I'm starting to close in on 80 yrs. old with some health issues, fighting the mounting a 3-point post hole auger is not something that I look forward too. I have not seen any application for the use of the Harbor Freight 3-point quick hitch to a post hole auger. Is there a reason why this setup is not used on a post hole auger ?? I would prefer that the discussion should be limited to the 3-point quick hitch. If other suggestions for a different tried and true storage/mounting of a auger it would be nice if these were suggested and documented in a separate thread.
Quick Hitches Harbor Freight 3-point Quick Attach and post hole auger
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cglaser104
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You cant use a quick hitch with a post hole digger. QH's are predicated on all 3 arms being permanently mounted while a post hole digger remove the top link and connects directly to the tractor.
Fuddy1952
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If you're talking about having to lift/struggle attaching heavy things I use one of these 120v winches a lot. It depends on where you need it the most, mine is mounted to rafters in front of one bay. Anything under easy to lift, raise and lower helps attachment.
It's really handy to lift a mower, sharpen blades. Of course I always use a safety chain or strap.
It's really handy to lift a mower, sharpen blades. Of course I always use a safety chain or strap.
Same issue here. I just finished constructing a hydraulic auger for post hole digging. ! pin and 2 hoses. done. I use the bucket curl circuit to run the motor. And it's bi-directional.
I park the bucket fully curled down so that there is no preload pressure on the cylinders or disconnects, but stays locked in place. The motor, hinged cage and hose are 1/3 the weight of the rear geared digger. I can drop the bucket or lift the motor to get it mounted. Used a trailer drop hitch on it's side in a standard receiver to handle the hinge. Raise the loader, plop the auger on and insert a 1" pin. Connect the hoses and we are done. I have it off to the side of the bucket so I can drop the auger tip on a dime if necessary. Nice for placing a new post right next to a broken one.
Cost was $38 for a 1" to 2" connector from Graingers. 1" shaft of the hydraulic motor and 2" inside dimension for the auger(s). Drilled out the Allen set screw on the 2" end and ran the hole all the way thru to hold the auger in place.
Works like a charm. I use Left/right (curl circuit) to drill and fwd/bkwd in float on the joystick to get up and down. The motor was a garage sale find, turns about 100 rpm at idle on a 8.5 gal/min tractor's pump. No gear reduction or extra material onboard. The motor cage was all rigged from scrapped steel plates from curbside garage door opener spring support. I even threw some paint on it.
Local Bobcat dealer wanted $1800 just for the motor with a planetary gear set (sold as a LandPride model). No hoses or connectors. It also has a hex drive shaft which means you need a converter connector or buy their auger for $500 (10 inch).
Either way, no more PITA from a rear mounted one, no more hernias, and no more twisted neck strain. Heck, I could hang in on a wall hook for storage if necessary. I can get some pics if anybody wants to think out of the box. What WAS funny in my search for a better system, was how some manufacturers add a hydraulic motor to the gearbox pinion of a conventional digger. OK, no more driveshaft and no more having to move your drawbar off to the side. (I actually fell for that one once). Still heavy, still rear operation, and still clumsy. BTW: mine is self balancing, no need for extra offset weights to keep it straight. I can dig on hills, too. Gravity is your friend !
I park the bucket fully curled down so that there is no preload pressure on the cylinders or disconnects, but stays locked in place. The motor, hinged cage and hose are 1/3 the weight of the rear geared digger. I can drop the bucket or lift the motor to get it mounted. Used a trailer drop hitch on it's side in a standard receiver to handle the hinge. Raise the loader, plop the auger on and insert a 1" pin. Connect the hoses and we are done. I have it off to the side of the bucket so I can drop the auger tip on a dime if necessary. Nice for placing a new post right next to a broken one.
Cost was $38 for a 1" to 2" connector from Graingers. 1" shaft of the hydraulic motor and 2" inside dimension for the auger(s). Drilled out the Allen set screw on the 2" end and ran the hole all the way thru to hold the auger in place.
Works like a charm. I use Left/right (curl circuit) to drill and fwd/bkwd in float on the joystick to get up and down. The motor was a garage sale find, turns about 100 rpm at idle on a 8.5 gal/min tractor's pump. No gear reduction or extra material onboard. The motor cage was all rigged from scrapped steel plates from curbside garage door opener spring support. I even threw some paint on it.
Local Bobcat dealer wanted $1800 just for the motor with a planetary gear set (sold as a LandPride model). No hoses or connectors. It also has a hex drive shaft which means you need a converter connector or buy their auger for $500 (10 inch).
Either way, no more PITA from a rear mounted one, no more hernias, and no more twisted neck strain. Heck, I could hang in on a wall hook for storage if necessary. I can get some pics if anybody wants to think out of the box. What WAS funny in my search for a better system, was how some manufacturers add a hydraulic motor to the gearbox pinion of a conventional digger. OK, no more driveshaft and no more having to move your drawbar off to the side. (I actually fell for that one once). Still heavy, still rear operation, and still clumsy. BTW: mine is self balancing, no need for extra offset weights to keep it straight. I can dig on hills, too. Gravity is your friend !
Fuddy1952
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Dad passed at 88 five years ago. Really miss Dad. He used to say 100 ways to do things, which is very true. The older I get I do things differently, like helping a fellow who was building my barn. He needed purlins cut off roof, hands me a Skil saw and this long extention ladder, and it was on a hillside. I got my 16ft electric pole saw, cut from an 8ft stepladder. Very easy, fast, safe.
Well I thank everyone for their input...
cglaser104 I guess that I overlooked one thing that I failed to point out that the a modification to the existing 3-point connection to the tractor would be removed and an adapter made as a normal quick hitch
connection. Someone on this site had made such a modification to a 3-point boom pole. For some reason I cannot retrieve it in a search.
Fuddy1952 For some reason I cannot visualize how to attach the hoist to the quick attach.
zzvyb6 I think that hooking up a hydraulic system for a Harbor Freight 3-point quick hitch would be an over kill.
Modification would be something like the boom pole as seen here CountyLine Boom Pole at Tractor Supply Co.
cglaser104 I guess that I overlooked one thing that I failed to point out that the a modification to the existing 3-point connection to the tractor would be removed and an adapter made as a normal quick hitch
connection. Someone on this site had made such a modification to a 3-point boom pole. For some reason I cannot retrieve it in a search.
Fuddy1952 For some reason I cannot visualize how to attach the hoist to the quick attach.
zzvyb6 I think that hooking up a hydraulic system for a Harbor Freight 3-point quick hitch would be an over kill.
Modification would be something like the boom pole as seen here CountyLine Boom Pole at Tractor Supply Co.
i7win7
Elite Member
A hydraulic top link would make a boom pole or a box blade more useful. modding a post hole digger probably wont work without
Constant-velocity joint - Wikipedia in the middle of driveshaft. If 3pt QH post digger could be done, I would expect an implement manufacturer would have done, patented it, and would be the only source of the product.
TMGT
Elite Member
This is one of the reasons I switched from the HF quick hitch to Pat's system, got tired of taking the QH off for the post hole auger and when I needed to adjust for other implements.
I do have a hyd. top and tilt which helps hooking things up (except the post hole auger)
I do have a hyd. top and tilt which helps hooking things up (except the post hole auger)
5030
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I hang my PHD on a convenient tree limb at the right height (with a chain and simply back up to it and hook it up), raise it a bit, take the chain off and away I go.
SSdoxie
Elite Member
Here is a link to one of the threads about modifying PHD to Quick Hitch. https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/327212-quick-hitch-3-point-hole.html
Hydraulic top link is necessary to make this work. Top link retracted to carry auger off the ground and link extended to allow auger to go full depth.
Having the PHD mount to Quick Hitch does not make hooking to tractor any easier. Only advantage is NOT having to remove the QH.
Hydraulic top link is necessary to make this work. Top link retracted to carry auger off the ground and link extended to allow auger to go full depth.
Having the PHD mount to Quick Hitch does not make hooking to tractor any easier. Only advantage is NOT having to remove the QH.
Perfect, exception thread with details and photos of a modification. Don't quite understand why a hydraulic top like is required, just in my own mind. Thanks SSdoxie
5030
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Looks to me like the hydraulic top link applies down pressure to the PHD. Not a bad idea really.
TMGT
Elite Member
The hyd top link helps get enough travel for the auger, the typical 3pt on compact/utility tractors wont have enough travel to get much depth and still be able to clear the ground when raised.
By eliminating the original top link connection on the post hole digger you lose the compound linkage and increased travel it provides.
Sometimes you can compensate with a short top link and using a low top link hole on the tractor, if it has one, but most tractors still don't seem to be able to get enough travel.
lennyzx11
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I think Fallon had modified one to work that way.
Fallon
Super Member
It was easier to hitch up with the QH, but still not super easy, especially compared to the hydraulic SSQA one on my new tractor.
I didn't get the angle quite right & would bend the PTO shaft of I lowered the 3pt without extending the toplink when there was no auger on or it was part way in a hole.
You absolutely need a hydraulic toplink to do this. A PHD is a lever, 1' of 3pt movement translates into 3' of PHD movement. With the QH removing the lever aspect, you need the toplink to act as a lever or extra lift & get the travel for a full sized auger. The hydraulic toplink does give you down pressure on the first 1-1.5' of hole. Not sure if that could damage things due to unexpected forces on the 3pt. I never had any issues.
I added extra bracing to mine when I welded it up. That also let me add 200lbs of scrap steel over the gearbox for extra downforce.
It was a good project & I don't regret it. But I sold the PHD with my old tractor. As I do side work with my tractor, I've barely been able to justify replacing it with a hydraulic SSQA unit. I don't regret it even though it was spendy. My 40hp tractor only puts out 15hp at best via hydraulics. I can feel the fact that's half the usable power my old 32hp machine had on the PTO. The ease of hitching, down pressure & reverse make up for it though.
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