<font color="blue"> With around 45 hp PTO, I kept breaking shear bolts. </font>
That leads to a story that could be funny if it wasn't so embarrasing. I've never used a tractor-mounted PHD before. Heck, I've never even seen a tractor-mounted PHD before, except in pictures. So, I tried my first hole. I gently lowered the boom until the tip of the auger was positioned where I wanted it. Then, I engaged the PTO. Next, I lowered the control lever for the 3PH. I didn't let it go down really fast, but I didn't make it slow, either.
Well, the auger screwed itself right down into the ground in about a lickety-split, and quit. Almost stalled the tractor -- I had to throw in the clutch Real Fast to keep it running. I let the clutch out a little -- almost stalled. The auger would turn about 1/4 revolution and stop.
My 15 PTO horsepower just wasn't enough to even think about breaking the shear pin, let alone hurt the auger. It wasn't powerful enough to keep the auger spinning, even in our soft sand.
Now what to do? That thing was screwed in there! The 3PH hydraulics weren't strong enough to pull it up, and the horsepower was enough to get it spinning and break it free.
I resorted to gently rocking back and forth, making the hole larger in at least 2 directions. Finally, I wiggled it enough that it wasn't trapped by it's own threads any longer. I engaged the PTO again, and this time it spun, and I could lift it.
I've learned to take smaller bites. Let the auger down in the hole a little, let it spin, pull it up to free the dirt, and next time go a little deeper, and keep repeating until I geet it as deep as I want it. As long as I keep scouring the hole with the up-and-down motion, it does a great job.
At least I know I'll never break a shear pin... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif