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TEST REVIEWTEST REVIEW

Branson tractors are made in Korea, but what does that really say about the brand’s quality and value for money? Tom Dickson makes it his business to find out

IF YOU go back about 20 or 30 years, you’ll recall the common view among farmers was that they wouldn’t have a bar of a

tractor that wasn’t made in America or Canada, or else from one of the renowned European machinery manufacturers.

But times have changed. The world today is a very different place than it was 30 years ago; efficient distribution and shipping networks mean manufacturers are no longer restricted by oceans or distance, while protective trade practices have been replaced by free trade deals. With the introduction of mandatory standards, quality control practices and regulatory bodies keeping a watchful eye on the industry, we are seeing new tractor manufacturers coming out of Asia, while some existing ones have set up satellite plants on Asian soil to capitalise on cheaper costs. The savings can then be passed on to the consumer. I would hazard a guess that there wouldn’t be a tractor sold in Australia today without some componentry made in China, Japan, Taiwan or Korea.

This is not just a trend in the machinery market either. Hyundai, Samsung, LG, Doosan and Hankook are just a few Asian brands that overcame early consumer stigma to create solid names in their respective industries.

FIRST FOR EVERYTHINGI must admit that during my time in farming I haven’t had any experience with Branson products, and I’ll confess to a preconceived notion about what its little 40hp F42R compact tractor might be – tiny, lightly built and uncomfortable. But to my pleasant surprise I find quite the opposite.

My first impression is that it is extremely well-constructed, and shows no sign of being a cheaper, lower-specced alternative to the major brands. And if my gut feeling is on the money, it will be up there with the best in its horsepower category.

The F42R is a three-cylinder turbo-diesel ROPS tractor. It has a 12-speed transmission with synchro shuttle. Featuring a single joystick with a third function to operate a self-levelling loader with four-way bucket, two sets of remotes and a two-speed PTO, it will be right at home on a hobby farm and lifestyle property, a vineyard, horse stud or other smaller operation that doesn’t require long hours behind the wheel.

Its small slasher and grader blade make it ideal for general tidying up, while its appropriately sized rotary hoe and harrows will allow some cultivation duties, while the front-end loader can be used for any number of tasks to make life that little bit easier.

Our test tractor was delivered to us with a backhoe attached to the rear, making it perfect for taking the pain out of digging and trenching. That will probably grab the attention of various tradesmen, particularly plumbers, looking for a small all-round machine to help with some manual labour.

Throw a finishing mower on the back and you’re ready to take on the fairways at the the local golf course, or transform the long grass around your house into a pristine parkland setting.

That’s exactly what Harry Bundy has done at his horse property north of Melbourne, where we are taking the F42R for a spin. Harry works closely with Flemington Racecourse during the Spring Racing Carnival and Melbourne Cup, so he’s familiar with what

BUILT TO LAST

HITS

Synchro shuttle

Turning circle

Metal panels

Driver’s seat

Protective sheath on hydraulic hoses

Four-year warranty

MISSES

Nudge bar placement

Narrow tyres

Exhaust outlet

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1: The Branson-built engines are designed to produce maximum torque at low revs

2: The work space is large enough to be comfortable, with all the controls well within reach

3: The backhoe has its own seat so no need to swivel the driver’s seat to reach the controls

4: The wide, high-backed operator’s seat with weight adjustment provides excellent comfort

5: It takes just minutes to get familiar with the controls on the backhoe before the fun – I mean work – can start

equipment is required to create a well-manicured large-scale grass and garden area. “It’s a great little machine because it looks very sturdy and is so versatile as well,” Harry says of the F42R.

COMPLETE PACKAGEA quick chat with Troy Spring-Brown, director of Midway Sales, provides some very interesting info on the background of the engine used in the F42R.“Branson tractors are a complete engineered package, as the company builds its own engines,” he says. “In fact Branson built engines for Cummins for a number of years, so it actually has plenty of engine expertise.

“The engine in the Branson F42R is world-class. It is environmentally friendly, meeting international EPA Tier 4 standards and exceeding the requirements of the Australian market for clean-burning exhaust emissions. It achieves this through proven exhaust gas recirculation technology.

“Quiet operation, low vibration and fuel efficiency are important attributes of this engine. Combined with a Garrett turbo delivering plenty of torque, it sets the benchmark for compact tractors.”

The three-cylinder engine generates 40hp at 2600rpm. It uses a long-stroke design that helps it produce its maximum torque at a lower operating speed.

I find this very noticable while doing some front-end loader work. The tractor performs admirably at low revs, so to add a bit of assistance I pop it into four-wheel drive and it easily pushes into a pile of packed dirt, filling the bucket every time. It can also generate plenty of oil flow to run the backhoe at reasonably low revs, so I’m not deafened by an over-revving engine.

The exhaust pipe exits the front of the tractor near the front wheel, keeping harmful fumes away. I remember as a young fella raking hay all day on an old Massey Ferguson, and fighting the effects of the exhaust fumes that were trying to put me to sleep at the wheel, so this design is appreciated – though I do wonder if it may be a fire risk in long grass.

To pop the hood you have to unclip the front nudge bar and pivot it forward a tiny bit to allow the bonnet to squeeze past. I learn this the hard way when I forget to clip it back in and bend one of the

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mounts with the front end loader. With a slight tweak in the design, I reckon this could be avoided.

GREAT LITTLE TRANSMISSIONThe compact F42R has a great little transmission for a tractor this size. It has high, medium and low ranges, each demanding a stationary tractor before allowing a change. There are four fully synchro gears in each range, providing 12 forward and 12 reverse gears in total. Changing up and down through the synchro gears is quite effortless, except for the downward shift from fourth to third; I’m thinking it will probably free up a bit once there are a few hours on the clock. A nice little addition is the forward/reverse synchro shuttle for direction changes. Just like the larger tractors, the lever is located conveniently on the dash, behind the steering wheel.

First gear gets right down to 1.3km/h, which will be great for a bit of rotary hoeing or slashing. The top speed of 26km/h certainly isn’t going to break any laws on the road (unless going too slow is a crime) but will be more than enough around the farm.

COMFY RIDE AND STURDYUnlike most compact tractors, which will leave you with an aching back and sore legs from being hunched over, with your knees wrapped up around your ears all day, the F42R provides a really comfortable ride. The seat is wider and has a higher backrest than most I’ve seen in this class, and Branson has not scrimped on the cushioning. My feet sit comfortably on the flat deck floor; if you’ve ever driven one with a raised centre hump, you will have experienced the annoying feeling of it rubbing on your calf muscles all day – five minutes is okay, an hour gets on your nerves and a whole day drives you mad.

Casting an eye over the F42R from the driver’s seat gives me the impression that this is a genuine tractor, not a glorified ride-on mower. Everything says quality. The bonnet and guards are metal, not plastic, the hydraulic hoses on the front-end loader are attached securely and covered in a fabric sheath to prevent wear. Both the front-end loader and backhoe are attached to a sturdy solid-steel mounting frame that bolts on under the tractor.

It feels like a spacious and comfortable work space and I can easily reach all the controls from the seat. The transmission range lever, handbrake and mechanical four-wheel-drive lever are on my left. On the right-hand side there’s the four-speed gearstick, two-speed PTO selector (560/780), three-point linkage and the hydraulic levers that direct flow to the two sets of remote valves. The Category 1 linkage has a lift capacity of 1500kg, and the dual hydraulic pumps deliver 33.5lpm to the remotes and loader, with a further 18lpm to the steering ram.

Speaking of steering, the F42R is easy and smooth, and with a 56-degree front-wheel angle at full lock, it has a really tight turning circle. I pace out a two-metre radius from the inside wheel circle.

WORK AND PLAYFor about an hour I have an absolute ball playing – I mean working – with the backhoe, which makes a great optional extra. Troy Spring-Brown demonstrates the ease with which it can be locked on and off. Two locking pins hold it in place; once these are removed it’s just a matter of lowering the stabiliser legs to take the load and lifting it off the mounting frame. I always recommend using a firm, flat surface for this process, and although we only have a few attempts, I can see that it won’t take too much practice before I’ll get the job down to just a couple of minutes.

At low revs the backhoe performs really well, and once I become familiar with the two control levers, I am operating it confidently.

The backhoe attachment has its own operator’s seat as opposed to having to pivot the driver’s seat, which saves a lot of time in switching positions. To speed the job up further, it’s possible to have one person driving the tractor while a second person stays on the backhoe for digging duties.

To sum up my experience with the latest in Branson’s line-up, the F42R is a genuine compact tractor with all the construction quality and features of bigger-name tractor brands. For $28,990 you get a Tier 4 engine, synchro shuttle transmission, power steering, front-end loader, four-wheel drive and even wet disc brakes. The icing on the cake is a four-year warranty. I am confident to recommend it to anyone in the market for this class of tractor.

6: All the Branson tractors are four-wheel drive with mechanical engagement

7: Easy access to vitals, though Dickson has some concerns over the exhaust location (bottom right, near tyre) in long grass during a typical Australian summer

8: Just two pins lock the backhoe in position, making it very quick and easy to attach and remove

9: Hydrostatic steering has replaced the traditional drag link design. The benefits are improved turning circle from reduced driver effort

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BRANSON F42R

ENGINE

Cylinders Branson turbo three-cylinder

Power 40hp

TRANSMISSION

Type 12-speed synchro

PTO Speeds 2 (560/780)

HYDRAULICS

Flow rate 33.5lpm

Remotes 2 Sets

Linkage Category 1

Lift Capacity 1500kg

For full specs visit TradeFarmMachinery.com.au/spec