Hooking Up a Post Driver to Kubota BX24

[Mounted Madness]

Having moved to a new development with many young families wanting to put sweat equity into their new homes, I figured I could make a buck or two with my Kubota BX24. Yes sir... I was right. Why sling clay for hours and hours when you can hire someone ($50/hr) for an hour or less to get it done?

That same thought this past winter encouraged me to investigate buying a post driver for all of those new fences. There's a local guy who's charging home owners $20 to auger and set a post. Thats over a $1000 per home... and that's with the homeowner providing the post. And in clay, they move in the winter. The best way to set a post is to drive it into the ground.

Anyway, after much examination, comparison, and pricing, I purchased a Shaver Mfg Model HD-8. It's a Category 1 - 3pt hookup, and weighs less then the backhoe. Hydraulic requirements are met according to Kubota spec's and such a unit would prove ideal for driving up to 10 foot posts.

After buying the unit in Minnesota, and getting it home, I discovered there's a bit more to getting the unit up and running. Assembly was no issue, but the hydraulic hookup was not viable. Quarter inch lines/fittings are not going to accomodate the oil coming through a 1 inch return line.

I ended up at a local hydraulic shop and 3 days later, and $1600 lighter, I now have a machine that'll drive a 7" - 10foot post into Manitoba clay with a vengence - 30,000 lb impact. I hope that it readily translates into payback with my neighbours. At $5 per post and $50/hour - I've got to drive 1000 posts to make a profit. That's 200 homes.

The hydraulic shop added a hydraulic motor powered by my BX24, that runs a hydraulic pump that powers the post driver, with a 5 gallon reservoir tank. This machine is frightening. It makes the tractor hop on only a short stroke.

My point to all this you ask? I'm happy that I bought the unit. I'm disappointed the manufacturer couldn't answer my questions when I asked if it would fit my machine. I'm a small business guy and didn't need the extra expense after going through all of the hoops needed to get the machine up and running.

Interest locally - very high.

In the event someone else is out there and thinking about buying a post driver for your BX24.

Mounted Madness is going POSTal.

 

[Skyco]

Just wondering if you considered dumping the return into the oil dip stick hole?

I also wonder why they couldn't simply drive a separate pump off the PTO, maybe there wasn't room. Of course one guy on TBN made an attachment to run a pump off the front PTO shaft under the belly normally used for a mower.

Not faulting how you solved the problem, just curious about other ways

 

[kennyd]

Just wondering if you considered dumping the return into the oil dip stick hole?

I also wonder why they couldn't simply drive a separate pump off the PTO, maybe there wasn't room. Of course one guy on TBN made an attachment to run a pump off the front PTO shaft under the belly normally used for a mower.

Not faulting how you solved the problem, just curious about other ways

Exactly. There are better ways to operate the driver...and a lot cheaper also!

There are lots of threads here on TBN about post drivers if you want to search for them, but the most popular way is to plumb the return through the fill/dipstick hole a unrestricted return. Your BX has enough flow/pressure to operate the driver...

 

[Eric_Phillips]

My suggestion would be to not go back to that hydro shop, they are out to get your money. Like others said the return line is normally plumbed to the fill port to have unrestricted flow. If your rear remote is plumbed with 1/4" hose then the ram might go up slow but will not affect its ability to drive a post.

 

[Mustangous]

sounds cool! I'm interested in seeing some pictures!

 

[taborekle]

snip snip snip

There's a local guy who's charging home owners $20 to auger and set a post. Thats over a $1000 per home... and that's with the homeowner providing the post. And in clay, they move in the winter.

snip snip snip

I hope that it readily translates into payback with my neighbours. At $5 per post and $50/hour - I've got to drive 1000 posts to make a profit. That's 200 homes.

snip snip snip

Mounted Madness is going POSTal.

You might want to look more closely at how you're pricing you're services. If you're competition is charging $1000 per home, and you have to do 200 homes, if you were anywhere close to his price point, you would have a income of $200,000, which clearly is FAR above what you're actually projecting as income. That you have to do so many homes to break even would indicate to me that you're competing with a $1000 per home service by providing a alike service at WAY under his price. If I were you, I'd try to undercut the competition by 30%-50%.

Also, try to structure you're fee's in simpler fashion. Charging by post and by the hour makes it very complicated for you and the homeowner to calculate in advace. It would be better if you just charged something like $15 per post, then $5 per post + $50 per hour.

 

[powerstroke444e]

I set one of these up many years ago(1996?) on a L2900gst and had the dump line going in the file hole on the trans. As that was the only way I could get the oil out of the unit fast enough.The pressure was plumbed in to the loader valve and I had to use the pb port on the driver to keep the 3pt working? To may yrs ago and no photos but I still see the neighbor using it.

You will still have to hand dig many holes if you have underground utilities in the back yards. And always wait for the locates to be good.

 

[Mounted Madness]

sounds cool! I'm interested in seeing some pictures!

I'll post some pics as soon as possible.

We've had decent weather here in Manitoba for about 3 weeks, the flood waters have subsided and my one man landscaping business is now playing catch up. I want busy, but geeeeeez, of course I have most of the winter to rest.

...B

 

[mbima]

Mr. Oakbank,

Please PM me - I have some posts to drive and would like to get a quote from you.


Thanks

 

[Sooj]

I think there is a a small mathematical miscalculation here. If house owners are paying $1000 per house at a rate of $20 per post... that means there are approximately 50 posts per home. So, to get his $5000 return... at $5 per post.. he needs to do 1000 posts which is actually just 20 homes... not 200.

Your point that he is trying to be too cheap is still very valid.