Would you pay $1,500 for 14% more HP?

[rumwrks]

My research concludes that the Branson is the same, except for a shorter chassis, front axle and 3P implement attachment points.

My conclusion was that the 5520 was smaller dimensionally but weighed about the same so the material went somewhere.. and IMHO it showed in the axles and undercarriage. I might well regret my choice long term but that was my thought process. I wouldn't dispute that the trim on T574 was nicer...

 

[jyoutz]

Actually, turbos are more impressive at adding torque. Torque is what you want in a tractor engine.

More than torque or HP, what I pay more for is weight.

Tractors, unless vastly overmatched to a task, usually have enough power to get the job down, but when you look down from your seat and see all 4 tires spinning, but you aren’t moving, that’s a loss of traction, due to lack of weight.

Agree with everything. I just pointed out that you do loose performance at higher elevations with a naturally aspirated engine. Turbos do help a lot at higher elevation.

 

[Torvy]

@Torvy - tell me your uses for the tractor… I’m curious how closely it aligns with mine.

I have about 3 acres of easements that I cut brush from a couple of times a year with a ditch flail. The other 15-17 acres are pine plantation (13-14 years old) that have been neglected.

Will be using flail for clearing brush from between my rows of loblolly pines and along my perimeter fence.

Also regularly remove diseased/dead trees. Right now we burn most of the debris, but I am looking for a PTO powered chipper to provide mulch.

I have a root grapple that I use to haul logs and brush, but HP is not much of a factor. Same with Box blade for driveway and path maintenance.

Aside from the PTO, the extra HP can be useful pulling stumps. Stump grinder is another future purchase.

 

[Torvy]

My conclusion was that the 5520 was smaller dimensionally but weighed about the same so the material went somewhere.. and IMHO it showed in the axles and undercarriage. I might well regret my choice long term but that was my thought process. I wouldn't dispute that the trim on T574 was nicer...

For me, the 5520 needed to add rear remotes, the 3pt control lever, was not pre-run for 3rd function, etc.

They are both good choices. If I ran TYM, I would merge these into one pair with the best features of both. They already share the engine.

 

[halfBaked2024]

For me, the 5520 needed to add rear remotes, the 3pt control lever, was not pre-run for 3rd function, etc.

They are both good choices. If I ran TYM, I would merge these into one pair with the best features of both. They already share the engine.

Merging models was the feedback my dealer said he had for TYM.

 

[Torvy]

Merging models was the feedback my dealer said he had for TYM.

As long as they are smart about it, that makes sense. Just dropping models wouldn't be a good idea.

From everything I've read, it sounds like TYM is taking feedback and actually trying to make things better. Many times an acquisition just takes market share and the other models just vanish.

 

[halfBaked2024]

I have about 3 acres of easements that I cut brush from a couple of times a year with a ditch flail. The other 15-17 acres are pine plantation (13-14 years old) that have been neglected.

Will be using flail for clearing brush from between my rows of loblolly pines and along my perimeter fence.

Also regularly remove diseased/dead trees. Right now we burn most of the debris, but I am looking for a PTO powered chipper to provide mulch.

I have a root grapple that I use to haul logs and brush, but HP is not much of a factor. Same with Box blade for driveway and path maintenance.

Aside from the PTO, the extra HP can be useful pulling stumps. Stump grinder is another future purchase.

I’m a square peg in actual tractor usage. You’ll see in this thread I’m looking to do grading and tree clearing with mine. No brush or mowing needed, but it’s interesting how our basic tractor requirements are so similar. Implement-wise, I can see a chipper and stump grinder in my future but out of the starting gate, I have a shop site to clear, grub and grade for the new tractor and my other stuff to live in. For now, I will try to get that done with a rock bucket, root grapple and box blade on a TLB setup.

Eating the elephant one bite at a time, but this first bite is a $biggie$, at least for my spending plan.

 

[Torvy]

If it wasn't for the easements, I'd have little use for the mower. Probably could have worked around buying one.

The utility is supposed to mow them, but it will go a few years sometimes.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Sounds like you could use a dozer more than a tractor?

 

[rumwrks]

For me, the 5520 needed to add rear remotes, the 3pt control lever, was not pre-run for 3rd function, etc.

Yeah 100%. I added 2 rear remotes but definitely would have preferred 3 and one with float so I'm going to have to do some machinations to work around that. The pre-wired 3rd function is also definitely nicer. I opted for rops not cab so the rear 3pt control isn't "as big" of a deal. The trim is most definitely nicer on the T series no argument at all. I'm also more used to old crusty tractors without any of it so it didn't.. I guess .. feel like as much of a deal? I might change my mind in 10 years

But it did feel a bit like I was paying (about) $2k more (dealer made me an ok deal and I'm installing the rears myself... otherwise it'd have been more..) for what I felt was a slightly chunkier looking chassis and a castle nut instead of a circ clip... How much any of that matters? IDK.. I was also kind of basing it off of visible complaint #'s which I also realize aren't normalized for volume so kind of more than a touch hand wavey...

The stump grinders are $$$... That and (mostly) the chipper is why I opted for the extra HP... I'm not sure I'll bother with a grinder anytime soon as I can mostly either just leave (lots of thinning so those can just stay), pull (only a few), or cut flush (and deal with later..) the smaller stumps (mostly under 12") I have to deal with.

I've also been looking for a decent used forestry winch...

If you haven't found the old "farm tractor in the forest" doc it has a lot of useful, if slightly dated (so grain of salt, use judgement) information.

https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/publications/general_publications/farm_tractor_in_the_forest.pdf