Smudge
I only have put 5 hours on it since arrival...
No issues what so ever, and figured out if you put the seat all the way back before getting off, then on and off gets a lot easier, very livable.
In that 4 hours I have box bladed the drive way, moved many fallen trees, and moves some rocks that were too large for my old BX to even pick up.
I am extremely happy with it.
I have some slopes that a bit steep, and the BX was ok on them, this tractor weights nearly 2700 lbs more that than BX, it feels very stable on the slopes.
My finish cut mower is coming in on the 21st, so I have not mowed with it yet. I have not used the PTO as of yet.
The best part for me is that brake pedal being on the left and the fwd/rvs control on the right. On the BX the brake pedal is above the fwd/rvs rocker pedal. The BX's pedal arrangement did not allow for any control when on hills. once you took you foot off the brake, gravity pulled you down the hill until you could get on the reverse pedal. This really sucked when trying to get a small pallet off a truck. Basically with the BX you need to load and unload trucks on the flat only. The Branson pedals are separate, and allow you to creep into a pallet for a very controller lift, and not put the bed of the truck in jeopardy of getting smashed by a drifting tractor.
My wife even likes the pedal setup on the Branson, and she likes the FEL controls as well. The BX you had to have revved up to 2500 to lift any weight, or do any real digging and the FEL was jerky, unless you were super attentive to the control arm... The Branson has a very smooth FEL control, she is very happy with that. Last year my job had me out of the country for nearly 6 months, so my wife being happy with the tractor is important. I was actually looking at the R model to save a few bucks, but the wife said - Hydro, or she will not use it... so I have the hydro, and after using it to move the trees.... I will not let her know it of course... but I am happy for having the Hydro. Hydro - right pedal goes backwards, left pedal goes forwards... change direction without looking... what could be more simple?
The wife and I feel this is the right tractor for us, and that we made a good decision.
Then came the task of fitting it into the shop with all the junk I have in there...
706) 517-8922. I did look at the Bransons and went to this dealer ( Reed and Reed sales ) to look and test drive. Family owned business that has bundled specials. I ended up buying a Kioti CK27. This business has 2014 demos on sale.
