New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner

   / New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner #11  
Welcome to TBN - congratulations on the tractor, looks nice with a lot of implements in the deal.
 
   / New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner #13  
I too a
For service intervals check the shop manuals thread for a shop manual.
M new to TBN. However I was a BRANSON tractor dealer for a few years. I have and own all types heavy equipment. Cranes, dozer, excavators skid steers, large track loaders you name it. I've had Chinese compacts, and many of the major brands. My Branson 4220 is hands down the best compact tractor I've ever owned. Currently own it ( 08 model) and a Kioti NX4510C HST. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY Kioti. But Park them side by side both in the 40-45 horsepower class frame size and the Branson is built better hands down. Have your axles heavier housings heavier frame heavier loader frame and all that. Not by leaps and bounds but it is noticeable. My Branson does not have emissions but my Kioti does. No problems yet with the Kioti emissions at 402 hours.
Only purchase the Kioti with a cab over the Branson because the Branson cabs are noisy inside and the hydrostat.
 
   / New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner
  • Thread Starter
#14  
I'm reviving this old thread. A couple more questions, what is the lifting capacity on this tractor. I found online it says 2,100 lbs at the pins, but what is the real life capacity for lifting something with the bucket and/or forks? Also, I need a grapple. I have a lot of brush and limb cutting to do and want to drag everything into a pile and then grab it with the grapple and haul to the burn pit. Can y'all recommend and quality grapple without breaking the bank?

The parking brake does give me problems. Going forward and yanking on the brake temporarily fixes it but it goes right back to dragging in no time at all.
 
   / New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner #15  
So you would want the lightest grapple you can find. Stay with a 60'' or narrower grapple for weight saving =more usable lift. You have the A1700N4 Kukje engine 3 cyl I assume?, it is a mechanical injected low tech reliable engine. HST fluid every 500h, engine oil once a year or every 250h whatever comes 1st. Uses engine oil filter NAPA FIL1626 ir Wix 51626. I use Rotella T6 for better cold flow since I live in snowbelt. On the brakes, have you checked linkages not adjust wrong, lubed them up a bit so they return properly?
 
   / New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner #16  
I'm reviving this old thread. A couple more questions, what is the lifting capacity on this tractor. I found online it says 2,100 lbs at the pins, but what is the real life capacity for lifting something with the bucket and/or forks? Also, I need a grapple. I have a lot of brush and limb cutting to do and want to drag everything into a pile and then grab it with the grapple and haul to the burn pit. Can y'all recommend and quality grapple without breaking the bank?

The parking brake does give me problems. Going forward and yanking on the brake temporarily fixes it but it goes right back to dragging in no time at all.
I have the same lifting spec as you do (probably the exact same loader).

I have lifted round bales between 1400-1600 lbs, have lifted pallets of sand bags at 1600 lbs.

The lifting ability goes down as the weight moves farther forward of the pins, but I would expect you to be able to lift 1200-1400 lbs in almost any circumstance.

Make sure you have a heavy weight on the rear 3 pt hitch before doing any heavy lifting.
 
   / New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner #17  
I'm reviving this old thread. A couple more questions, what is the lifting capacity on this tractor. I found online it says 2,100 lbs at the pins, but what is the real life capacity for lifting something with the bucket and/or forks? Also, I need a grapple. I have a lot of brush and limb cutting to do and want to drag everything into a pile and then grab it with the grapple and haul to the burn pit. Can y'all recommend and quality grapple without breaking the bank?

The parking brake does give me problems. Going forward and yanking on the brake temporarily fixes it but it goes right back to dragging in no time at all.

Are you absolutely sure you need a grapple?

There are numerous members here who like myself, use pallet forks to move around large brush piles (and many more things such as logs) and don't feel the necessity of a grapple.

While I would like a grapple someday, when I look at the cost of a grapple plus the cost of extending the hydraulics, it's something that's quite far down my list of attachments.

JMO.
 
   / New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner #18  
Are you absolutely sure you need a grapple?

There are numerous members here who like myself, use pallet forks to move around large brush piles (and many more things such as logs) and don't feel the necessity of a grapple.

While I would like a grapple someday, when I look at the cost of a grapple plus the cost of extending the hydraulics, it's something that's quite far down my list of attachments.

JMO.
I don't see those as competing tools. Sure, you can use forks as a workaround for not having a grapple on some tasks. Unless you add a thumb to your forks, you will tend to lose brush along the way. The thumb also needs the 3rd function.
 
   / New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner #19  
Regarding the sticky brakes, I believe those series were a bit problematic because for some reason they got rid of the zerk fittings for the brake pivot shaft that enters the transmission housing. Over time, moisture and dirt with create rust and start binding the shaft, causing the brakes to stick.

You may want to crawl under the tractor and soak those shafts with penetrating oil, work those brake pedals and hope the problem kinda goes away.

If you follow the linkage from the pedals, you'll find the shafts I'm talking about very fast.
 
   / New from Texas, and new/used Branson 3520 owner #20  
I got an EA wicked grapple (the long bottom tine type) for my 3725. It's been very useful, far more than forks. But it wasn't cheap when I got it and it's surely a lot more now. I'm still running it off a rear remote mounted on the fender.

I believe the loader rating, but that's at full lift. It will lift more than that lower down. I regularly move IBC totes packed full of hardwood splits with it. Calculated weight of Madrone or Tan oak would be ~2000 lbs for 1/3 cord of green splits + 100 for the tote + 300 for the forks or about 2400. I only lift this as high as needed to clear and never more than a few feet. If I do not slide the forks fully into the tote the loader may not curl. With a load out a bit from the pins such as a tote or a log in the grapple, often it's curl thats the limit rather than lifting.

Working the loader hard is probably hard on the front axle. But I need the stuff moved, so I'll deal with that if and when it happens. I check the axle oil level periodically and use gear oil. I made a modified breather so it does not leak oil on side hills. Newer models have the breather at the center of the axle where it belongs instead of the right steering knuckle.
 
 
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