There are many reasons people choose to own a Branson tractor, but there are some common problems they have.
These aren’t necessarily the only problems customers have had with these tractors, but they are some of the most common ones I’ve come across in this line of work.
Of course, if you want to buy one yourself, keep in mind that they don’t all have something wrong with them when you get them home.
A lot of factors can cause these issues when they do pop up though.
The biggest thing you can see is being low on fluid, oil especially.
They just need to be checked over regularly and then serviced if necessary. Let’s take a look at what those 6 common problems could be.
1). Flat Tires
While this sounds like a pretty simple thing, it can actually be caused by a few different things.
Overfilling the tire with air, running it low on oil, or even just using bad quality tires can all cause your tractor to flat out. Let’s look at those one at a time.
If you overfill your tire with air and find yourself with a flat tire, later on, don’t worry. It happens to everyone once in a while and is really easy to fix.
All you need to do is let some of the air out so that it’s not as hard and drive around for a little bit again until it has expanded back into its natural shape (which will result in the proper pressure). This should take care of your flat tire problem.
Low oil is actually one of the biggest reasons why people have flat tires, especially since tractor tires are so big. Having low oil will cause it to be unable to run normally because there isn’t enough lubrication for it to move smoothly.
This will mean that you’ll have a hard time driving it and your wheels are more likely to lock upon you which can result in a flat tire.
To check this out, simply remove the dipstick from your engine (it’s usually located somewhere near the steering wheel) and wipe it off with an oily rag (you might want to do this every couple hundred miles or so).
Then put it back into place sure that it pushes all the way down into the engine, then pull it out again. What you’re looking for is oil that’s right around the mid-point of where the stick goes in and comes out.
If it’s below this point or coming up somewhere close to it, then your tractor probably has low oil and needs a refill as soon as possible. Just remember to check the manual first before doing anything.
Lastly, bad quality tires can cause your flat tire problem. For example, if you have been driving over bumpy terrain or those big rocks along those country roads for an extended time period, those tires will become worn out really quickly.
Because they are so large and not made from very high-quality rubber, to begin with, they’ll start wearing unevenly as a result of your driving.
This can cause some tires to start going flat on you without any reason, especially if it has been happening for a long time.
Take those tractor tires off and throw them out. They’re not doing anyone any good anymore.
Replacing them with new ones will make the ride a lot smoother and more enjoyable for everyone involved.
2). Leaks
This is one thing that happens to every owner at some point or another.
Unfortunately, though, it really hinders the ability to enjoy using your Branson tractor so it’s important to get these leaks fixed right away.
To do this yourself, all you need is an oil pan (one should be included with the tractor) and some oil.
Place the pan under your engine, remove the dipstick from it (this goes for both kinds of engines), then start up your engine.
While it’s running, look closely at the oil that you poured in to make sure there are no leaks or drips anywhere. If there are, shut off your tractor immediately and check out where the leak is coming from, change any seals or gaskets that might be affected as well.
After all these steps have been completed, check again for any missed spots with a little bit more oil before turning your engine back on to see if you fixed it.
3). Tractor Won’t Start
I’ve only rarely had this problem pop up when I first got my tractor, but it’s something that everyone should know about. There can be many reasons for this to happen, most of the time all you need is a battery.
Sometimes even if your tractor still has one, there might not be enough juice in it left to get everything started up again.
To fix this problem yourself, simply hook up a new battery and make sure that you secure it in place with some wire (otherwise the vibration from your engine will cause it to fall off).
After doing this step though, you’re going to want to drain out any water that is in your carburetor bowl. To do this just remove the gas cap and pull out the red knob on top of your engine.
Turn the tractor over with the starter until gas starts spilling out, then do this step again to get all of it out. If you have a cold start valve just remove that too and squeeze the bulb in order to get any water out.
Otherwise, you might want to disconnect it from its hose or tubing so that you won’t damage anything when turning your engine over again.
4). Tractor Vibrates Too Much
Tractors are pretty big machines which is why they can become very unstable at times (especially on uneven ground). This problem becomes even bigger when there isn’t enough proper lubrication around (that’s what causes all those loud noises).
To fix this problem yourself, the first thing you need to do is check which axle is vibrating if it’s happening on both. Just make sure not to disconnect them while doing this because you don’t wanna get hit in the face with one of those tires.
Take off all the wheels on one side and start up your engine, if it stops vibrating then that means that its axle has some sort of external damage (most likely a bent part) so just replace that piece.
If removing the tire doesn’t stop it from vibrating through, then turn off your tractor and take out both of its batteries for at least 30 seconds.
After putting them back in their spots, try starting your engine back up again to see if there was any improvement. If not, it might be time for a tune-up.
5). Tractor Smokes
Tractors are pretty big machines so they often start to smell after running for a long period of time because there isn’t enough air moving through to cool them off. To fix this problem yourself all you need is a new belt and some WD-40 (or even just water if that’s all you got).
The first step is to take out your old belt and lay it down flat on the ground, spray a little bit of your lubricant along the length of it then wipe away any excess with a rag or towel.
After doing both those steps place the belt back around its pulleys and make sure you tighten it up enough so that it won’t fall off when your engine is running.
This step should be done every time you change the oil on your tractor, and you might want to clean out any excess grime or dirt found in there as well if this problem persists.
6). Tractor Stalls Suddenly
Tractors like other big machines share similar components with their smaller counterparts (which also means that they will eventually break down due to use).
If you find yourself constantly restarting your tractor then it might be time for a tune-up because odds are something isn’t working as it’s supposed to anymore (and replacing those parts isn’t going to help either).
The first thing you’re gonna want to check is your battery because above everything else it’s the most important part of your engine (and it’s also one of the parts that break down first).
You can test if it’s still good or not just by touching both of its terminals at the same time with something metal, like a wrench, if you start to feel a little bit of tingle then your battery is working.
If not, replace all three of its cables and clean off any corrosion found on them as well before putting them back in their spots. The second thing you’re gonna want to check is your spark plugs since they are also very important for starting up engines.
To do this step shut off your tractor completely then take out each individual plug wire until you find where that particular wire goes, plug it back in and connect that wire to one of its corresponding spark plugs then try starting your engine again.
If nothing happens, then just take out the other wires in order until you find which one is causing your engine to stall when you turn on your ignition (and don’t forget to keep track of what position they were all in before you took them out).
Conclusion
It’s important to keep in mind that almost all tractors have problems, not just Bransons. Nor are the problems listed here specific to only one model or another.
However, since Branson got its start with compact utility tractors, it makes sense to focus on this area of machines first.
Solutions vary from simple replacement of a part or two (fuses, switches), to more complex overhauls of entire systems (starting circuits, wiring harnesses).
These can be successfully undertaken by owners if they work carefully and methodically through the various steps involved.