Are auger-to-auger bit fitments universal?

[bullbreaker]

Bepp: Sorry to hear that,glad no one got injured.
Maybe post a pic of it when you can.
Might sound like a "dumb question" but any way you can get a replacement from Northern Tool since you just bought it ?
Espeicially as you know everything they sell has a 4/5 star review .

Boone

 

[beppington]

Bepp: Sorry to hear that,glad no one got injured.
Maybe post a pic of it when you can.
Might sound like a "dumb question" but any way you can get a replacement from Northern Tool since you just bought it ?
Espeicially as you know everything they sell has a 4/5 star review .

Ha-ha! I can't blame NT for this. A combo Mutha Nature & me. I just have to suck this one up.

Sure, I'll post a pic ASAP. Didn't think anyone would want to see it. Funny thing is, it's still bent a lot now, even after I put it back down in the hole somewhat & tried to straighten it ... which did straighten it a little, but alas ... well, it was a last gasp effort ... that failed

 

[Mounted Madness]

I've been following your thread since you first posted, with considerable interest. I have a Bush Hog PHDC with a 32inch auger that I bought with my previous machine, a BX24.

After buying the B3030, I finally fit the PHdigger to the B3030, and discovered the top link/boom shaft was too long by about 1.5 inches, which would have torn the hydraulic housing apart the moment I tried to lift it...not a good thing...so I figured I'd sell the unit and get one fitted to my machine. A pricey outcome.

I put it up for sale, with many lookers, but not takers and in conversation with another owner, he suggested that I cut/grind off the excess material past the upper link pin pivot point. Well 'Duhhhhhh'... I never thought about that...

Sure enough, I trimmed the excess material and some other minor adjustments and re-tried the PHD. The result - it works like a charm and I saved the price of a new unit and major loss on the hardly used PHDC.

Now my point...I measured the output shaft out of the gearbox and figure the same as you...that a new auger would fit this PHD. Since the auger was too short in the first place (32in), I'm going to seek out a 42-48inch auger, most likely from either Northern Tool or Tractor Supply. Prices are good. Hopefully I'll miss the rocks and tree roots...

And thank you for motivating me in actually checking things out...:thumbsup:

 

[beppington]

I've been following your thread since you first posted, with considerable interest. I have a Bush Hog PHDC with a 32inch auger that I bought with my previous machine, a BX24.

After buying the B3030, I finally fit the PHdigger to the B3030, and discovered the top link/boom shaft was too long by about 1.5 inches, which would have torn the hydraulic housing apart the moment I tried to lift it...not a good thing...so I figured I'd sell the unit and get one fitted to my machine. A pricey outcome.

I put it up for sale, with many lookers, but not takers and in conversation with another owner, he suggested that I cut/grind off the excess material past the upper link pin pivot point. Well 'Duhhhhhh'... I never thought about that...

Sure enough, I trimmed the excess material and some other minor adjustments and re-tried the PHD. The result - it works like a charm and I saved the price of a new unit and major loss on the hardly used PHDC.

Now my point...I measured the output shaft out of the gearbox and figure the same as you...that a new auger would fit this PHD. Since the auger was too short in the first place (32in), I'm going to seek out a 42-48inch auger, most likely from either Northern Tool or Tractor Supply. Prices are good. Hopefully I'll miss the rocks and tree roots...

And thank you for motivating me in actually checking things out...:thumbsup:

OK, glad to help! And, glad you got yours modified to work for you :thumbsup: I will say, I'm not sure if either NT or TSC sell auger bits longer than 36". The one I got from NT (the now bent one ) is 36", & the ones on my local TSC lot are also 36". I would imagine longer ones are made, I just don't know where to get them. Good luck with your search :thumbsup:

 

[foggy1111]

I found a nice, just slightly used, Woods PHD at an auction this spring. It had a 12" HD bit and a 9" bit. The 12" bit was only about 36" long....which is good for tree planting but not deep enough for the big gate posts I had planned.

I had a 14" "bit extension" made to put between the gear box and the bit. It worked like a champion. I could use it with any bit where I need extra deep holes.

When I used it this spring.....I actually had water flowing at the bottom of my post holes. :confused2::laughing: I put the sackcrete in the holes dry....and it worked out well.

 

[beppington]

Here's a pic of the bent auger that augered exactly 2 & a half holes for me, aka very expensive holes.

Again, the bend you see is actually after we straightened it a lot It was pretty obvious it was just gonna kink & we were never gonna get it very straight anyway, so we gave up.

 

[rd_macgregor]

I keep scanning the used ads for a skid steer post hole digger to put on my Kioti DK45. I already have hydraulic hoses with SS fittings run to the front (for my grapple rake) as well as the SS quick attach plate, so I should be ready to roll (assuming flow rate is adequate, of course). Although this will undoubtedly cost (considerably!) more than a regular PHD, it would have several distinct advantages, including being able to push down on the bit and being able to reverse the bit (for if/when it gets stuck in a hole).
I just missed one last year that had a couple of big bits, but another will show up eventually. If I lived a few hundred miles south, I'd probably just order one from Everything Attachments (Danuser Model EP6 Hydraulic Auger Drive Unit for Skid Steers Universal Skid Steer Quick Attach Free shipping within 1,000 miles ) rather than wait for a used one to show up...but importing equipment is a pain.
BOB

 

[beppington]

Another update: After bending/ ruining that first Northern Tool 6" auger bit, I bought the 6" bit sold at Tractor Supply. It bolted right on also :thumbsup: I then promptly went right out & jammed the new bit right into the ground on the very first hole So, rather than ruining this bit, too, I decided that instead of using the tractor to try to remove the bit from the hole, I'd remove the PTO shaft from the tractor's PTO & try to back the bit out - It worked! :thumbsup: It was hard to turn the PTO shaft by hand, but what I did was stick a 12" long piece of 1"x2" into the universal joint & used that for leverage. I had to reverse-rotate the bit just a few turns & then the tractor's 3PH could lift the bit out of the hole. The problem: Clay. It turns out I was giving the auger & bit too much credit for being able to just dominate right through the clay at full speed. Instead, I've learned that I need to just barely lower the bit into the clay, so it takes just a sliver off the top first, then raise the 3PH to clear it, then repeat, numerous times per hole. This is some seriously thick, dense, sticky clay I've got.

Oh, also, Tractor Supply's auger bit has a much more aggressive tip to it, so I think that's helping cause the auger to get jammed into the clay that much faster. It's great for getting itself started, just as you want the tip to do, but it's maybe a little too aggressive for this clay. It's OK now, though, now that I know I need to be careful, take my time, & watch the auger literally every second. Look away for just a split second & the thing will jam itself into the clay again.

This whole dense clay situation is surprising considering we just finished a stretch of this fence over 800' long that was so sandy we dug all the holes by hand with just regular ol' post hold diggers. We were plodding our way down the property line, & within a stretch of about 50' the soil went from easy-to-dig sand to no-way-can-you-dig-this-by-hand clay :confused3:

 

[beppington]

I keep scanning the used ads for a skid steer post hole digger to put on my Kioti DK45. I already have hydraulic hoses with SS fittings run to the front (for my grapple rake) as well as the SS quick attach plate, so I should be ready to roll (assuming flow rate is adequate, of course). Although this will undoubtedly cost (considerably!) more than a regular PHD, it would have several distinct advantages, including being able to push down on the bit and being able to reverse the bit (for if/when it gets stuck in a hole).
I just missed one last year that had a couple of big bits, but another will show up eventually. If I lived a few hundred miles south, I'd probably just order one from Everything Attachments (Danuser Model EP6 Hydraulic Auger Drive Unit for Skid Steers Universal Skid Steer Quick Attach Free shipping within 1,000 miles ) rather than wait for a used one to show up...but importing equipment is a pain.
BOB

Yes, it sounds like a reversible hydraulic auger is my answer, but I'm just gonna have to use what I have.

 

[bjr]

A good machine shop with the correct size Hydraulic press probably could straighten the auger enough to be usable again. bjr