Post Hole Auger Repair

[TTTTTT]

Found an older but heavy duty 12" bit 3pt PHD earlier this year to do some immediate holes and for the future. When I got it, the gear box seemed very tight and other than a slight bend in the arm seemed good. Went to check/fill the gear box with gear oil and the shaft seal for the auger was leaking pretty good.



I did the 3 holes I needed for a cottage addition and other than breaking numerous shear pins and widening the already too wide hole for the shear pin, it worked well.

Before anything I filled it with diesel to clean up the inside gear box. I let it sit upside down for a few days to hopefully clean any sludge from everything
Finally got around to the repairs. After taking it apart, just the main arm from the gear box and the auger off (didn't take the gear box apart as it seemed good).

The shaft seal was an older type and new I wouldn't be able to find an original part...so how to adapt



Found a standard 1.5" trailer axle seal for about $7 and now how to adapt. The millwrights were busy at work, so i found a local machine shop to mill a 1.5" hole half way into an appropriate sized 1/2" piece of steel to the depth and OD of the seal.



The rest even with my welding skills was fairly easy...

Dry Fit





Welded



Although not in a real augering job, the new seal is good with no leakage. Easily replaceable, although I bought a few spares to have around.

The next repair was the auger bit itself where the years of wear had widened out the 3/8" holes for the shear pin. I cut 2 small pieces of 1/2" steal with 3/8" holes already drilled and carefully lined up the existing holes and welded them on.



Final Pics - Minus the touch up paint from marrs putting it back together




So far looks good other than the seal on the other shaft has a very slight drip although i may have slightly overfilled the gear box.I will drain some off and recheck.


Enjoy Dave

 

[kebo]

Good ingenuity and workmanship there! I hope that gets it going without leaking anymore. I gotta say though, that PHD looks entirely homebuilt and the gearbox was probably made from the rearend from a car. Regardless, there's nothing wrong with that!

 

[LD1]

Good ingenuity and workmanship there! I hope that gets it going without leaking anymore. I gotta say though, that PHD looks entirely homebuilt and the gearbox was probably made from the rearend from a car. Regardless, there's nothing wrong with that!

Looks like a good ole ford 9 inch to me.

What ratio you running in there:laughing:

 

[TTTTTT]

Good ingenuity and workmanship there! I hope that gets it going without leaking anymore. I gotta say though, that PHD looks entirely homebuilt and the gearbox was probably made from the rearend from a car. Regardless, there's nothing wrong with that!

Thx for the comments. I thought as well it may be other than the gear box and auger. Seems to do the job and the gear box is solid. Anything else can be fixed as needed

the gear box seemed very tight and other than a slight bend in the arm

Just realized, the bend in the arm I knew was there and is designed as most PHD's that have the curved arm. I meant to say twist, which the arm has part way down from some one over torquing it probably doing a tough hole.

Dave

 

[TTTTTT]

Looks like a good ole ford 9 inch to me.

What ratio you running in there:laughing:

When I checked it, I think the ratio was 3:1. If the pto was at 540rpm (which I didn't run it that fast - I ran it at lower revs except for cleaning out the holes) , then I guess youre looking at 150-180 rpm.

Dave

 

[Diamondpilot]

Good ingenuity and workmanship there! I hope that gets it going without leaking anymore. I gotta say though, that PHD looks entirely homebuilt and the gearbox was probably made from the rearend from a car. Regardless, there's nothing wrong with that!

You are right. I have the same one. I have seen plans on it from the internet that was posted back in the 50's or 60's. Mine is made out of a Ford" rear end. Works great. Its dug well over 200 holes for me and who knows how many before I got it. I paid $100 for it with the augers.

Chris

 

[TTTTTT]

You are right. I have the same one. I have seen plans on it from the internet that was posted back in the 50's or 60's. Mine is made out of a Ford" rear end. Works great. Its dug well over 200 holes for me and who knows how many before I got it. I paid $100 for it with the augers.

Chris

Thx Chris

Nice to get a little history. I guess it must be pretty well bullet proof then

Dave

 

[Diamondpilot]

Thx Chris

Nice to get a little history. I guess it must be pretty well bullet proof then

Dave

I just went out and checked mine. It does not have drain plugs for the gear oil. They have metal plates welded over them. Mine is tapped and has grease zerks in 4 locations. Does yours have any? Mine has 2 on the input shaft area and 2 on what I call the pumkin. I gave each one 25 pumps on the grease gun. If I remember right, when I got mine back in 2004 or so I emptied 2 tubes of grease in it and it just keep taking it. Someone had to have filled the box with some grease when it was put together. I would really prefer to have the gear oil as you do but I guess if its not broke don't fix it. The heavy grease is also why mine has not leaked.

Chris

 

[TTTTTT]

I just went out and checked mine. It does not have drain plugs for the gear oil. They have metal plates welded over them. Mine is tapped and has grease zerks in 4 locations. Does yours have any? Mine has 2 on the input shaft area and 2 on what I call the pumkin. I gave each one 25 pumps on the grease gun. If I remember right, when I got mine back in 2004 or so I emptied 2 tubes of grease in it and it just keep taking it. Someone had to have filled the box with some grease when it was put together. I would really prefer to have the gear oil as you do but I guess if its not broke don't fix it. The heavy grease is also why mine has not leaked.

Chris

Hi Chris,

Only one grease zerk on the input shaft. I was thinking grease would do the trick as well (then no leakage) but with the fill and level ports I assumed gear oil was the intended lube. As it is ,it took about 3 l. + in gear oil.

Dave