Opinion needed on New Compact Tractors.

[ptsg]

Branson 20 and 25 series models (30-55hp) have EPTO. I think the larger ones have it too but the 10 and 15 series might not. I use it when mowing the part of my property near the neighbor's house. It makes an already quiet tractor quieter.

The 15 series has E-PTO as well. The 00 and 10 series has 540 and 1000. 05 series only has 540 and 2000 for mid PTO.

 

[gladehound]

-If you plan to get into the woods I'd recommend no cab. Too easy to break the glass. 4 point ROPS a must for forestry type work.
-Regarding HP, lift and weight, I'd figure out what you think is the sweet spot for size and then go one frame size up from that. Tractors shrink when you bring them home.
-I've had two kioti's and have been happy with them for pulling and loader work but I don't do much PTO work.

 

[metalbender]

I need some schoolin' on "economy pto"

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Lot of good advice so the only things I'll add are:

Consider the tasks you need/want to do and consider the time you'll have to do them (if you already haven't). There's a lot of tractor sizing advice out there, but so much of it focuses on the tractor rather than the user needs/tasks and the timeliness of completing said tasks. .....and as much focus is put on tractors they're really just tools (or more appropriately tool carriers) and they shouldn't drive the purchasing/sizing decisions themselves. It's that identifying of tasks and time allowable, along with any max/min constraints (e.g. loader lift capacity) that tends to be much more helpful in determining the size of the implements/attachments you'll want/need to purchase which in turn drives the size & power of the tractor along with any additional options that would be helpful to add to the tractor upfront (e.g. rear remotes, top & tilt kits, 3rd function valves on the loader).

Something else that may be worth considering is how much driving around the property you'll be doing with this tractor; from what I've seen it's usually the case that the smaller the tractor the lower the top speed. So while mowing along a fence line isn't exactly a high-speed endeavor having a bit more speed to get back in once you're done can be rather nice and at low at low speeds a few extra mph can make a difference. Another place that extra speed can come in handy is shuttling back and forth when you're doing loader work.

While it's been a few years since I bought mine, I still recall that the "bang per buck" generally got better going larger as the price difference between sub-compacts and various sized compacts isn't all that great when considered over the life of any loan (and with the low/no interest rates :confused3 -- or the expected life of the tractor. Granted going larger/heavier can also add transportation considerations (if moving the tractor to other properties is part of the task list).

Not trying to undo anything you've researched or analyzed, just wanting to ensure that a few things that seem to frequently be overlooked aren't. Though even when everything seems to point that the tractors you're looking at are appropriately sized, it's probably still worth talking to the dealer(s) about how low hour trade-ins are handled if it turns out the initial tractor you go with doesn't quite fit your needs in practice (was actually a conversation topic my tractor dealer brought up with me when I bought my current tractor).

Anyway just my :2cents:

I think this is gold advice here. Too many folks get wrapped up in the tractor specs early on. The tractor is just the mobile power source that brings the tools (various attachments) to the place they need to do work.

Start with what kind of powered (pto driven) implements you want. With the booming market in subcompact tractors in the last decade(-ish), there are attachments for just about everything sized down to run off of a small sub compact tractor now. You can do almost anything tractor wise now with them, but it will just take longer. Bigger, heavier equipment will have more capacity to get work done in a shorter time period, but will take a larger and more powerful tractor to power it. So it's really about managing your trade offs.

I would be careful about getting a tractor that is too light in weight, or too low in hp. Those 2 attributes cannot be added back to the same tractor later like adding another attachment. For your property, I would personally not look at anything smaller than 40-50 hp, or lighter than 4000 lbs bare chassis weight. And those would be minimum numbers to me, higher would be better. At least 2 rear remotes and a 3rd function (for tree work). Rear remotes and 3rd functions CAN be added later, but will usually cost more than buying as part of the tractor purchase deal.

Cab was mandatory for me, but that was a choice I made due to my environment up here. I can certainly understand someone in a mild or moderate climate not seeing it as "mandatory". For TX, if I did get a cab, the A/C for the cab would be "mandatory". So that would remove most of the add-on later cab kit options (at least for me anyway). The glass in factory cabs is modern safety glass. Like what you would find in a modern car or truck. It takes a lot to break a window. As long as the tractor operator isn't an untrained chimpanzee, they should be able to operate their equipment around trees without breaking any glass. Operators do it up here all the time. But I guess the cold winters keep the untrained chimpanzees from relocating up here. (Humor alert--WARNING--that was humor--some folks had theirs surgically removed).

I would also go with R-4 tires and have the rears filled. R-4's will be more resistant to punctures from thorns, etc.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I need some schoolin' on "economy pto"

Economy PTO allows you to operate your pto output shaft at full pto shaft rpm, while the engine runs at a lower engine rpm. I believe most are "750" rpm? So the spec may list the pto as 540-750, but most of the time, you see the spec written as "540/540E" with the "E" being the economy position.

Think of it as an overdrive on your 540 pto shaft that you can either choose to use or not.

I use mine when cutting light fields with my brush hog. It saves fuel vs. cutting the same swath at the "standard" pto setting because the engine is operating at a lower rpm. Like shifting your car or truck into overdrive on the open highway when not pulling a trailer or climbing steep grades. When I get into heavier fields that demand more hp, I can stop and shift the pto selector back into "standard" 540, just like when you downshift out of overdrive to pull a trailer up a steep grade.

So for light use, it is a benefit. Like mowing sparsely grown fields, or another TBN uses his "E Mode" when running his pto driven power generator. But if you're running a wood chipper, or a snow blower, you'd want to stay in standard pto mode, to get the most hp delivered to your pto driven tool and not bog your engine down so quickly.

 

[metalbender]

Thanks for the lesson. My Massey doesn't have the option.

 

[ericm979]

Also the Branson one lets you put the PTO in neutral. Then the PTO stub on the tractor will turn easily by hand, so you can line the splines up with the shaft you're attaching. Otherwise the PTO brake keeps it from turning. I have no idea if they did this on purpose and it wasn't something I knew when I bought it, but it's handy when hooking up a PTO chipper with a 220lb flywheel.

 

[tradosaurus]

As someone has mentioned before check your ground clearance under the tractor before purchasing.

If you are in and out of woods you will be scraping bottom. I have damaged two hydraulic filters and bent the accelerator pedal rods.

I did buy an aftermarket filter guard kit from a small company in Canada.

However, I would have bought the MX5400 for the underside protection.

 

[nwjones18]

I looked at the same HP Branson and Kioti recently and they both impressed me. I was a little concerned that Branson wouldn't have decent dealer support 10 years down the road though. Just for your reference I was quoted $16,999 for a new 2515H HST and loader. Seemed like a whole lot of tractor for the money. I don't have the quote for Kioti CK2610 in front of me but it was right around $20k for HST and loader.

I ended up getting lucky and finding a used Kubota L4701 with the attachments I wanted for a good deal, but was pretty close to pulling the trigger on the Kioti.

 

[Blue Mule]

When I started looking at new compacts with a hydro trans, I expected to find that tractors are tractors. I didn't expect to find a lot of difference between them other than the color of the paint. Boy, was I wrong.

Branson - Had never seen or heard of this brand before until I joined this forum. Googled for a dealer that was close enough to go see them. Turned out to be an OLD farm store that's still operated by the same people who opened it probably 60 years ago. Only a few tractors on the lot. Parts and service in the future would be questionable. Nobody here knows anything about them, so resale would be non existant.

Kioti - Lots of reviews online of leaks and random issues with these. Dealer here doesn't like to take trades or do any dealing on a new tractor. In order to get an independent PTO you have to go to the SE model which is a $2k upcharge. Brake pedal is on the same side as hydro directional pedals which I hate. Makes work in sketchy areas more dangerous. Brake is a single pedal, no independent control. Cruise control only standard on the SE models. Some reviews show that the tires are garbage and dry rot quickly. Unsure about parts/service support in the future.

Mahindra - Uses a treadle pedal on most models which I HATE. Also no cruise control. Also over priced. Bad reviews online regarding parts and service availability. Emissions models use a DOC which needs the engine to run hotter 100% of the time, which means higher fuel consumption.

Massey Ferguson - Uses a treadle on a lot of models. Automatic NO for me. Lacking a few features compared to other brands. Otherwise a decent offering, but, dealer network around here is sparse.

John Deere - Two choices here: bare bones tractor with almost NO features for the same money as the competitors, OR, an equally equipped tractor for a FAR higher price tag. I found that only the "R" series has a decent build quality and feature set, and that the "R" on the hood automatically tacks on several thousand dollars. On the standard "D" and "E" series, the clutch engagement is the worst in the industry on the gear transmissions, and the hydros don't have cruise control. Gear case is aluminum. Tractor weight is too light. Tires are smaller. 2 range instead of 3 range. Proprietary loader attachment means you must use only Deere attachments. Loader does not quick park like other brands for the same money. Several bad reviews online regarding quality issues and warranty repairs. Lowest loader capacity in the segment. Lowest 3-point hitch lift capacity in the segment. Mid PTO not offered on most models. The Yanmar engines are loud as ****. The hydro trans whines like a stuck pig. I'd have to wear hearing protection to use a 3025E for a day. Are these people kidding?

Kubota - Treadle pedals on everything. Automatic NO. Also, tractors look like they're from a 1980s 3rd world country. Prices are INSANE. Reviews online show these to have the worst issues with emissions equipment among the brands. These people must be kidding.

So in the end, that's how I ended up with New Holland again. Independent brake pedals, brakes on the side where they belong, twin hydro controls, cruise, rear remotes, quick park loader, skid steer bucket, cast iron driveline and castings, mid-pto, bucket level indicator, larger tires, brush guard, excellent dealer network for parts and service, one of the highest loader lift capacity ratings in the class, one of the highest hydraulic flow volumes in the class, one of the highest 3-point lift capacities in the class, the whole nine yards. And for the same money. It was like if I could take all of the things I liked about the other brands and blend them together on one tractor, it would be a New Holland Workmaster. So I went round and round a lot and always settled back on the blue brand.