Post Hole Digger bottoming out

[alaarp]

I have a 2022 Branson 4820 HST with a heavy duty post hold digger and 12 inch auger. Bores great but it I let it strike bottom I have to hand dig the auger out of the hole. Is there any way to reverse the auger/PTO to avoid this task?

 

[Sportsman762]

The only way to reverse a pto driven auger is to shut the tractor down, then use a 24"-36" pipe wrench to spin the pto drive shaft backwards to back it out of the hole. There are techniques to reduce the chance of getting the auger stuck if you take time to use the search function.

The ability to reverse is the main advantage of a hydraulic driven auger.

 

[BlueKnife]

I have a 2022 Branson 4820 HST with a heavy duty post hold digger and 12 inch auger. Bores great but it I let it strike bottom I have to hand dig the auger out of the hole. Is there any way to reverse the auger/PTO to avoid this task?

Not using the tractor. Best way to avoid that with a PTO auger is to pull it out of the hole repeatedly as you drill the hole and clear the dirt. Don't just drill all the way down in one go, even if the tractor will do it.

 

[alaarp]

Not using the tractor. Best way to avoid that with a PTO auger is to pull it out of the hole repeatedly as you drill the hole and clear the dirt. Don't just drill all the way down in one go, even if the tractor will do it.

Good to know. Thanks.

 

[ptsg]

Before using a pipe wrench to back it out, put the PTO lever (not the switch) in neutral, otherwise you'll be fighting the spring loaded brake in the PTO clutch pack.

 

[alaarp]

Not quite sure where this lever is. Are you referring to the elevation lever on the lift? Otherwise this Branson has only a button to engage the PTO. Am I missing something?

 

[2manyrocks]

I am also puzzled what ptsg is saying when a tractor only has a button to engage the PTO.

You shouldn't have to back the digger out manually if you pull the auger out of the hole repeatedly while drilling to throw the dirt out of the hole as you dig like BlueKnife said.

If you try to dig too much at once, the auger will essentially corkscrew itself into the hole and then it's a pain to get it out.

 

[nyone]

This is why a hydraulic auger is so much better..just be prepaired to pay.

 

[RjCorazza]

I am also puzzled what ptsg is saying when a tractor only has a button to engage the PTO.

You shouldn't have to back the digger out manually if you pull the auger out of the hole repeatedly while drilling to throw the dirt out of the hole as you dig like BlueKnife said.

If you try to dig too much at once, the auger will essentially corkscrew itself into the hole and then it's a pain to get it out.

My electrically switched pto doesn't manually turn when off, so I suspect that's what he's referring to. My previous manually operated pto could be turned when the lever was off. I don't know a whole lot about pto brakes, but I would have to separate the auger from the gear box to manually turn the auger out.
Another technique to prevent corkscrewing the auger into the ground is to adjust for a slower 3 point drop rate... Otherwise be real quick raising the 3 point.

I redid by split rail fence a few years ago, and upgraded to a hydraulic ssqa auger. It is a joy to operate!

 

[ptsg]

Not quite sure where this lever is. Are you referring to the elevation lever on the lift? Otherwise this Branson has only a button to engage the PTO. Am I missing something?

I believe on the 20 series, the lever on the side of the 4x4 lever. It lets you switch between 540 - Neutral - 540 Eco. In Neutral, you can free spin the shaft by hand.

 

[BryceSteiner]

Some times moving the tractor forward and back while lifting the 3 point can get it to break free. Best thing to do is not get stuck to begin with by doing smaller bites, as others suggested.

 

[etpm]

Just to repeat what someone else said, don't unscrew the auger while the engine is running. Don't even consider it. Too many people have been seriously injured or killed when they got caught in an auger. Turn off the engine and then back the auger out.
Eric

 

[ning]

The only time I've gotten an auger stuck (lucky me!) I removed the auger from the post hole digger head (ie removed the bolt), then turned the auger with a big wrench. I've always gone slowly with dig/clear cycles and never just throw the 3ph lever all the way down right away - but you still run the risk of getting the auger stuck in a root or lodged in a crack in rocks.

I also prefer to adjust the tractor position while drilling as otherwise the auger will make an oblong hole, so I dig slowly adjusting the 3ph depth in small increments, very gradually move forward just a hair, then at some point move back a bit, all to keep the auger vertical.

 

[alaarp]

My electrically switched pto doesn't manually turn when off, so I suspect that's what he's referring to. My previous manually operated pto could be turned when the lever was off. I don't know a whole lot about pto brakes, but I would have to separate the auger from the gear box to manually turn the auger out.
Another technique to prevent corkscrewing the auger into the ground is to adjust for a slower 3 point drop rate... Otherwise be real quick raising the 3 point.

I redid by split rail fence a few years ago, and upgraded to a hydraulic ssqa auger. It is a joy to operate!

Interesting. I hadn't thought about a hydraulic auger but several of you have mentioned this. Thanks.

 

[alaarp]

The only time I've gotten an auger stuck (lucky me!) I removed the auger from the post hole digger head (ie removed the bolt), then turned the auger with a big wrench. I've always gone slowly with dig/clear cycles and never just throw the 3ph lever all the way down right away - but you still run the risk of getting the auger stuck in a root or lodged in a crack in rocks.

I also prefer to adjust the tractor position while drilling as otherwise the auger will make an oblong hole, so I dig slowly adjusting the 3ph depth in small increments, very gradually move forward just a hair, then at some point move back a bit, all to keep the auger vertical.

Good stuff! Thanks.

 

[alaarp]

I believe on the 20 series, the lever on the side of the 4x4 lever. It lets you switch between 540 - Neutral - 540 Eco. In Neutral, you can free spin the shaft by hand.

Thanks. I will try this.

 

[EddieWalker]

When I used my 37 hp tractor, I bottomed out all the time. At first I used a 36 inch pipe wrench to unscrew it, but I had to add a 2 inch metal pipe to the handle to get it going. It was very painful. Then I used my backhoe to pull it out. That was easier, but the hole became twice as big when it came out. Then I got the idea to put blocks under the gearbox of the auger so it wouldn't go all the way down, and I could keep it spinning. This worked great. Kind of a pain to have to put the blocks in place, but it worked 100% of the time.



Now I have my auger on a 65 hp tractor and it's never been an issue. More horse power means more hydraulic lifting power on the arms.

 

[ning]

Then I got the idea to put blocks under the gearbox of the auger so it wouldn't go all the way down, and I could keep it spinning.

Did you do this before every hole, or only if it got stuck, and then you set up the blocks and turned it on for a bit to loosen what it had bitten into?

 

[EddieWalker]

I was only using the auger for small things when I came up with the blocks. And I used them every time after I saw how good they worked. I was thinking of making something out of metal that would fold up and be more like a tripod when drilling holes, but then I got the bigger tractor.

 

[BlueKnife]

Interesting. I hadn't thought about a hydraulic auger but several of you have mentioned this. Thanks.

Yeah, hydraulic auger is so much better by a huge margin. They're also significantly more expensive. PTO augers are for occasional use by folks with no rocks and few roots in their ground.