple passes to get the job done.
Now, in the last few months ... while having major issues with the "H" - I actually took a wooden oar with me, and while going so slowly up the hills - I paddled, just to give the wife a laugh... it got that bad... It got to the point that I would turn off the PTO to go up any hill then mow down it - but there were mechanical issues with that tractor - perhaps that is the reason I traded it. I remember the "H" being anemic on the hills when it was new... perhaps it was just not setup right from the factory. Things that always bugged me... like Road Gear (3) it was all I could do to get the "H" going when selected, it was beyond hard to press - and I am over 220lbs, and the whine from the hydro was stupid loud. I mostly ran the "H" in 2nd.

Anyway - I hope my "H" experience is not the normal, but I have and "R" now and I do enjoy being part of the tractor experience, and not just stomping on Fwd/Rev pedals... but once again just my opinion.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I personally would have been fine with either trans type. However, at least in the 25 series, if you want a cab, you get HST. That's it. Mandatory choice. My personal requirements included a mandatory cab, (which again, in the 25 series, comes with heat and a/c standard). Not the same for others, I understand, but for me, it was cab or "h*ll no". So I got the HST.

I have a couple of steep sections of my road ditches that I mow that are over a 22 degree (that's "degree", not "percent grade"-it would be a 44 percent "grade") slope. I mow with a 6' rotary mower, and for the steep parts, I mow it driving straight up and straight down the slope. When I get to the steep portions, I mow straight up in HST 1 (low) range. The rest of the time, I'm in HST 2 (middle) range. I easily mow up the steepest parts in HST 1 range, with the front axle engaged, diff lock on (if the ground is soft), and mow at full rpms all the way up the slope.

So I mow along the bottom "flat" area, and as I make the turn to go up the slope, I shift to HST 1, mow up the slope, get to the top, make the turn, and shift back to HST 2 to continue along the top. Then I just rinse and repeat same as I come around for the next pass until the mowing is done. Only time I have to shift into HST 1 range is at the very steepest sections I mow. Rest of my mowing is all done in HST 2. I have no complaints.

I wouldn't squabble about "losing" 5 hp for an HST trans over a gear trans. If 5 hp is the difference between getting the job done or not, you probably bought too small (hp) a tractor anyway. Some other tractor brands lose more hp in their HST designs. But the Branson, with only a 5 hp drop, is the most efficient HST design (as far as power loss) that I've seen. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

And for some reason, only the cabbed version (at least on the 25 series), the diff lock is under your left boot heel, not your right. Don't know why it's different, but it's too bad the open station tractors have the diff lock on the right side of the floor pan. I hope they do change that in the future.

 

[Hombre]

Seems like most "new" owners now a days opt for the hydro trans. It's easy to operate, not that a shuttle is difficult by any means, but just push a pedal forward to go forward and a pedal to go back. Simple. Great for bucket work or a lot of back and forth. I've ran a few and they are convenient for that. A couple things that "annoyed" me a bit with the last one I ran (Mahindra 30) is it seemed to back up slower than going forward in the same range and I had to "floorboard" it to get the performance I wanted (like my riding lawnmower) running at a high RPM. I was also told that a Hydro trans will lose a bit of power over time and use. The PTO HP loss WAS a concern to me as I use a lot of 3pt attachments. With the Branson shuttle shift you do have to use the clutch to change directions when you move the shuttle back and forth (it's like a turn signal lever in your car) but you don't have to come to a stop to do it. The four speed trans with the shuttle is syncromesh and you have to use the clutch to shift it, but normally you just pick the gear you're going to use and leave it there. I run my 4020 mostly in the med range (2nd) and third or fourth in the gear box. It's not like it's a bunch of gear changes as you're running the tractor, just the shuttle when you change direction. As has been mentioned, it's mostly about how you plan on using your tractor but I will mention it's usually easier to get your wife to run a hydro than a shuttle...I like them both but prefer the Shuttle shift for my application. There is no wrong answer.

 

[ChrisRyan]

I appreciate everyone weighing in. I'm just going to have to get out there and ride both and see what I like. Theoretically, I'd like to keep all my horsepower, but losing 3 HP isn't really a big deal. I have a lot of trees I'll be bush hogging around once a month, but mostly will be FEL work, digging post holes, and backhoe work. I have a sawmill, so loading logs will be a big part of the equation. They both appeal to me, but I'll make a decision soon. Hoping to have it at the Farm by late summer, early fall.