what size PHD for a bx-24?

[howardx]

My soil is pretty sandy, so i was hoping to use a standard 9" auger, instead of the compact tractor 6" version. I'll be setting some 4x4 posts for a deck.I was thinking the 6" version might be a little small for those post.What do you guys think?

 

[thing181]

9" is what I would recommend. I used a friends 9" PHD last summer to put in a "kiddy corral" with PT 4x4's and they fit well in the hole. It worked great on my MF GC2310, should work just as good on your BX24. I can not remember the brand name right now, but he bought it at TSC.

 

[gilbertmsg]

I have used both the 6" and the 9" on our property and found the 6" to work much better in sandy soil. The 9" allows your post to move freely after you have it in the ground. It was very hard to pack/tamp the sand back around the post when using the 9" auger. It also allowed more water to enter the hole with the larger auger.

Eddie

 

[KeithInSpace]

I have never used my PHD (got a good deal...one of those tools that if you need it and don't have it, it's probably too late), but I purchased it of a guy (in this forum, Mr. AceDeuce) that ran a fenceline with his BX1500. He never mentioned that he had any issue and it has a 9" auger.

So I am quite confident that you CAN run a 9" without any trouble. I guess you just need to decide if you NEED to drill a hole that large.

 

[howardx]

One thing i have not considered , is using my backhoe. The holes would be kind of big and sloppy, but maybe it would be ok. Just have to use more concrete. Have any of you guys used your Bh for setting posts?

 

[RonR]

I run a 9" on my BX2200 in hard clay. I run it just above idle and it pulls it fine.

We use concrete for our 4x4 posts, and often times, I put in an 8" sona tube to not use as much concrete. Then tamp dirt outside the tube. The tube also allows me to run the concrete higher than the surrounding ground level.

One thing I've heard is that some PHD for a cat II tractor will drag the auger on the ground as the 3PH won't raise high enough. I've not had that experience, but my PHD is sized for the BX. My auger will only dig about 30".

Hope this helps.
ron

 

[KeithInSpace]

One thing i have not considered , is using my backhoe.

Honestly, you'd probably put a good amount toward the cost of a PHD in wasted concrete if you did this on a good size job. Plus, I HATE lugging around concrete with a passion, so spending another bag per hole isn't that appealing to me either.

Now I'd do this over trying to rent equipment to auger a 24" hole or something silly like that. But it ain't worth it for 4x4 posts.

I like the sona tube idea, though.

And a pre 1850/2350/24 BX can only lift the tip of the auger a few inches off the deck. You can rework the bit if it is really hilly and you can't live with re-attaching it when you get to your work site. I presume a 1850/2350/24 BX can get a few more inches of lift given that the 3PH is higher.

 

[Jimbrown]

Nine inch works fine on my BX22

 

[Tom_H]

My soil is pretty sandy, so i was hoping to use a standard 9" auger, instead of the compact tractor 6" version. I'll be setting some 4x4 posts for a deck.I was thinking the 6" version might be a little small for those post.What do you guys think?

The question in your title is about PHD size. The question in your text is about auger size. The PHD is analogous to a drill and the auger is analogous to a drill bit. Both come in different sizes, so it is not clear to me whether you are asking about the PHD or the auger. There are some PHDs whose U-bar is barely able to fit the 3ph arm width of a BX. As to the auger, the length is more of a concern than the width; a BX24 will lift a bit higher than other BX models, but 42" length is about as long as you should go. You might make 48" on the BX24, but with a clearance of as little as 2".

In terms of what width to use, the auger tip is far more important than the auger width. This is due to the differing types of material you might dig in. My Greene model will dig not dig in my clay when dry, but will when moist. When it hits the durapan, it just spins around, however, due to the blunt tip. I have 6" x 42" and 14" x 42" augers. Both dig about the same and have a 6" clearance at full 3ph lift height.

Land pride makes the PD10 specifically for subcompact sized tractors:

Land Pride PD10 Post Hole Diggers

The best augers to go with this are made by Pengo. Pengo makes a variety of auger tips that can be interchanged, some for soil, some for fracturable rock, some for non-fracturable rock:

Pengo

The Land Pride PHDs are available with downpressure kits to place the weight of the tractor on the auger tip.

Lately, there have been reports of new PHD units that attach at the place the backhoe bucket normally fits. This allows the use of the existing hydraulics in the backhoe to create downpressure without purchasing new hydraulic modifications. TBN member Ultrarunner has looked at some of these units at Green Valley Tractor (a Kubota dealer) in Suisun/Fairfield, CA.

These subjects have been discussed at great length in old threads. I would recommend that you do some searches in the archives here and gather more information before making a decision.

Good luck in your research, and have fun hunting for the right equipment.

 

[ultrarunner]

Hi Tom! Happy New Year.

I found that my BX 23 factory hydraulics were not sufficient to go with Back Hoe Mounted Hydraulic Post Hole Digger. I really like the concept mostly because the backhoe provides a much greater reach and positioning options.

My decision not to get one for my BX23 was based on the recommendation of the Owner of Green Valley Kubota. He did say I could possibly run a PTO hydraulic pump to get the required GPM and pressure.

Green Valley has set up several b21 with the backhoe mount PHD for area landscapers and it has worked well. He said the b26 should be ideal... especially with the pre-plumbed thumb hydraulics in place.