Posthole Digger Post Hole Digger - ?? before I buy

[2nstonge]

Once again I turn to the oracles on TBN before shelling out the greenbacks....

I'm in southern Vermont; rocky, sandy, clay, mud, you name it - we got it. For my business I'm quoting a bunch of decks right now and if even a few of these projects come thru I'm looking at sinking 40-50 12" sono tubes 4ft deep. Not a pleasant way to spend my time if I dig by hand. I have a BH but some of these yards are tight and the possibility of snagging a propane line, well water line, or worse - the crapper line - doesn't help my bottom line.

My ride is a JD 4110 (17hp at the PTO). My questions are:

- How well do PHD's work - or not - in rocky soil?
- What happens when a PHD hits a big(ger) rock? Does the auger break? Do they have a shear pin or slip clutch?
- Anybody in similiar terrain got a PHD and love it? or hate it?
- Good PHD brands that won't break the bank?

Thanks in advance! -Norm

 

[Dargo]

I bought a Leinbach 7400 PHD. I've abused the snot out of it and have bored around 3000 12" holes. Here is what I found when digging in rocky soil. First, I was breaking shear bolts about every other hole. So, against all printed advice, I went to grade 5 shear bolts. That worked great until I really caught a big rock. With just over 45 hp PTO power, I twisted the auger in two about half way up. I bought a heavier auger bit (after about 2500 holes had been dug with the original auger) This auger worked fine and I've even broken a couple grade 5 shear bolts now.

So, I'd have to say that for under $400, the Leinbach PHD is a pretty tough cookie. I did use high quality gear oil when setting it up. I don't know if that made a difference or not, but the gear box has had no issues. If you don't go to grade 5 shear bolts, I don't think you can tear it up. If you spend another $100 or so and get a slip clutch with it, I think you'd be good to go until you are tired of it.

 

[MadDog]

2nstonge:

I think that the same glacier that passed your way, stopped to dump another load here in eastern Massachusetts. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif My land is just about ALL rocks and sand and the rocks and boulders come in all sizes from golf ball to couch size and beyond.

I have a Danuser and a 9" auger run behind a Kubota B7800 (22 pto hp). It has been very useful and can extract rocks up to a bit larger than grapefruit unless there are a bunch of them all keyed together. Beyond that, the auger generally starts to buck and it's time to raise the auger, shut down the tractor and extract with a prybar. For really big stuff, I have to dig it out with my BH, which obviously has much more power. Nonetheless, the PHD is very useful. Although every once in a while I run into an obstruction that it can't handle, it is usually much quicker and simpler for smaller holes.

In my soil, I think that for any hole bigger than about 15" diam. I'll be better of with the BH because I'm almost certain to run into lots of stuff too big for the PHD, and so it's probably more efficient with the BH.

Last thought, if you have very rocky soil, you probably don't want to get an el cheapo PHD. Hitting obstructions puts a lot of strain on the attachment and very heavy tubing and quality construction offers some hope of the machine not breaking. That was why I decided to pay a little more for the Danuser, which was about the best made PHD I could find.

Hope this helps.

 

[gamble77]

I think your major limitations here will the the size of your tractor. You really wont have that much down-force. One option is getting a phd with hydraulic down pressure (they aren't recommended for a tractor of your size though).

Only advice I can give is to get a phd that has replacable teeth (which most do these days, but some of the cheapers don't). I sell Leinbach, Befco, and Bushhog brand phd's...I would recommend the Bushhog. They are a little more money but the heads seem to hold up better on rocky ground. Good luck.

 

[KubotaSteve]

I just bought one from Tractor Supply and it appears to be ok for homeowner use. In the manual it says to use grade 5 shear bolts though. I got the setup with a 12" auger for $560 which included tax, but they also had a heavy duty version for $679 without a auger and that thing was a beast.
I used a Danuser with a 14" auger on it and was amazed at the difference between that one and the tractor supply model. The Danuser was really quiet and seemed a lot more sturdy.
On the tractor supply model if I buried it all the way down to the gear box, I could only get a 36" hole. Do they make extensions or would you have to finish the remaining 12" by hand if you want to go down to 48"?

 

[Tom_H]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I think your major limitations here will the the size of your tractor. You really wont have that much down-force. One option is getting a phd with hydraulic down pressure (they aren't recommended for a tractor of your size though). )</font>

Land Pride does make a phd with downpressure that will fit on a BX. The whole unit is $1800 including modifications to rear hydraulics. I would think it would fit his JD.

 

[ducati996]

I have a JD 4100 which is basically identical to todays 4110. I use the Green Mfg (or greenline as they are also known) with excellent results. I use the EM5000 with the 12" auger. The machine has plenty of power and height with the 42" auger.
You will need the extension for 48" but that will cut into your ground clearance no doubt, you still have some however..
You will never use the full PTO power of your machine while using a PHD anyway. The slower the turn the less likely you break the shear pin, or the more time you would have to respond by raising the auger up before the pin breaks.
Its a real solid unit with replaceable auger teeth....you will not need downforce using this unit because of its weight....

Ducati

http://www.greenmfg.com/?p=diggers.php

Green Mfg

 

[Andrea]

Hello. I suggest you Dale Phillips (Doo Bob) post hole diggers. They are the only ones using a PTO shafts series 4 and heavy duty gear boxes. In the meanwhile they are the cheapest around. They're in Albama. Wheatbelt stores, TSC and ASC stores sell it!

 

[creeper]

I have a Greenline and it digs well, sometimes too fast. I also here good things about Lienbach. A close friend is a fence contractor and uses a set-up that is independent of a tractor, its called an Eager Beaver and has a 12 Hp Honda engine with a cable assembly going to an auger head and a stabilizer bar. They are about $2500 but dig like nothing Ive ever seen. It has carbide tips and will drill thru asphalt. Its alot of money, but if I were doing it for a living it would be the way to go.

 

[2nstonge]

Thanks for the input. I checked out and emailed Leinbach, Danuser (ouch, expensive) and Green. Green was the only one to respond, actually called me the next day. I haven't pulled the trigger yet but Green is looking like the way to go simply based on some of the comments here and customer service. I'm still working on learning the tiller, rake & BB I bought this spring - need to have the paying jobs lined-up for the PHD before I can part with the cash.

Thanks to all, -Norm