Anyone make a phd auger extension before

[ctgoldwing]

I have a World Agritech Corp phd with a 9" x 24" long auger. I really would like to extend it another foot or so.

The shaft coming out of the gearbox is 2" OD and has 2 90 degree holes through it that 1/2" bolts fit through the collar of the auger & through the shaft.

It doesn't look like a very big project to make an extension. I was thinking of using 2" OD X 18" steel tubing with a piece of 2-1/4" OD (.120 wall) X 4" for the collar & then welding them up.

I guess the question I have is the 2" tubing heavy enough or should I be looking for solid steel rod?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[johndeerejohn]

I'm no engineer but truck drive shafts are tubing, id think you'd be alright on a phd. solid would give you more weight for drilling though. just make it short enough you can get the auger out of the hole.

 

[mojoinco]

It depends more on a couple of things: how much tractor you have, how much auger you have, and how hard a bite it will have when it hits something. I'd do it, but I would make sure I was using good steel (typical steel at the yard is 60,000 psi), not pipe.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I made a sleeve for my phd so I could drive earth anchors. It is 1 1/2 foot and the 2 inch pipe wasnt big enough to slip over the end of the anchors I have so I got the next size up pipe, shedule 80, and slid it over the 2" pipe and welded it in place and it screwed them down ez pz when I did hit a rock 1x I broke the shaft of the anchor 1" solid steel and never did anything to the adapter. It would be real easy to just step it back down again so it will match your auger or depending on size of auger shaft you could just let it sit on the outside of the auger shaft instead of inside.
Good Luck
Rick

 

[sodamo]

I did that. Needed to auger minimum 60" with the 12 inch. I made a sleeve/pipe extension with the bolt holes. As I recall (almost 5 years ago), I used a pipe within a pipe. If I can find it, I'll post a pic if you like.
Here are some action pics.

Only had to do 9 holes, took our time.

 

[ctgoldwing]

I did that. Needed to auger minimum 60" with the 12 inch. I made a sleeve/pipe extension with the bolt holes. As I recall (almost 5 years ago), I used a pipe within a pipe. If I can find it, I'll post a pic if you like.
Here are some action pics.

Only had to do 9 holes, took our time.

Thanks Sodamo - that is pretty much what I am intending to do. I just have to find some small lengths of steel tubing. btw that looks like the same phd I have.
Its been a few years since we were in your 'neighborhood'. We had planned to go over Thanksgiving (Maui BB tournament) but my wife just had knee surgery & we had to bag it for this year. Did enjoy it last time tho
http://www.molaver.org/kilauea_volcano_1.htm

 

[sodamo]

Yes Jerry, it's a nice neighborhood. Good place to visit, better place to live (but not for everybody)

If I recall, I went to HD and bought my lengths of pipe, they cut them to length I wanted. Then I just used a small drill press for the bolt holes.

 

[TO_Bud]

Keep in mind the geometry of the PHD, PTO shaft, and the longer auger. I made the pipe within a pipe extension as stated above and found it best to remove a couple shovel fulls of dirt to set the auger into initially. Keep the rpms low any time you have to raise auger up and out. Too long of an extension and you will not be able to raise it out.

 

[sodamo]

Excellent point on the length. Alternative, albeit time consuming is to connect/disconnect the extension in the hole. Had to do that on a couple where my tractor was on an incline.

 

[sodamo]

Ok, here's mine.

 

[20 20]

I made one for mine 3' extra did what Sodamo picture shows, it worked fine, and that was in heavy clay and rock soil.

 

[ctgoldwing]

Thanks everyone for the info. I'm going forward & will probably only make it 15" long.

 

[b2910]

I did that. Needed to auger minimum 60" with the 12 inch. I made a sleeve/pipe extension with the bolt holes. As I recall (almost 5 years ago), I used a pipe within a pipe. If I can find it, I'll post a pic if you like.
Here are some action pics.

Only had to do 9 holes, took our time.

Looking at your third picture it seems that the PTO shaft has a sharp angle to the gearbox. Does that cause any problems with the gearbox wearing out or seal damage? Bullbreaker posted a manual for a Comer PHD gearbox and I noticed in its trouble shooting pages that it mentioned having too sharp an angle for the driveshaft causing a problem. If you only had nine holes to drill with the extension it probably didn't matter but for extended use could it cause problems? The trouble shooting pages even mentioned not leaving the auger engaged when going from hole to hole to minimize the rotation time when it was at this high point in the lift.

BTW I was trying to find the postings on lift capacity of a 3pt hitch where people were discussing all kinds of math formulas to calculate why it varied in unusual ways 24" back from the hitch pts, if anyone remembers what section that was in and can tell me I would appreciate it. Whenever I break a shear pin while using my auger the auger is usually stuck deep in the ground and the 3pt can't lift it out. Is there a chance of causing damage to the hydraulics at that juncture since this obviously maxs out the system?

 

[sodamo]

Looking at your third picture it seems that the PTO shaft has a sharp angle to the gearbox. Does that cause any problems with the gearbox wearing out or seal damage? Bullbreaker posted a manual for a Comer PHD gearbox and I noticed in its trouble shooting pages that it mentioned having too sharp an angle for the driveshaft causing a problem. If you only had nine holes to drill with the extension it probably didn't matter but for extended use could it cause problems? The trouble shooting pages even mentioned not leaving the auger engaged when going from hole to hole to minimize the rotation time when it was at this high point in the lift.

...

Sorry, didn't see your question, but no, haven't noticed a problem. I only engage the PTO at the hole. The extension does make for more angle, something to be aware of for sure.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Ok, here's mine.

I had one made at a fab shop years ago just like this one. Its just a piece of tubing and a piece of round stock all the appropriate sizes welded together and drilled to accept the shear pins.

Chris