Added a TSC post hole digger & 12" auger to the "equipment yard"

[nikdfish]

With a few projects coming up, we picked up a TSC post hole digger with 12" auger this past week. It looks to be a County Line branded Speeco HD unit.

We figure on using it with both the 1025R and the 3038e, but I did the first hookup & trial with the 3038e. My biggest hassle on that first hook up was getting the toplink pin in. (Probably the first time it has been moved in the five years since purchase) I think the square shouldered pin end and the hollow ball on the PHD toplink connection added to the situation while trying to hold things in alignment.

After finishing up with the test dig and dismounting the equipment, I cleaned up the toplink pin so it was shiney smooth and reshaped the pin end to kind of a "semi wadcutter" profile. This was finished up with some "finish line" teflon based chain lube to hopefully keep rust at bay and moving freely for the next hook up. Time will tell.

Probably the first project should be sinking a couple of 4x4 posts and adding a crossbar to make a suspension point for storing the PHD between uses.

Nick

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

Re: Added a TSC post hole digger & 12" auger to the "equipment yard"

Congrats on your new equipment...

I got an older, well used Speeco several years ago..
Some work to clean it up, weld up and re open pin holes to tighten things up..
New coat of green and yellow paint..

It came with a 9 and 12" augers.. Cleaned and tuned them both up..
It works well.. The only problem is this place is a rock pile.. So any unit would have a hard time making good holes here..

Good luck..

 

[gwstang]

Re: Added a TSC post hole digger & 12" auger to the "equipment yard"

Congrats on the new purchase! Make sure it has the proper oil in it before using. Mine is also the TSC brand and it did not have oil in it. Please be careful as this is one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment that is out there. I have a friend that got wrapped up in one while helping his son on his farm. They managed to save his arms but there are some wicked scars on him. Scare the heck out of me just to look at it. From what I got of the story, there was a cross bar added onto the PHD to allow someone on the ground to "guide" the auger down straight. Very unwise.

 

[nikdfish]

Re: Added a TSC post hole digger & 12" auger to the "equipment yard"

Decided to put off putting up the PHD storage supports until I finish with the parking area changes. Until then, using what was available, I am making do with a tie-down chain between two trees & a short length of chain with a couple of slip hooks. A 12" piece of 1/2" rebar was passed through the existing hole in the tube and suspended by the slip hooks. This seems to work fairly well for allowing me to position the unit for inserting the toplink pin.

Nick

 

[gwstang]

Re: Added a TSC post hole digger & 12" auger to the "equipment yard"

That'll work! :thumbsup: The worst part about hooking mine up is pulling on that dang slip collar back to go on the tractor pto. Pain in the behind every time. I wish I could just unhook at the PHD end, but that is where the shear bolt is at. I just might start removing it first. I didn't have that problem on my old 8N tractor as it is much easier to get to the pto. The Kubota is about 3 times harder. One thing I did do is remove the cover that is right below the gear box on the PHD (where the shear bolt is at). I know, I know, big safety boo boo. As long as I am fessing up, I removed the pto cover, on the Kubota, too. :ashamed:

 

[gwstang]

Re: Added a TSC post hole digger & 12" auger to the "equipment yard"

So, you did have to add gear oil? I didn't know if they come like that or if just mine happened to be that way.

 

[nikdfish]

Re: Added a TSC post hole digger & 12" auger to the "equipment yard"

Yeah, they come dry from TSC. You have to add gear lube up to the level of the side witness hole. You don't want to over fill as expansion while operating can blow out the shaft seal. My manual called for 80w90 gear oil. It took a bit over a quart. (only had a qt. of 80w90, finished top off with 1/4 qt. or so of 85w145 which is what I've been running in everything else).

Nick

 

[gwstang]

Re: Added a TSC post hole digger & 12" auger to the "equipment yard"

OK, thanks.