Posthole Digger Hydraulic Post Hole Digger

[sbloink]

What it the best value for the money on a hydraulic post hole digger. My tractor is a Kubota L4330 equipped with front end loader (LA853). I think I need a low volume hydraulic motor. I need something with down pressure; so either a bucket mount on the loader, or some type of down pressure 3 point hitch setup. I do not have remote hydraulic valves, so I presume I will need to purchase this kit also. Any suggestions?

 

[texasjohn]

I built a platform on my 3ph post hole digger and mounted weights on it for down pressure... about 400 lbs worth, plus weight of phd which is another maybe 300 lbs (guessing). This works fine for me... most important is the type of tip you have... there are 3 types of tips.... I recommend rock tip if you are likely to hit any rock, else you will just bounce and bounce and go no where. The weights I have are individually less than 100 lbs each and can be used in other applications to provide weight/balance when not using the PHD

 

[mjncad]

TexasJohn:

Any photos of your post hole digger that you can share? I just traded my Bush Hog 2102 PHD in as a down payment on a lawn tractor to supplement my JD 4200.

I used the PHD for all of 12 holes, and I hated using it because it was such a nuisance to hook up and detach. When neighbors would ask if I would dig post holes for them, I said sure...the first hole is $100, which includes the hook up and disconnect fee. Any holes after that would be charged on a sliding scale depending on quantity. Needless to say that turned people off, which was fine with me.

I will probably rent a PHD for future projects, or hire someone to do them.

 

[Neophyte]

I'm not sure who the best value is for a HPHD. I know Northern Tool sells one for about $1400.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_25114_25114

You can also find a Belltec model NC-200 on eBay for around $1600. A lighter duty NC-150 would be even less. This is a quick attach unit but they also make a bucket mount unit, which may decrease the price further.

http://cgi.ebay.com/belltec-Skid-St...yZ109296QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://www.belltec.net/nc_series.html

Doing a quick search I found an inexpensive Prarie Phoenix unit for about $900 from LD Distributing.

http://www.cattlerange.com/banner-ads/prairie-phoenix/post-hole-digger.html

I have a 3PH PTO PHD and I second what mjncad said. The 3PH units are a pain to setup. They also provide no down pressure. This means you either have to add weight as texasjohn has done or purchase the hydraulic down pressure kit. The latter possibly requiring a 3rd SCV. Rather than a 3rd SCV you could use your FEL controls since you don't need your bucket while you are digging holes or even add a diverter.

I really like the hydraulic bucket mounted units but I have never used one. I have used the quick attach type on a skid steer and it works very well, of course it has a good deal of hydraulic power behind it and the visibility is very good.

I like the quick attach method but I'm not sure it would work well on a tractor since you may not have the best visibility of the auger touching down. The bucket mount is nice because it provides an offset so you have better visibility of the auger on the left or right side of the bucket. Once you install the bracket, installation and removal appears to be simple. With the bucket mount unit, you could possibly use the hydraulics from the bucket curl functions since you will not need these while digging holes.

A light duty unit requires roughly 5-12 GPM and a medium duty unit requires roughly 10-25 GPM.

 

[CurlyDave]

These guys also have one. http://www.skidsteersolutions.com/Skid_Steer_Augers_s/1.htm

Price is $1295 plus you need to buy the auger.

I have been looking at these for a while, but I am not yet ready to drill any holes, so it will probably be another year.

 

[PineRidge]

Guys before you spend your hard earned bucks be sure that your tractors hydraulic flow is ample to drive one of these augers. I know my TC-40D can't handle the flow requirements needed.

 

[dfkrug]

Guys before you spend your hard earned bucks be sure that your tractors hydraulic flow is ample to drive one of these augers.

The Worksaver 714H works well. One of the units I bought is on a
Prairie Ddog b/h (pictured), another is on Kioti 2375 hoe. This unit
is designed for low-flow CUTs (5-10 GPM) and comes with brackets to
bolt it to your loader bucket. I fabbed brackets for the Prairie Dog,
which works way better than a loader (or 3pt hitch). The gearbox
is a hefty 3.18:1 unit that gives good torque. I also made my own
plumb indicator as it is always a chore to keep the PHD drilling
straight. These units are about $1500, less the auger.

 

[dfkrug]

In my research for an hydraulic PHD for CUTs, I noticed very few
units designed for low hyd flow (5-10 GPM). Most were designed for
skidsteers and required over 10GPM. Both Worksaver and Rhino
sell low-flow units.

 

[mikim]

checkout the TM-48 at belltec.com ---- no idea of the price ....and you will need remotes --- ya want 'em for other stuff anyway.

 

[stevenf]

I own the Belltec TM48 and am very pleased with it, It is a 3pt hydraulic down pressure implement and cost around $4,000 just for the auger and the bits run around $300 for a puff drill (tpost size bit) to $1,600 for a 12" they have other sizes but these two I own. I can drill thru solid limestone down to about 6 foot with the 12" RAD bit in less then 15 minutes and many will go down in 5 or less. It is sweet and if your drilling in rock is the only way to go. They do make front mount augers for skidsteers but are not advisable for a tractor loader arms. I have all four tires solid filled and the tractor weighs well over 10,000 closer to 12,000 pounds, when drilling thru rock the entire hookup tractor and auger go thru some serious girations that would tweak your loader frames matter of fact with enough speed the tractor is rocking back and forth enough to almost get air under the tires. It would truly be a bad fit on the front of a tractor just to much stress. It also requires two sets of remotes one set for the hydraulic top link and the other set for the hydraulic down pressure the auger runs off the pto. This is where a skidsteer hydraulic auger really shines because with a hydraulicly driven gear box you have reverse with the pto you do not at least on most tractors. I have proven that you can get a 12" auger stuck in rock at 6' deep and also that it takes 4 men 4 hours a big adjustable wrench and an 8' cheater bar to back the auger out of a hole once its stuck, the lesson is never never let your speed drop until you are on the way back out of the hole OOPS. I'll include a picture of mine mounted sorry its not a better picture it was taken from the front for AG tax purposes showing the grapple to gather brush on the ranch.
Steve

 

[Neophyte]

Steven,

I was admiring the TM48 on Belltec's website last night. That's one heck of a setup. Do you use it for installing posts or do you have another purpose for it?

 

[Neophyte]

Guys before you spend your hard earned bucks be sure that your tractors hydraulic flow is ample to drive one of these augers. I know my TC-40D can't handle the flow requirements needed.

At 9.8 GPM, your TC-40D should be able to easily handle the light duty hydraulic post hole digger (5 to 12 GPM). Are you possibly thinking of the heavy duty skid steer units that generally require between 15 to 25 GPM?

I believe sbloink's L4330 is rated at 9.4 GPM, which should also be able to handle the light duty HPHDs.

At 13.9 GPM, I wonder if a JD 3320 could handle a medium duty unit at 10 to 25 GPM.

 

[PineRidge]

At 9.8 GPM, your TC-40D should be able to easily handle the light duty hydraulic post hole digger (5 to 12 GPM). Are you possibly thinking of the heavy duty skid steer units that generally require between 15 to 25 GPM?

That's exactly what I was thinking of. I had no idea they even made a gearbox that would work on a lower GPM. You learn something new every day I guess.

 

[stevenf]

NEOPHYTE, I use it for all sorts of hole digging requirements, planting trees, putting in fence post and tpost and even drilling an outhouse refuge hole for my hunters which frankly is where I got my auger stuck at thankfully it was a new unused outhouse EEW! The hydraulics on the downpressure are adjustable based on the weight of the tractor using it but even being adjusted precisely for my machine I can feel the rear tires come off the ground occasionally when I'm drilling in solid rock and get to carried away with the down lever. The carbide teeth in the RAD bits rotate in their fittings and self sharpen but only if you keep sufficient down force on the auger while drilling otherwise you will heat them up and dull them at least thats what they told me and they certainly have continued to be perfectly sharp after many hundreds of holes that I've drilled so they must be right. It is not the machine for a normal need a fence post or two every couple of months kinda operator but when your maintaining interior and exterior fences on 350 acres most of which is solid rock inches below the surface I didn't have much choice if I wanted holes since I don't have a blasting permit. Its easy to set up and care for just check the fluid once in a while and squirt some old oil in the channels that the gear box slides up and down in. I installed simple RV type bubble levels in front and on the side and can get most holes within a couple of degrees of straight down without ever leaving the seat. I had some of my hunters come out a couple of weeks ago and in one day we put in well over a hundred post around a good sized food plot that I irrigate and maintain for them plus ran over a mile of fence wire three strands of cable, it was a sunup to sundown job but not bad for one day with no preliminary preparation.
Steve

 

[texasjohn]

See photos of Danuser PHD with welded weight frame and handle. Frame is for elevator weights which are about 80 lbs or so each and have 2 holes thru them. I can mount 4 weights on the frame thru the pipes and are held on with clips.

 

[Neophyte]

texasjohn,

Where is your PTO Shaft Guard? I have never ordered one but I think you can get them for less than $50 and they are worth every penny.

Shaft Guard from Bare-Co

Safety first.

 

[texasjohn]

Neophyte, I understand your point.

I actually use the PHD about once every 3 years for a couple of holes. Plastic guard broke into pieces long ago. I keep people away from it when I use it.

You see the white thing that the PHD is chained to?
It's a 2800 lb concrete culvert.

Well, actually, I have a few dozen of them and they are my new corner/brace posts. No need to dig post holes anymore. Just take that sucker to where you need a corner post or gate post and sit it down. It ain't gonna move. If it isn't straight, put a few rocks under one edge. Wrap your wire around it and pull it as tight as you want. Drill holes for gate hinges as needed. Mount gate.. it WON'T sag. And, it won't rot, either.