I'm Done With Branson

[madpuma13]

Dave,

I have several problems with my 2016 Branson 4720Ch.

I purchased it from Big Red's for a project in the Houston area, and I requested manuals for the tractor. As soon as they got the check, and delivered the tractor, they washed their hands of me, and I never got the parts manual they promised.

There is NO DEALER AT ALL in the Houston area, and that has really smashed my productivity.

Did Branson ever give access to the parts manuals back. I have been able to find a good service manual, an Ops manual and even a parts manual dated 2011, but I keep ending up with the wrong parts when I order from that. I believe I need a different parts manual for the "Tier 4" unit. Is that the case. Can anyone even get me a parts manual for my tractor?

Have you seen units with the AC inop? I'm sure you've seen plenty with the shredded fan shrouds.

I agree you big reds needs to help you as your selling dealer.

Big reds hardly gave me the time of day when I wanted to purchase a new tractor from them. Instead I found a smaller Branson dealer that was in my backyard!

It's located in Robinson, tx right next to Waco. That's a little bit closer to you too over big reds.

It's Epperson tractor and the couple that run it are the friendliest people in the world and always seem to bend over backwards to help a person out. They truly are good people.

If you need work done or need to order parts and don't feel like giving big reds more money, hot then up.

 

[SPETyler TX]

I am a Branson dealer in Tyler Tx and am more than willing to help you guys out if you need anything. I stay on the parts and service guys in Rome Ga Daily about parts. We have a large Inventory of parts and it grows daily and we also ship all over the US
903-630-6147 ask for Rob in parts If you need it i will find a way to get it if it is avaliable!

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Thanks for the heads-up, I will consider the Waco and Tyler shops. Closer would be better since I have a couple outstanding warranty issues currently. Anyone have experience with Oil-City tractor in Beaumont? It seems like they are the closest authorized dealer to Houston.

 

[EddieWalker]

I am a Branson dealer in Tyler Tx and am more than willing to help you guys out if you need anything. I stay on the parts and service guys in Rome Ga Daily about parts. We have a large Inventory of parts and it grows daily and we also ship all over the US
903-630-6147 ask for Rob in parts If you need it i will find a way to get it if it is avaliable!

Are you at the new dealership on 69 and 346?

 

[Cougsfan]

Anybody have concerns that Branson may not be a viable tractor brand in the US in 5 years?

Try to think of a long-standing tractor brand, other than John Deere, who hasn't gone through a bankruptcy, merger, take-over, or some other kind of up-ending. That is just how the Ag Industry works. I had a gray market Yanmar that was never sold in this country, and it was a LOT easier to find parts for it than it is for my old Ferguson. The non-supported Yanmar was also much easier to sell for a decent price. I think Branson will be around in 5 years and I think you are taking a chance on parts availability down the road regardless of what you buy, even if they are still in business.

I'd suggest you just don't buy a tractor if you want to feel warm and fuzzy about finding camshaft bearings for your tractor in 20 years from now (I never could find any for my Ferguson, and had to re-use the old ones. Yes it did significantly limit the quality of a total engine overhaul.)

 

[airbiscuit]

AgraCat
Agri-Power
Bobcat
Cabelas
Century
Cub Cadet
Farm Pro
Farmtrac
Montana
Scorpion

All used to be CUT tractor brands. I can't see into the future with certainty, but I don't think TYM and Branson will both be tractor brands in the future. I could be wrong , and Branson owners seem to be happy enough today.

 

[ericm979]

It seems like Branson's got enough brand recognition to be worth keeping. It's a much better known brand than TYM. However I've seen corporations make far dumber choices than killing the Branson brand would be. You never know.

 

[DavesTractor]

It seems like Branson's got enough brand recognition to be worth keeping. It's a much better known brand than TYM. However I've seen corporations make far dumber choices than killing the Branson brand would be. You never know.

I've said this a time or two, but Branson USA is a profit center. And they enjoy a #2 ranking in the dealer/manufacturer satisfaction survey. They continue to bring new products to the market. Typically those are not things you see in a brand that is going away.

TYM is quite good at building tractors, but their success selling them as TYM in north America has been less than stellar. It would seem that TYM would want to build onto Branson's retail success. Not that Branson has "arrived", they need a much broader and better dealer base. But that seems to be getting batter a few dealers at a time.

Hard to say what could happen.

 

[Btown]

AgraCat
Agri-Power
Bobcat
Cabelas
Century
Cub Cadet
Farm Pro
Farmtrac
Montana
Scorpion

All used to be CUT tractor brands. I can't see into the future with certainty, but I don't think TYM and Branson will both be tractor brands in the future. I could be wrong , and Branson owners seem to be happy enough today.

None of these companies actually make a tractor. They were rebranded tractors. TYM and Branson both make tractors. Big difference. Some of this brands don't exist due to the manufacturers actually selling their own tractors in the USA instead of someone else under a different name. The USA is TYM's largest market and TYM is bigger than Branson.

 

[airbiscuit]

I'm not saying they both go away. I'm just wondering if the mother ship (TYM) will keep 2 brands, 2 manufacturing facilities, 2 sets of overhead, etc. I don't think it will happen tomorrow, but I could see the following take place ...

Year
5......,,,,,,,,,,TYM and Branson
6 single brand TYM/Branson
7.................... TYM/Branson
8..................... TYM/Branson
9......................... TYM

Granted, this is pure speculation on my part, but this scenario is not so different from other companies being bought out. One would think that if this did happen, they would combine the best of both brands and continue parts support. I have seen company logos /brands follow that same path. If Branson (or TYM for that matter) are serious about their futures, they will amp up their parts availability, online parts look ups, etc. and get more dealers like Dave's Tractor.

Branson owners seem to like their tractors and that's cool. I'm just saying that corporations do what corporations do.

 

[DavesTractor]

I'm not saying they both go away. I'm just wondering if the mother ship (TYM) will keep 2 brands, 2 manufacturing facilities, 2 sets of overhead, etc. I don't think it will happen tomorrow, but I could see the following take place ...

Year
5......,,,,,,,,,,TYM and Branson
6 single brand TYM/Branson
7.................... TYM/Branson
8..................... TYM/Branson
9......................... TYM

Granted, this is pure speculation on my part, but this scenario is not so different from other companies being bought out. One would think that if this did happen, they would combine the best of both brands and continue parts support. I have seen company logos /brands follow that same path. If Branson (or TYM for that matter) are serious about their futures, they will amp up their parts availability, online parts look ups, etc. and get more dealers like Dave's Tractor.

Branson owners seem to like their tractors and that's cool. I'm just saying that corporations do what corporations do.

There is precedence for your predictions. Remember Ford, then Ford New Holland, and then New Holland. Names can morph like that.

I would guess that TYM and Branson will look at ways to gain efficiencies. Why create different engines for each brand? For that matter, why not share some transmission designs. And so forth. It could be one day that we have a Chevy/GMC thing with near identical units sold by different brands. Or perhaps they will bring it all under one brand. It is hard to know, but in any event (well not any event....there is a crazy guy in N Korea) I see both brands either surviving or merging in a manner that leaves no orphans. I have heard nothing of merging the brands in the USA, but it would certainly seem to be a possibility.

 

[Hombre]

The tractor brand I purchased was Branson. Now it's owned by TYM. That's O.K. And, I could care less what they (TYM) calls the next "generation" of these tractors as long as the tractor I purchased will still have parts and service (warranty work) available. If not for some reason, I'll take my beating and sell it and I'll buy a Kubota. But I ain't really worried about it......yet.....

 

[LincTex]

It's located in Robinson, tx right next to Waco.
It's Epperson tractor and the couple that run it are the friendliest people in the world and always seem to bend over backwards to help a person out. They truly are good people. .

Epperson tractor is a REAL tractor place, too.

They've been repairing all brands in that location for DECADES.
They just recently (last year or two) became a Branson dealer.
They are VERY different than other "dealers" that can't service what they sell!

 

[LincTex]

Year
5......,,,,,,,,,,TYM and Branson
6 single brand TYM/Branson
7....................TYM/Branson
Granted, this is pure speculation on my part, but this scenario is not so different from other companies being bought out.

Who knows....

It's been almost 30 YEARS since J.I. Case and International Harvester merged....

today, we have this:

 

[LouNY]

Who knows....

It's been almost 30 YEARS since J.I. Case and International Harvester merged....

today, we have this:
View attachment 519691

And now CIH and NH are the same except for paint and all the mid size and under (+100 hp and down) are from overseas,
but a great many have always been from overseas, the 574's and similars where an english tractor with lots of german motors.
The PUMA's are all english. The small fords NH are all korean, mids are europe only the biggest are American.
No reason TYM/Branson can't have two seperate names and just minor differences.

 

[Texasmark]

Hello Dave from Daves Tractor;

I had some questions that my dealer couldn't answer and he seemed to get no response from Branson also.
As far as the parts availability Branson removed the parts look up from the customer access of there web site,
I can go to the New Holland/ Ford or the IH or CNH or John Deere web sites and find all the parts break downs and exploded drawings
which not only gets me the parts numbers but will also link to the dealers parts and will even price them out for me or anyone.
The exploded drawings are a great help when working on equipment. Manuals, are Branson manuals available for purchase? It doesn't seem like it.

Contact Buster Jenkins at the Plainview, Tx. warehouse (1205 S I-27, Plainview, Tx. 79072; (806) 293-0337) if you want super service.

My take of the Branson management is that once the tractor leaves their Rome Ga. facility they are through with it other than supplying parts. I noticed that back in 2007 when I bought my 6530 and had some questions that weren't in the service manual. Haven't changed my mind on the matter. Per my experience with them, they are setup on the dealer-customer relationship. On your dealer not getting any answers from them, I don't know the particulars on that.

Buster has not only helped me personally, he sent the area tech. rep. to my farm (about 300 miles from Plainview) back in 2007 when I had an AC idler pulley failure after just a few 10s of hours of operation. Turns out the AC drive V belt idler pulley design hadn't been adequately designed for the load placed on it. Got me a redesigned (doubled the bearing size) complete unit with new fan belt handed to me at my farm, no questions asked. Had another little problem with a knob and got a replacement, no questions asked. Needed a cab door from a rock strike and he had me one in 3 days (not a warranty item obviously). Tore out my front bearings due some stupid abuse this spring and had the parts I needed in about 3 days, bearings, seals, and all, plus the information that since 2007 when I bought the tractor new, Kukje has changed their mind about front axle fluid and he recommended 85w-140 which I installed. No problems since. Additionally he is knowledgeable about the machines as he does field service in the Plainview area, personally.

I know Branson has the product. What I don't and haven't over the years understood is why do they manage the company the way they do over in Rome, Ga.. Just doesn't make sense to me..........and to a lot of customers and potential customers.