Another Post Hole digger question?

[TxBillyed]

Thanks a lot for the site, I have check out a couple of other diggers and have talked a guy out of his 6in. Tractor Supply auger for this weekend. Picked up the power unit today and shoud be ready to go and see what happens. Except. Storms are in the picture for the whole weekend. Hell had a Tornado on Tuesday night, I just can's get any work done. Have a truck load of post, just sitting there in the truck and I need to go get some hay for the cows, LOL>

Bill

 

[TxBillyed]

Well your right, the shear bolts do fly, but It does dig holes. Got the it mounted yesterday late and just went out an tested a few spots. Dug three holes to almost two feet which is great. I think it was my falt on breaking the bolt trying to get use to the operation. I am going down and buy a bunch this week just to have on hand. Next weekend will be the test. Im going to plant 32 trees, and I hope do the first 25 post holes if things go well.

 

[Old_Wanker]

Thats good to hear your getting down a couple feet. Youll be surprised how quick youll get the holes done once you get some practice. Depending how much moving around you have to do you can often get one done in just a couple of minutes. I usually spend the time to mark out where I want them before I start. I can then stay on the tractor and keep working (except for when I have to replace the shear bolts or unstick the auger).

By the way, big pipe wrenches (I use one that is 2 foot plus) are handy to unscrew the auger if you get it stuck and cant lift it out. Youll be surprised how easy it is to pull a wheely on the tractor if you get the auger stuck and lift up on the 3 point. Its a good reason to wear a seatbelt as your not always well balanced (sitting sideways looking over your shoulder with one hand on the PTO controls) when it happens.

Good luck with it.

 

[TxBillyed]

Boy that is great advice thanks, I know it's going to happen it's just when. I will make sure I have my seatbelt on. Laying out an orchard for some fruit trees and went out and dug a couple of hole. Broke one bolt, but it was my falt, I didn't put a lock washer on it or tighten it down with a wrench on Sunday. Boy getting old suck, I forgot, heck it's been two days since I put the bolt in to hold the drive shaft up. LOL
/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif
Bill

 

[TxBillyed]

Went down to Ye Old Bolt man today and bought a box of Grade 8 bolts. Bring on the holes.

 

[RocketJSquirrel]

Grade 8?
Whoa, man.

They usually use Grade 2, for a reason. If you go to a higher grade, you are defeating the purpose of the shear bolt. You'll snap gear teeth or worse.

 

[MikePA]

<font color=blue>Grade 8 bolts</font color=blue>

If the shear bolt don't shear, something else will. Hopefully, that '8' was a typo.

 

[Old_Wanker]

Yup - like the other guys said they need to be grade 2s. I think that grade 5s are used on muvh bigger tractors but grade 8s are definitely way too hard. Just one more of the details that you have to keep track of with these tractors. When you handle them the first time around its like learning to read hieroglyphics.

There is a key to reading the grade from the markings on the head of the bolt but I cant remember it any more. I just ask the guy in the store for grade 2s and check to see that they look the same as the last ones! (Heres a tip - always go and get new shear bolts when you have at least one left)

 

[TxBillyed]

Ah [censored], /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif O.K so Im out about 13 bucks, /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif, well no beer this weekend, /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif, good points, thanks for the correction, heck I'll get all this yet. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Bill

 

[dsgsr]

Grade #2 no marks on the head, G#5 3-marks, G#8 6-marks and there's a few odd markings that I can't recall, but those three are the most common.