Will my tractor handle a post driver?

[ezking]

I have a L4600hst 4x4 with loader.

Will this tractor handle a post driver efficiently?

[Verticaltrx]

It will handle a small post driver fine, something like a shaver HD-8, maybe an HD-10. If you are talking one of the big commercial grade units that weigh 1000-2000lbs and take big hydraulic flow I wouldn't want to try it.

[RoyJackson]

Just out of curiousity since I know nothing about post drivers...don't they beat the crap out of the tractor?

[MBTRAC]

Just out of curiousity since I know nothing about post drivers...don't they beat the crap out of the tractor?

To minimise any shock loads/harmonic transfer which will potential damage/fatigue the tractor, the post driver needs to firmly positioned & adjusted so the "base" is stable on the ground - follow these simple precautions, & operate the hydraulic control smoothly (not shifting valves fast open to closed..etc.) post drivers are far less stress on the tractor than backhoes, FEL's , PTO post holes diggers or implements like angled graders which create torsional stress....

The downside is correctly set up the post driver will take virually all the stress & have the "crap" beaten out of it, IMO the cheaper drivers don't hold up & prove a false economy in hard ground &/or thumping anywhere near a decent sized hard wood post- if you have a lot of fencing to do in hard ground use a commerical unit : new, s/h,hire the implement, or engage a contractor; otherwise you need to be a good welder, apt at hydraulic cylinder rebuilding & have a lot of time to make running repairs/mods on the cheap drivers.

We always use post drivers wherever possible in preference to PTO post diggers for our rural fencing- a hydraulic operation is far easier on the tractor than most PTO operations - it's also far easy & a driven post makes for a far stronger fence, though all our drivers are fitted with a reversible hydraulic augers to drill a pilot hole first.
Pictured is one of our post drivers, not cheap but the cost is easily recouped in labour/downtime saving in our farming operations (against PTO post diggers & cheap drivers) + these last a lifetime:-

[EverythingAttachments]

Like Vertical said, you can handle a post driver easily as long as you match the right one to your tractor such as a Shaver HD8 or HD10. Like MBTRAC described, the stands on the driver are on the ground so the stress is directed to the ground instead of to your tractor when you're operating the driver. You can check out the Shaver Post drivers for tractors and Danuser Post drivers for skidsteers on our website to see the specs.

[SPYDERLK]

We have a Shaver HD8 which we leave on our old JD 2010. It has no stand and we have operated it suspended by the tractor 3PH to drive hundreds of posts. Iv seen no issue of stress on the tractor. We bought the PD used and I beefed up the connection between the driver proper and its leveling platform because I noted it was damaging itself. I also increased the driver head weight by about 80#. It works well. No repairs have been needed other than to reattach the helper springs that occasionally break at the ends. I would see no problem with using it on our L Kubotas. Stress to the 3PH is well within their capabilities.
larry

[JerryG]

I have a Danuser driver and have used it on several tractors without any problem. There is very little jar if any. I have no idea how many posts it has driven over the years.

[joshuabardwell]

I'm surprised to hear that these post drivers require substantial hydraulic flow. My understanding was that they used a big spring and the driver's weight to push the post in. I always thought that relatively little hydraulic flow/pressure would be required because the driver could just be retracted slower. Is it just that the spring on the bigger ones is so huge that smaller tractors can't retract it?

[MBTRAC]

I'm surprised to hear that these post drivers require substantial hydraulic flow. My understanding was that they used a big spring and the driver's weight to push the post in. I always thought that relatively little hydraulic flow/pressure would be required because the driver could just be retracted slower. Is it just that the spring on the bigger ones is so huge that smaller tractors can't retract it?

The big commercial units we use, apart from many rams for angle/tilt/side shift/level adjustments will operate the hammer at a fairly high speed so a good hyd flow is a benefit (not a necessity) to keep the hammer's "production speed up", where substantial hyd flow is required is to run the hyd drill/auger for pilot holes in hard ground & rock - without good volume/pressure operating this drill can be extremely time consuming & tediously slow - for us, farming is our business, so any labour is a costed input so we're always try to maximise the efficiency of all tasks..

We've also added hydraulic coolers to two of the "fencing" tractors we usually match to these drivers, the cooler pays dividends when drivers are operated all day in Summer operations @ 38C/100F+& also offers benefit when used with other hyd gear.

[RickB]

I'm surprised to hear that these post drivers require substantial hydraulic flow. My understanding was that they used a big spring and the driver's weight to push the post in. I always thought that relatively little hydraulic flow/pressure would be required because the driver could just be retracted slower. Is it just that the spring on the bigger ones is so huge that smaller tractors can't retract it?

Shaver HD8 and HD10's will work just fine on limited flow. The lift cylinder is MAYBE 2" bore. They work fine on even less flow than the published requirements. Even with hyd tilt and angle, the cylinders are small and motions are one at a time and generally slow and controlled.