Ford 903 post hole digger on B3300

[intrex]

I bought a used Post Hole digger this weekend. It is super stout and everything works even though it has some rust and age.

I was really pumped about digging my first hole and started to hook it up to the tracker. This thing is a beat to try to get on the tractor. I ended up liftiing the center of it up with my enginee hoist enough where I could get the top link connector connected to the top link bracket on the tractor. As soon as I hooked it up it seemed wrong. The end of the lift arms hit the bottom of the frame for the hole digger. The only way to get the lower link bars hooked up was to complete remove the rod lifts completely. It doesn't seem like there is anyway that this implement is going to work on my tractor. Am I missing something?

Ford 903 3-pt Mounted Post Hole Digger

Ford 903 3-pt Mounted Post Hole Digger, CAT I 3-pt Hitch, 540 PTO, 12" Auger, SN: 19212

www.bigiron.com

 

[mapper]

Lift arms were located differently on the n series Ford tractors. That on will not work on yours. Newer post hole augers have a single tube coming into the top link, won't interfere with the lift arms.
Looks like you would need re-fabricate almost everything but the gearbox, drive shaft and auger to make it work.

 

[CurtisC]

Not without cutting the ph digger’s top link connection off just fwd of the gussets and welding in new cross bar with longer center top link connector that clears your lift arms. Also a good time to reset top link length if needed.

 

[intrex]

Thanks for the confirmation. I was thinking the exact same thing. I will do some measurements before cutting but I am thinking that I may be able to cut the existing frame just below where it turns into a half circle and instead make a triangle with a longer bar for the top link connector. The point of the triangle could come together over the bar that holds the top link.

 

[CurtisC]

The existing semicircle carries the fore and aft loading but also reacts to resulting lateral loads that would tend to pull in the PHD side rails. As long as the triangle has a base that extends between left and right side of the PHD, sounds like a good solution.

 

[intrex]

I have been looking at other pictures of these augers online and just stumbled upon this. I am now wondering if I could get away with just extending the top link bar like in this pic. This would be a really easy fix that wouldn't challenge my meager welding skills to much.

 

[CurtisC]

Just extending the top link connection will push the PHD auger end down unless the lower PHD pins get brought forward as well.
Back to checking the geometry - can you clear the tractor frame with PHD pined to fully raised lower control arms but un-pinned at top clevis, and the PHD auger vertical and off the ground by a 1/2 foot or so? If you can, just extending the PHD top link connect could work. I suspect you'll have frame or drop arm interference, or both, in which case you're back reworking the forward end of the PHD frame.

Another point to consider is the total vertical travel at the end of your lower arms vs. the / travel range the PHD was designed for. Pinned at the TL clevis, it requires a certain amount of vertical travel at the lower pins to raise and lower the auger end over its full operating range. You can see how your 3PT geometry will work with the PHD on paper (once the clearance issues have been solved):

1. On the PHD, measure the 3 distances between TL connection, the lateral center point between lower arm connections, and auger head connection. Draw and cut out a triangle to those scaled dimensions (1' = 1" should work).
2. Pivoting the triangle about the TL end, move the lift arm point of the triangle the scaled full travel of your lift arms at their connection points. Measure the auger head displacement and scale back up to find the vertical travel distance of the auger head on your 3PT setup.
3. To see where the auger tip travel is relative to ground, measure and scale down the distances your TL clevis and lower arm travel range are above ground level and the length of the auger tip from connection point. Put your paper PHD back on a paper with a ref. ground line, orienting the TL and move the lower arm connection to those scaled heights.
4. You can also see how much the TL point has to be extended or shortened to get the proper auger head orientation / height.

A lot of paper doll work, but it will give you a ballpark look at what you've got vs. need before you start cutting metal.

 

[intrex]

Thanks Curtis,

I was thinking about how to determine the geometry before cutting. I ended up having to rent a newer post hole digger for the current project because the ford didn't work. This newer one fits perfectly and works on my tractor. I dug my first few holes last night. I am planning to measure the geometry on the newer one while attached to my tractor on the lowest lift arm position and see how different the geometry is from the old for one.