Posthole Digger Bent PTO and Auger on PHD

[codhod]

So I received what I thought was a great deal on a PHD. Paid a guy 50$ sight unseen for a bush hog PHD. He was not a tractor guy and was selling it for his in-laws.

Long story short I went and picked it up I noticed the 12" auger bit was bent but he had a 8" and 10" that came with it so I proceeded to load it up and took it home.

Once at the house I tried separating the PTO shaft... it was stuck... like really stuck. Used come along and got it apart. I took the protective sleeve off and laid a straight edge on the PTO shaft and its bent about 3/4" in 36". I was able to grease up the shaft and have enough PTO extension for it to properly slide in and out with my tractor.

So my question. Do you think the Gear box on this PHD is ok since it's obvious this PHD must have taken a nasty rock or something to bend the auger and the PTO shaft.

Worth the time or money to fix or replace the PTO shaft?

The gear shaft seems to spin straight but it's hard to tell. I don't want to buy a PTO shaft and find out I have more problems.

Or should I just scrap it and buy something different..

Thanks

 

[topbuilder]

People rarely run a PHD at full 540 rpms. If your U-joints look good, I would run it low rpm's and see how much the bow in the shaft affects you. At worst you will have to replace the shaft. A bush Hog PHD will take punishment.

 

[TMGT]

The auger was most likely bent due to somone moving the tractor before lifting the auger fully clear of the hole, my phd came with a bent auger also.
As said try and run it, if the gearbox isn't leaking and turns ok by hand I'm sure it's ok.
At $50 even if you have to buy a pto shaft your ahead.
I was able to straighten my bent auger.

 

[Fallon]

I reinginered my PHD to work on my Quick Hitch (search for Fallon quick hitch PHD and you can find the thread). At any rate I didn't get my geometry perfect & if you lowered the 3pt before extending the hydraulic toplink the PTO shaft hit. Needless to say I bent the shaft slightly a few times. Straightened it out mostly, but never got it quite right. Did well over 200 holes with it slightly tweaked with no I'll effects. Low speed is the saving grace there.

 

[PILOON]

If you are really concerned take the shaft to a machine shop and have them straighten it up.
However at the low RPMS I would not be overly concerned if a bit off.

You say, 8" + 10" and 12". do U sleep well? That's robbery.
Spend whatever and get it right, you will be miles ahead.

 

[boggen]

like topbuilder noted, rarely is PHD ran at 540rpms. if anything very less.

about only time i ramp up the RPM's is when i am done digging, and trying to get that last bit of dirt out and clean up the hole. but even then i doubt i hit 540 RPM.

make sure you have a good and correct "shear bolt" in the PTO shaft. check fluid in the gear box, also check to see if there is a shear bolt at the augher bit to gear box. sometimes sheer bolt is located there as well.

check your tips of the auger tips, some times bent all to heck or worn completely out and dull. some times these tips are replaceable other times, ya just put a grinder to them and sharpen them up. (you want butter knife dull if not a bit duller, not razor blade sharp) razor blade sharp just eats the metal away in you trying to keep it sharp and goes dulls instantly.

if you need a new pto shaft, be thankful a PHD pto shaft tends to be the cheaper smaller size you can get. and not the more beefer shafts for say a rotary mower or tiller.

if you have not read up on some angles of how much you can angle a U joint on a PTO shaft while it is running. i have manged to get some pretty ugly angles past point i thought there would be no return. as in PTO breaking and taking me out with it.

 

[codhod]

I appreciate all the comments. Well I went for it! Finally got the bent auger off the gear box.. had to remove the bolts and auctually drill a hole to 3' for it to finally spin free. Loaded up the 10" auger and it actually spins great even with a slight bend in the PTO shaft.

This old bush hog PHD is a real beast. Now I need to build a stand to help taking it on and off. These PHD are finger pinching SoBs

Thanks again.