B7800 and post hole digging question

[Gto19]

I hooked up a post hole digger auger and the drill spins fine but it won't dig down into my soft dirt .what am I doing wrong ? My setup looks good does t it ?i push down on the lever but it won't dig down for some reason .

I've attached a pic of my set up

 

[Gto19]

Dirt must be to hard

 

[stuckmotor]

Does the auger go in a way then stop and spin like the lift arms won't go any lower?

 

[motownbrowne]

This is probably against the safety rules, but the PHD I've used has a long metal pipe that sticks out the back of the gear box. Turn on the PTO, lower the three point, and of needed pull down on the pipe to provide downward force. Best with a guy on the seat and a guy on the lever.

Again, though, maybe that's against the rules...

 

[prichard]

Take the auger off or lean to the side with pto off and verify you get the frame to lower. Could be 3pt geometry.

 

[Gto19]

Thanks everyone
But the dirt is just to hard in the area I'm trying to dig two holes.i went to a different place in my field and could drill holes all day .o well it's just two holes I'll soak with water and dig by hand.

 

[Fxfymn]

Check the teeth at the bottom of each flute to ensure they are sharp and protrude below the flute. Your picture looks like they are pretty worn. Also grass or other debris wrapped around the teeth, particularly if they are worn will keep it from cutting.

I usually gently rock the tractor back and forth to aid the auger in getting a bite.

 

[Gunny]

Thanks everyone
But the dirt is just to hard in the area I'm trying to dig two holes.i went to a different place in my field and could drill holes all day .o well it's just two holes I'll soak with water and dig by hand.

If I was going that route, I'd soak the area where I wanted the holes, then try the post hole digger again

 

[Gto19]

I'll check the teeth
But the ground is as hard as concrete .ill soak the holes with water to see if it helps

I can drill everywhere on my property but this one area

 

[Fallon]

Worn teeth will slow your digging speed a LOT, or even stop it from digging at all. At the minimum you may want to flip them, if not replace them. I've sarted flipping mine at about 1/3 wear. It really speeds up the digging speed because of a better the sharp bit being down, rather than the flat worn edge.

Never let anybody within 6' of that PHD or PTO shaft. That is one of the most dangerous impliments & parts of the tractor. One slip & somebody is twisted into pieces well before you can reach the clutch much less disengage it. The handle is a holdover from old gear tractors with a live transmission. You use to not be able to run the 3pt without the clutch in. Adjusting the 3pt, adjusting the tractor location & starting the PTO was really problematic.

I have a 200lbs chunk of steel mounted above my gearbox for extra downforce.

 

[Fxfymn]

At the minimum you may want to flip them, if not replace them.

As a temporary fix I have had some success welding a tab on the bottom of the cutter and then sharpening that. You really need to heat treat it by quenching it if you want it to last at all if you do that though.

 

[Fallon]

I've got a nicer auger with many replacement teeth options. The basic cheap ones (takes 4) are $3 each. The same ones with factory hard facing welds ontop are double that & carbide are double hard faced. You can hard face any teeth yourself if you can weld. You really need to do it when they are new, not when they are already worn out though. You can weld on em to fix worn ones, but it generally isn't worth it.

 

[jcav44]

I have the same rig on my 7800 never had a problem were I live. You might want to look into a downforce
Rig there's an eye welded on the boom for one.

 

[orezok]

I have a B7800 with a Danuser PHD. At some locations on my property I can't dig more than a foot or so with a 9" auger until it is refused, and this is with carbide teeth and 220 lbs of weight on the boom. There is NO rock in this area just cemented caliche.

I've actually worn out a set of carbide teeth.