Limiting depth of post hole digger

[LS Tractor Owner]

I have only used one or two man augers in the past, this is my first 3 pt PHD. I have watched numerous videos and read numerous posts. I thought I was well prepared to dig my first hole....wrong. I'm using a 9" auger, standard length. Tractor is a 25hp SCUT.

I had the throttle about 22-2300 rpm, dropped the 3 pt a little and the auger dug right in. I lifted it after approx 6-8 inches in, lowered it again trying to do the same, but it screwed in about 8-10 inches. When I immediately tried lifting, but it just stalled the tractor. Restarted the tractor and tried at full rpm at 3000. It just continued to dig in. When it went to full depth, (couldn't go any further, gear box at ground level), it just excavated all the dirt and freed itself up, about a full 48" deep.
The dirt is very dry clay, no rocks or roots at all. I was actually surprised at how easy it screwed into the ground.

I only have to go 24" (30" max) deep on the holes so, my questions:

1) Can I set up a mechanical stop on the 3 point lever to only lower the 3 point to a predetermined position or will the auger continue to just pull it down? I'm hoping that once it hits that "stop point", the auger would just free itself up like it did in the first attempt.
2) What throttle setting should I use? It seemed that at a lower throttle setting, it didn't dig in as fast, but I had no power to lift.
3) I have looked at purchasing a "compact" auger which is only 32" long, but really don't want to spent $140 for another auger if question #1 would work.

Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks

 

[EddieWalker]

I've seen metal frame built around the auger on YouTube when I had the same problem. What brand of auger do you have? Instead of building the frame, I just try harder to only go down in small bites at a time. Before buying the Country-line Auger from Tractor Supply, I never had that issue. Now it's a real concern. Fortunately for me, I have a backhoe and I can run a chain from the top of the auger and pull it out with the backhoe. The hole isn't as clean, but it's easier then turning the auger backwards with a 48 inch pipe wrench and a six foot pipe over the handle.

 

[jaxs]

I do as Eddie does but my tractor is considerlby heavier than your Scut. I fear if you adjust the stop on lift,the auger will pull the front of your tractor off the ground.:shocked:

 

[mapper]

Fill the loader with gravel or sand to counter balance the pull of the anger. Take a small bite and see if it clears itself rather than screwing in deeper.

 

[newbury]

Just take SMALL bites with the auger.
After you've backed one out you'll appreciate going in slow.

 

[kthompson]

I use phd seldom but do not run a high rpm for more than one reason. Roots (we have very very few stones here) can be major issue if near trees. If the auger runs down too deep due to rocks or roots you "might" be able to stop the pto and cut off the tractor and back the auger our a couple or so of turns and then with pto off try lifting the auger and it might be free. If so try engaging the pto and at very low rpm run pto to clean off the auger.

 

[Fallon]

Use your 3pt lever to inch it down literally an inch at a time. If you go to deep to fast it corkscrews in & you have to unscrew it out with a 5' pipe wrench or dig it out with a shovel. Slow feeding means the auger can pulverize the dirt in the hole rather than self feed in.

I never ran my 3pt PHD over half throttle. Way to much vibration & chances of things going wrong before you could blink, much less clutch. A PHD is one of a handful of 540 PTO impliments you run at a lot less than 540 rpm.

 

[BrokenTrack]

I have only used one or two man augers in the past, this is my first 3 pt PHD. I have watched numerous videos and read numerous posts. I thought I was well prepared to dig my first hole....wrong. I'm using a 9" auger, standard length. Tractor is a 25hp SCUT.

I had the throttle about 22-2300 rpm, dropped the 3 pt a little and the auger dug right in. I lifted it after approx 6-8 inches in, lowered it again trying to do the same, but it screwed in about 8-10 inches. When I immediately tried lifting, but it just stalled the tractor. Restarted the tractor and tried at full rpm at 3000. It just continued to dig in. When it went to full depth, (couldn't go any further, gear box at ground level), it just excavated all the dirt and freed itself up, about a full 48" deep.
The dirt is very dry clay, no rocks or roots at all. I was actually surprised at how easy it screwed into the ground.

I only have to go 24" (30" max) deep on the holes so, my questions:

1) Can I set up a mechanical stop on the 3 point lever to only lower the 3 point to a predetermined position or will the auger continue to just pull it down? I'm hoping that once it hits that "stop point", the auger would just free itself up like it did in the first attempt.
2) What throttle setting should I use? It seemed that at a lower throttle setting, it didn't dig in as fast, but I had no power to lift.
3) I have looked at purchasing a "compact" auger which is only 32" long, but really don't want to spent $140 for another auger if question #1 would work.

Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks

Just take a small piece of wood...like a round piece of firewood (not split) that is the proper length, and set it under one of your lift arms on the 3 point hitch. As the auger gnaws its way downward, the lower lift arm hits the block of wood and stops at a 24 inch deep hole.

Just make sure the stick of wood is not so big that it is too heavy to move about, but not so small in diameter that it tips over easy...it should stand up on its own.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

I've seen metal frame built around the auger on YouTube when I had the same problem. What brand of auger do you have? Instead of building the frame, I just try harder to only go down in small bites at a time. Before buying the Country-line Auger from Tractor Supply, I never had that issue. Now it's a real concern. Fortunately for me, I have a backhoe and I can run a chain from the top of the auger and pull it out with the backhoe. The hole isn't as clean, but it's easier then turning the auger backwards with a 48 inch pipe wrench and a six foot pipe over the handle.

I have a 'dirty hand tools' model 100. I didn't say that I was going to get the auger at TSC, but now I noticed that they were selling the same augers. I too have a backhoe, but it's naturally off the tractor when using the PHD...LOL!

 

[747driver]

You are running the PHD at to high of a rpm. As Fallon said, I hardly ever go above 1000 rpm to run the auger. The higher the rpm the faster it will corkscrew down....hoping you don't hit something that will cause the auger to twist and snap or bend something. I go down inches at a time in rocky and hard soil and pull the auger up to clean out.