Posthole Digger PHD Stuck Auger

[ctpres]

"Found" some hardpan while setting posts for new front fence and got auger stuck.. Hole one, dug down around auger about a foot and it pulled out. Hole two, had to dig down almost three feet and ended up using 12" pipe wrench w cheater. Hole three, left engine running with up pressure on 3pt and used 4x4 8 foot as pry bar on side of PHD tran. housing. It's hole three technique for me from now on. Can't find way yet to get a hole in hardpan w/o getting bit stuck. Once bit hits hardpan I can't hit clutch fast enough to stop it. Only running 1,500 rpm and pulling out every few inches Any ideas?

 

[psj12]

The real fix is to use a hydraulic PHD. They can be reversed.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

I concur, the pto drivin ones are pretty limited in tough conditions.
Ken

 

[AndyMA]

"Found" some hardpan while setting posts for new front fence and got auger stuck.. Hole one, dug down around auger about a foot and it pulled out. Hole two, had to dig down almost three feet and ended up using 12" pipe wrench w cheater. Hole three, left engine running with up pressure on 3pt and used 4x4 8 foot as pry bar on side of PHD tran. housing. It's hole three technique for me from now on. Can't find way yet to get a hole in hardpan w/o getting bit stuck. Once bit hits hardpan I can't hit clutch fast enough to stop it. Only running 1,500 rpm and pulling out every few inches Any ideas?

Are you telling us that you were prying up on gearbox with auger spinning? If so I hope it isn't your obit that is the next thing we read... This is a most dangerous operation and one that should not be done at all costs. If any part of you or you clothing gets into a rotating device you will be sucked in so fast that you won't have any idea what hit you. I hope I read what you were doing wrong, but even so I wanted to warn others.

Andy

 

[blueriver]

I don't think that is what he was saying, HOPE NOT! I think he had the tractor engine running, not the PTO, uplift on the 3 pt and helped pry it out?

alot of operators just have no idea how fast an accident can happen. Have you noticed there are alot of accidents involving older gentlemen that you would think to yourself "He should have known better"

Since joining TBN, I have re-addressed safety issue's!

 

[drtydeed]

Dingo machine!

 

[AlanB]

It is definetely a pain at times. Best luck I have is feathering down the three point a bit at a time, and constantly lifting and clearing. Still get stuck sometimes.

ON the 12" I have a piece of pipe welded horizontally on the end of the top flight. Hammer handle, spud bar whatever in there to back it out when stuck. Need to add one on the 24" when I get time. It has not intefered with anything yet.

 

[SFish]

Another version of AlanB's method- We had an aluminum 48" pipe wrench to turn the auger backward to sort of unscrew it from the ground. Done with up pressure from the 3 point and the PTO off.

Steve

 

[shvl73]

Another version of AlanB's method- We had an aluminum 48" pipe wrench to turn the auger backward to sort of unscrew it from the ground. Done with up pressure from the 3 point and the PTO off.

Steve

I have done the same, w/ smaller steel pipe wrench, works well.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm with alan.. I clean the hole every half inch or inch in bad soil. takes a few seconds longer.. but beats using the pipe wrench!

Soundguy

 

[sandman2234]

I learned to never let the auger self feed itself. Always control the downward motion and keep it cleared constantly but raising and lowering. I twisted a rockshaft once by trying to get the phd out after getting it stuck.
David from jax

 

[ctpres]

Are you telling us that you were prying up on gearbox with auger spinning? If so I hope it isn't your obit that is the next thing we read... This is a most dangerous operation and one that should not be done at all costs. If any part of you or you clothing gets into a rotating device you will be sucked in so fast that you won't have any idea what hit you. I hope I read what you were doing wrong, but even so I wanted to warn others.

Andy

No I DO NOT. I can't even get of seat w PTO on due to safety switch, and wouldn't if I could.

 

[zzvyb6]

What I found works is to not try to pull it out. Just let it keep digging. When the head hits the ground, the auger flighting will start pushing the dirt out the top of the hold. There my be some mushrooming at the top as it swells the hole but I don't care.

My technique is to just pour on the power. The dirt gives up first.

 

[N80]

The dirt gives up first.

You haven't met my dirt!

 

[AlanB]

What I found works is to not try to pull it out. Just let it keep digging. When the head hits the ground, the auger flighting will start pushing the dirt out the top of the hold. There my be some mushrooming at the top as it swells the hole but I don't care.

My technique is to just pour on the power. The dirt gives up first.

I find my shear bolts giving before the dirt and roots do at times.

For us at least, especially in existing planting beds, roots are the worst when they hook under a flight.

 

[mjfox6]

No I DO NOT. I can't even get of seat w PTO on due to safety switch, and wouldn't if I could.

For your L3400, just flip the seat forward and onto the steering wheel as you stand up, that overrides the safety switch and the PTO will continue to run. Not recommended for PHD's, but a necessity for generators, pee breaks while bush hogging, etc.

 

[N80]

For your L3400, just flip the seat forward and onto the steering wheel as you stand up, that overrides the safety switch and the PTO will continue to run.

Kubota call that feature "stationary PTO."

a necessity ....... for pee breaks while bush hogging, etc.

Good one. Took me a minute to picture that. Hadn't thought of that use for the override....but now that I do I'll have to try it. No sense in letting nature's call stop a work in progress.

 

[mjfox6]

Good one. Took me a minute to picture that.

Hope you were picturing yourself, I'm glad you don't know what I look like!

I do it so I don't have any unnecessary starting/stopping stress on my L3400's PTO system.

 

[RonMar]

You need to set the lowering speed to a very slow rate. Sharp or serrated cutting edge is also good. The slow rate will force the cutter to rip and break up the soil. You should have a lowering speed control on your 3PH to control the downward rate of a heavy impliment and keep you from slamming it into the ground. It is usually a valve assembly that you can twist(like a garden hose spigot valve) that controls the rate at which fluid can exit the 3PH cylinder. I ususlly set mine so the impliment goes up and down at the same speed when brushhogging, but it allows me to make the lowering speed much slower if I wish and can even lock the impliment load in the air. For augering, I set it at a pretty slow rate

If you let the auger go down at it's own pace, you will eventually get a good bite and the thing will corkscrew before you can stop it. I have sandy soil with a lot of round river rock and roots and mine will do the same thing if it catches the edge of a big rock or root at full lowering rate or I let it go too far before lifting and clearing the auger. Even at a slow lowering speed, I lift and clear frequently. I would rather go slow than have to get off the tractor and unscrew the auger with a pipe wrench. Going slow also gives me time to pull the tractor forward using the loader bucket and keep the auger perpendicular to the ground for a straighter hole.

I don't ever use lift force when I have to unscrew a stuck auger. Having hydraulic force applied without YOU at the controls of that force is never a good idea. It screwed itself in without any downforce(other than the weight of the auger), it will screw itself back out with a big enough lever. If it had 3PH lift force applied while unscrewing the auger with a pipewrench, and I unscrew it to a point where it can break free and lift on it's own, I would be just lucky enough to catch the wrench handle on the chin

I think the suggestion of a short chunk of pipe welded perpendicular to the auger shaft up near the top is an excellent one. It would sure be a lot faster to stuff a pry bar into a welded pipe on the auger to unscrew it, than to fit and hold the pipe wrench and cheater to unscrew it. I am going to do this and at the same time, weld a holder bracket to the 3PH boom to carry that pipe/prybar along with the auger whenever I am using it. A little extra weight on the 3PH boom might be a good thing anyway

 

[N80]

I do it so I don't have any unnecessary starting/stopping stress on my L3400's PTO system.

Well, I'm not sure how you go about it but I'd have to say that a real man would do it without stopping or getting off the tractor, right? That's what I was picturing....and no, you were not in the picture.