Branson 2016 branson 2400 h loader / backhoe combo - 287 original hours on 24 HP diesel engine- 4 WD. Owner says it runs perfect. No leaks, no issues. Hydrostatic transmission. Hes asking $12500. Is this considered a reliable unit for home use ? Ty
Fair but not a deal, if you are paying cash great, if you are financing you likely can do better new with the rate and the warranty security you are getting. Home use yes, my experience however is have a solid understanding of what you expect the machine to do. As a loader/hoe you have a power shovel and a strong wheelbarrow. If that meets your needs go for it, it did not meet mine, incapable of the reach I needed or the work I expected done. I have already been requested to bring my current 310 to my neighbor and muck out his boat slip, his new kubota, like this Branson is incapable of the reach. His comment now is that he wishes he had bought a larger loader tractor with a belly mower and rented an excavator for the limited work he had for the hoe. Bigger is not better, don’t read this as a Tim the tool man comment.
I was thinking of offering 10 grand cash. Evidently these dont have a great resale value ? I would just be using it on my 2 acres, to haul firewood, dig some water lines, etc. They are made in korea. I do like that it has hydrostatic drive, like Terramite T5C.
looks like a rebadged mahindra my guess is the green franklins will work
My first question would be why he wants to sell it. The photo brings up my suspicious nature. Why is the tractor inside a building? Why do you only see one side of the unit. Before purchase I would be looking for paperwork showing that he purchased the unit legally from someone.
He has another photo of it outside . He told me he needs to sell, so he can build a big shop building in his yard. He did not buy it new. I think he is 2nd owner. I just did not know if his asking price was fair.
Now it gets murkier yet. Second owner with 287 hours? Is there warranty still on it for him? Likely not for you? Says he has photos outside? Why didn't he use them? Sounds to me like his asking price is fair for him. Not anyone else.
I paid $10k for a 2010 deere 2305 the same size 4wd with a 60" mower under and the quick attach loader 490+ hours two seasons ago. Have used one for a rental backhoe, great for loose material, too much hydraulic for too little weight to bust hard pan. If wanting a power wheelbarrow yes they will do that, will remove snow and spread gravel, better as a mower. If need a backhoe, buy a backhoe a REAL backhoe, better yet rent one when need.
You'll get more thrill out of throwing your money away gambling. Good luck with parts and finding the time to do a job with it that would only take you a tenth of the time with a real machine .I suggest play on it for 30 minutes then go play on a real backhoe for 30 minutes. You'll never think about purchasing it again.
all depends on what you want to do with it. It's not a "real" backhoe, but maybe you don't need a real backhoe. It looks like a handy lawn and garden tractor if that's what you're looking for. The conventional wisdom from the grumpy old men is to buy an older farm tractor and rent a mini excavator, or hire a mini excavator if you have more than a lawn in mind. But do what you want. I don't think the price is that far off, I wouldn't be too worried about parts as long as the internet stays in business. I would be more comfortable with an Indian made Mahindra for parts. Even John Deere doesn't support everything forever.
Dirtfever what do you want this machine to accomplish? The price seems inline for the size machine Mahindra and other 2nd tier manufacturers but I am not familiar with the Branson line of tractors. What brand of engine is in it?
https://www.bransontractors.com/product/2400/
Looks like a new 2019 with backhoe, bucket, and trailer is about $20k.
I owned a Terramite T5C and mistakenly sold it...so this Branson would be kind of a replacement. I would not need a larger real backhoe with tracks. The guy is asking $12,500 for his 2016 model with low hours and it looks like you can buy a 2019 new, for around $20,000 with a 5 year warranty. I have read some negative reviews about Branson but I guess you can find negative reviews about any machine. Realistically, a used Ingersoll 6018 or 6020 or 7020 or even another T5C terramite would work for me, and probably only cost around $5000- $7000 in used working condition, but they seem hard to find on the used market nowadays.
Could you give me a link to that price quote ? Ty
I dont think this is a scam...He did provide 2 photos on the internet..1 photo of the unit in his garage and the other photo of it outside. Ive also spoke to him several times thru facebook messenger . He is about a 6 hr drive from me, but he claims his machine does not have any problems and has about 290 hours on it . I just wasnt sure if his price of $12,500 was fair or not, especially if a 2019 can be purchased for around $20,000 with full warranty. I assume, if I could get him to come down to $10,000 - $11,000 on his price, it would be a good deal for the buyer ? I did read that resale value on these Bransons is not good when compared to the Kubotas and other big name brands.
For me the biggest issue would be parts and/or repairs if something went wrong in the hydrostat transmission. Hoses can be made and some parts can also be made or adapted but something goes wrong with the trans. and you may have a really big boat anchor. I'd look into what kind of dealer network they have and parts availability for the exclusive parts that may be required down the road. You'd be the 3rd owner with less than 300 hours. That would be a big red flag too that the machine may just be a big toy and not capable of doing much work. A 1500 hour Kubota or other name brand may be a better option with better support.
Yeah , I had read that even getting transmission filters for the Branson is difficult when its time to change fluids/ filters. Still, I imagine if the guy selling the 2016 Branson would take $10,000 , it should be a good deal for the buyer. I would assume, the hydrostat transmission is pretty reliable and relatively simple in construction...no gears, no clutch { just like terramite T5C} . I would doubt the branson transmission on the 2400H is a weak point. The terramite I sold, had over 4000 hours on it, and still ran good and it had a simple 20 HP gas Kohler engine on it . It never needed any major repairs either Seems like this type of longevity is not to be expected with the Branson 2400H ?
https://www.kenotractors.com/product/branson-2400h-tractor-with-front-end-loader-and-backhoe/
You're comparing apples and oranges unless the Branson uses the exact same components. That's like saying my old Ford 300 six went 500,000 miles without a problem so my Yugo should as well. Sometimes a clutch and gearbox is a better option than a hydrostat especially when it comes to repairs. Depending on the machine if a hydrostat goes out it can be worth more than the machine to fix. Hydrostatic transmissions are very pression components and 1 spec. of dirt can destroy them. If it's hard to find a filter, how hard is it to find other parts or people who work on them?
Ty....I assumed that hydrostatic transmissions were much simpler then those that used clutch, gears. The hydro pump on my Terramite seemed to be very simple and reliable.
Ya never know, that hydrostatic transmission might be used on lots of garden tractors and other small equipment, and be made by a hydraulics company, or it might be a one off "Sum Ting Wong" that fails quick and you can't even cobble another on in there because there's no room. If you're expecting to do a lot of transmission work (loader work, dragging stuff, long hours mowing up and down or high heat) then you could find out which other models used that transmission, how long they've been out, and what the internet says they have for problems. You can try to baby it as much as possible: adding a temp gauge and watching it, adding additional filtration, not lugging the transmission in high range, etc. But that won't make up for a poor design.
Google search for the model brought results. I looked at the Machinery trader results.
It could be a common hydrostat and that would be great. The reason I brought it up is because I have to put a new wheel motor in my skid steer that is no longer made. Luckily it uses an Eaton Char Lynn so I was able to find a replacement motor. It wasn't cheap but was available. Otherwise I might be hooped.
In reference to the original question of $12.5k price reasonable on a low hour machine, I would reserve judgement until I operated it. Definitely operate all functions and put the machine to work before you would buy, as potentially there is more to the story why the previous owner is selling the machine. For example, reference the pictures in the $19.8k link Tinkerer provided back on post #19. (Thanks Tinkerer) Is it just me, or does that loader not have an anti-rollback? Looks like the bucket on picture #2 is rolled-back about 90 degrees with the loader in the air. If so, it would be dumping material right on the hood and the operator. Ouch! Sorry not for me and my family members to use. If you are the only operator and can deal with that type of functionality along with uncertain parts & support availability discussed above for $12.5k, put on your hardhat and go for it. https://www.kenotractors.com/product/branson-2400h-tractor-with-front-end-loader-and-backhoe/
Ty for replies. I think I may wait to see a decent deal on a T5C terramite or Ingersoll 6018-6020-7020 come around.