3 pt Auger not doing its job

[tpulley]

I borrowed a guys 3 pt auger. Think the kind that agrisupply sells. It has 6 inch and 12 inch bits. I started with the 6 inch bit and in several places I tired to dig a hole. It would go down abpout 10-12 inches max. I tried standing on the 3 pt hitch and lets just say that it added atleast over 300# to the downward force. I then switched it to the 12 in bit that had a better looking tip. Meaning slightly more depth in the screw looking tip.

Same results. I also tried adding a 6 ft bar and while it was turning putting my weight on using a more pronounced leverage bar. No change.

Lastly I tried changing the toplink which has three pin adjustments. It was on the middle one, I changed it to the end one.

I tried in 4-5 places where I know there are no rocks. Using a post driver I put posts in the ground 30-36 inches. I can not make it go deeper than about a foot no matter what I try.

It is a little dry around.

Suggestions?

 

[mogwai]

Do you have a hard pan? That might hang up an auger, where a post could be driven through.

 

[tpulley]

I never would have thought so. Last year I used the same auger (on a different tractor) and the 12 inch bit went down 36-40 inches in a snap.

One of the fields I tried it in yesterday was planted in tobaccor last year. I put grapes in there about January or so. The ground was fairly soft there I thought. I was able to drive a post in the ground in under a minute.

If it is hard pan how do I fix that?

 

[whistlepig]

Sometimes the ground can become so dry that post hole diggers won't work. There are certain times of year I don't try to dig post holes.

 

[jenkinsph]

Just to be sure it isn't a linkage issue I would unpin the auger and lower the boom to make sure you have a range of depth.

If that checks out you might consider drilling the holes as deep as you can and then pour a bucket of water in the holes to sit overnight and try again tomorrow.

 

[nwngunner]

Are the cutting teeth on the auger still in good shape? My buddy and i were digging posts for his chicken coup. We drilled the first two fine. Then on the third we hit a rock and after that it wouldnt dig for anything. The one tooth on the auger it self bent, we were able to bend it back and it worked. Also you have to make sure the corkscrew point on the bottom of your auger is clear of grass. If that is all balled up you wont do anything. We were having to clean it after every hole.

 

[boggen]

*cringes* your post sounds like a dare devil post. and i was waiting to read, i got caught up in the PTO and almost died. or a near miss.

if you had your own PHD (post hole digger) you could get a "down force kit" it is a cylinder. that pushes the auger down into the ground.

i have taken 16x8x8 concrete blocks, and tied them onto PHD before for added weight.

i have kinda "rocked" the drill bit back and forth. by moving tractor barely forward and barely backwards. so the wider blades will cut in, then stop the auger bit, and then get back to straight / level with the auger bit. and then start auger bit again.

i will raise the auger bit up and let it drop quickly down.

i tend to keep auger bit running at a slow speed, the faster auger bit turns, the more likely in hard dirt, the wider ends of the auger bit. will not cut in and almost compact that dirt. not letting the auger bit sink down into the dirt.

the times i let auger bit spin as fast as it can, is when i hit some harder dirt. and the dirt is just barely chipping out. (saw dust almost) the pile of dirt around the auger bit, you really need to pay attention to. sometimes taking eyes off for a minute then look back to see if dirt pile has gotten bigger. i have gotton rather irritated at "spotters" / "helpers" saying you are not going down, and will tell them flat out to shut up. it is digging but just extremely slowly. there next comment is only the dirt is falling back into the hole is what you see, after about 2 to 15 minutes. i get past the hard pan / hard layer and auger bit just sinks into the ground.

some times, it takes drilling the hole as far as you can, then dumping a couple gallons of water in, then come back next day, to try again.

some times, i will break out the spade, or the ugly, manual post hole digger shovel. and break up the bottom of the hole some. and then drop auger bit back down. to get a fresh start of digging back down, some times it works some times it does not, some times it takes a couple retries.

double check for "straight and level" for auger bit. drilling at a slight angle front or backwards, more so side ways. can cause auger bit to bind up some. causing the auger bit to almost vibrate within the hole vs digging down.

and as whistlepig noted, some times of the year, are not the best time to try PHD.

===============
on a side note, having a second person as a spotter / helper does help in drilling holes. ya they may have there thumb up there rear most of the time. do to not a lot for them to do, but if you can keep them focused, and tell them what needs to be done / watched out for. ((figure out some hand signs vs trying to yell at each other over sound of tractor / PHD)) it can make things quicker and easier. more so on the stubborn holes.

 

[plowindeeper]

Try changing the angle of the auger. It's more than likely because it's summer and dry. Add water to the hole.

But be very careful putting you weight on it and standing on it one little slip and it will be very bad.

 

[tpulley]

First let me say I was maintaining a safe distance from the working end.

With that noted, I will get a pic of the tips. These tips have a srew like look to them. Not like some I have seen. I am hoping the rain we are slotted to have the next couple of days will help.

 

[gwdixon]

The suggestions of the responders are all good. The best is the filling of the holes with water and letting it soak in for a day or two.

If you have hardpan or hardened clay then it may take longer to get it soaked. Check the holes to see if the water has soaked in or is just sitting there.

A 5-gallon bucket of water in each hole start should work. A rain will likely not soak the ground enough unless it is a gusher.

When you use metal posts and a driver does it take 20 to 30 whacks to get the post to go in? Soft/wet ground should get about 3" to 4" per reasonable whack (just using the weight of the driver).

To me it sounds like just plain hard ground since you made sure there were no rocks. An auger without hydraulic downforce will just spin as you describe.

I helped a guy plant trees last week that had hired a guy with a Jeep and hydraulic 24" auger. He came to a dead stop on about half of the holes and was breaking sheer pins with alarming regularity. Eventually, he gave up and the holes were dug with my backhoe. Lots of clay, rocks, and generally hard ground.

 

[Cantoo]

Find a hill or something to drive on to get the rear end up high, drop the digger and check your linkage to make sure it travels properly. I have never seen tobacco ground have deadpan, it's usually sandy soil and very soft. I'm thinking soemthing is hitting and not allows it to lower.

 

[tpulley]

While I didn't try metal posts there I did put some 3-4 inch round wooden posts. It took nuerous whacks with it in some places. Some hits only drove it down 1/2 at a time. After it rained I was able to drive a post in about a min. way better...

 

[wcampbell47]

There should be not more that 2 bolts that hold the auger to the head. Remove the auger and test the up down range on the 3 point. The tractors I own have a set screw that I can adjust for the down travel of the 3 point. I'm thinking the 3 point is binding somewhere.

If you can dig with a manual phd then an auger should go down as well.

 

[tpulley]

Good suggestion(s). I will test this out tomorrow.

 

[jenkinsph]

Good suggestion. I will test this out tomorrow.

After having this suggested three times I am glad you agree.:laughing:

 

[tpulley]

Well....:ashamed: I must say one of the posts hit the nail on the head. Or was it 3-4 posts....

What it was was... I pulled the bit off altogether (Me thinks I am pretty good at this part as it took me all of about 5 mins this time) let the 3pt down. Same height as I been drilling. Who'd athunk it... This shiny new tractor could get the lift down. Well... In defense of the tractor it wasn't its fault.

The previous time I had borrowed this auger I had used it on my ford 3000. I really wanted something tighter as the 3000 has a lot of slop in the 3pt as well as the hyd need work its almost all down or all up on that.

Anyway I digress... THe pto shaft was a bit short to me, so I put a 6 inch extension on the pto. That wasn't long enough so I put s second 3 pto extender. This allowed the shat to reach comfortably. well... With the second pto extneder on it wouldn't let the pto shaft retract all the way in so it would stop. I took one of the extenders off and got the pto on there. it went up and down all the waty to the motor. So I pretty much knew I was good to go. I put the 6 inch bit on and went to test a hole. It stopped about the same place. Hmmmmm. Sooooo I then stood on the 3pt arm and it commenced to chewing the ground like a hawg eating corn. It went plum down to the motor. Now thats what I'm a talking. I went to one of the holes I had previously tried hit the dead pan stepped on the 3pt and chewed it right through it.

It also helped a lot that we got a good rain last night.

Thanks fellas. I am gonna be a hole digging fool this weekend. Lord willing and the creek don;t rise that is. :thumbsup:

 

[tennmogger]

Well....:ashamed: I must say one of the posts hit the nail on the head. Or was it 3-4 posts....

What it was was... I pulled the bit off altogether (Me thinks I am pretty good at this part as it took me all of about 5 mins this time) let the 3pt down. Same height as I been drilling. Who'd athunk it... This shiny new tractor could get the lift down. Well... In defense of the tractor it wasn't its fault.
...chop...
Thanks fellas. I am gonna be a hole digging fool this weekend. Lord willing and the creek don;t rise that is. :thumbsup:

Glad you got it figured out. I must share this: I bought a new auger a few yrs ago. My tractor has power-down. I drilled the first hole in the soft dirt of the woods near the shop and it drilled really fast. So fast, in fact, that the auger bored in like a screw, over a big root about 3 ft down! No way would it pull out. Guess what, no reverse on a PTO. I had to back that thing out with a pipe wrench. Live and learn.

Bob

 

[schmism]

i tend to keep auger bit running at a slow speed, the faster auger bit turns, the more likely in hard dirt,

You have just explained the perfect way to cork screw the auger into the ground. If that happens you have a helva fun project ahead.

I generally dont recommend slow speeds for the auger bit for that exact reason.

 

[boggen]

You have just explained the perfect way to cork screw the auger into the ground. If that happens you have a helva fun project ahead.

I generally dont recommend slow speeds for the auger bit for that exact reason.

*rubs chin* faster speeds just get me in more trouble quicker. when it grabs and sinks in like a cork screw, it is gone. make it a wooden drill bit, going through wood. to other.

*shrugs* experience perhaps, constantly keeping eye on PHD, with hand on leveler to raise / lower 3pt hitch/PHD. and hand or foot on clutch, ready to press in, when it wants to cork screw, if possible hand on throttle / gas pedal for how fast RPMs the PTO is running.

but slower speeds seems to work better for me. i get larger chunks of dirt to come out and seems to go down faster. perhaps i am playing a very fine line between cork screwing and not. *shrugs* i honestly do not know.

 

[jwelch927]

I experienced the same problem even with a NEW auger. I determined the PTO variable length drive shaft minimum length was about 3 inches too long ! I shortened the variable length PTO drive shaft and now the auger digs 48 inches in a matter of seconds !