Posthole Digger Post Hole Digger and Auger

[hondo964]

I'm looking at purchasing a New Holland PHD. They are usually pretty expensive but I can get a very good used one at a decent price. I have 3 questions:

First, the PHD and auger will weigh over 300 pounds. That testifies to it's quality, I believe, (since many of the PHD's I've seen seem light and cheap)but I would think I'd have to get a New Holland parking stand for it to hook up the beast. Is there much wrestling with a PHD when it's on a stand?

Second, the auger has double flighting. If I am working in clay in the (wet) spring, do I have to worry about the clay sticking in all the "extra" flighting?

Third, if I have a 27 HP PTO on my tractor and the gearbox is rated for a 55 max PTO, am I worse off than if I got one with a gearbox rated for a 35 max PTO? They both will fit my category 1 three point but I'm wondering if the auger will move slower because of gear ratios....

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Just my 2 cents worth here.
As far as the weight, the unit is most likely a pretty good unit. Not sure about wrestling with it off of a factory stand or not, but it takes me less than 5 minutes to hook mine up off of my home built stand that would cost less than $20 if you were to buy the material.

Can't give you a hands on answer about the clay. But would think that as long as the clay was not sticky wet, that the double flighting would be a plus.

My opinion is that the lower gear ratio is better, but others may feel different.

 

[ampsucker]

it's unlikely the gear ratios are much different. the main difference in different HP gear boxes is in the size of the gears, shafts, bearings and races. different horsepower tractors still spin the pto shaft at 540 rpm, they just do it with different torque.

not sure what the advantage of extra flights are. i agree it seems like it would just be something that could gum up. on my sigle flight auger, i can pull it out of the hole and spin it up and most of the dirt and clay will just spin off.

hooking up is going to be dependent on how level the parking surface is. a stand would help line things up. or, dig the auger in a foot or so into the ground when parking it and it will pretty much stand up on its own until the next time you hook it up. ;0)

i think the extra weight would be helpful in digging.

amp

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Not sure what the NH post hole diggers gear ratios are, but Land Pride's are as follows.

PD10 is 3-1
PD15 & 25 are 3.18-1
PD35 is 4-1

So yes the ratio might not be all that different, but then on the other hand, it might be 33% lower and I think that is a plus. Others might not feel the same.

I would buy it with the good price that you say that you can get it at.

Good luck

 

[marksmu]

Doesnt matter what you do - if your working in wet clay - (I have an old rice farm I use my Post Hole digger in) your going to need a spade shovel out there to get the clay off the auger or it will not dig.

I hope you have another tractor out there or a jack as well....with the wet clay - you cant always feel the stick coming....It starts out smooth and easy, then all of a sudden, it just grabs, and stalls the tractor before you can get the clutch in...then your stuck - your 3pt cant pull it out, you cant reverse your PTO, and so its very helpful if you have another tractor with a FEL. Keep a pull strap on board as well.

Dont know the answers to your other two questions...

 

[hondo964]

Thanks for the replies thus far. They are very helpful.

NH is New Holland and it weighs over TWICE the Land Pride PD15. (the auger is 6 inches shorter, however). For the most part, I'll have it parked on a concrete floor in a barn.

I like pic's with the homemade stand. I'm always amazed at the price for things like company stands. I noted that a 9 inch extender for the auger was nearly $300 !

 

[IXLR8]

I like pic's with the homemade stand. I'm always amazed at the price for things like company stands.

My neighbor has a cheap stand, he chains the PHD to a low branch on a tree in his side yard. He lifts the PHD up all the way, runs chain around PHD and tree branch, lowers PHD to take weight off of 3pt, pulls pins and goes. Takes him less than 5 min to connect or disconnect.

 

[AlanB]

All that said about stands, insure that you have some form of stand.

A PHD can put a serious hurting (pinch) on you in a hurry if trying to manually put one in place.

 

[kthompson]

MVR, how do you get the auger over the top post?

With the double flighting would it not have clay in smaller pieces so if were to clog it would be smaller clumps to deal with? Made me wonder, if you have a tank of used oil to set the auger in between holes would it help prevent sticking?

My nephew uses a simple stand for his PHD also, he has a shed with dirt floor, he runs the auger into the dirt and it holds right well. Not sure but probably places a block to hold up the tractor end.

If the auger sticks to where you can not lift it and cut off the tractor and use a simple piece of round metal to turn the auger back-wards. Might be slow but is not hard. Then take it further and put a hyd motor on it and run it either way as needed.

As to the RPM issue, you don't want to run an auger at a very high rpm anyhow unless you are 100% sure the ground is clear of any thing that can catch it such as roots. kt

 

[MtnViewRanch]

MVR, how do you get the auger over the top post?

The top cross beam is removable. If you look at the picture, there are saddles fastened to the posts and the 4x4 just sits there.
When going to remove PHD you have the auger lifted all the way up, then slide the 4x4 under the boom and set it in the saddles on top of the posts. Then lower the PHD down to where the weight is just off of the 3ph. Disconnect and drive away. Just the reverse to hook up. Usually takes about 5 min. No muss, no fuss, no pinched anything, no PHD twisting on a chain, easy, easy, easy.