What size auger do you use?

[lzicc]

I only wanted to buy one auger so I bought the 12". I wouldn't go any smaller than a 9" for anything unless you can be very exact when making the hole. You need to allow room to give yourself some adjustment of the post.

 

[C4Ranch]

12"... Use to drill holes for landscaping... Bushes, etc..

 

[AGRIMAN]

I have a 24" for corner post. All my line post are driven

 

[cletus99]

Thanks for all the inputs. Ya'll have given me some things to think about.

 

[roadhunter]

I have a 12" and it works well for 6x6 posts and rr ties. IF I did a lot of smaller posts I would get a 6 or 9.

As far as the "down force kits" I am of the belief that they do little to nothing. The 3 point hitch floats so the lower links can't push down and I can't tell a difference when I engage the down force cylinder. IF it was really doing something you would feel the tractor try to lift when it engaged like what happens when you push down with the FEL. Simply extending that cylinder can't really do much IMO as the only down force is really the weight of the post hole digger which does not change by simply extending a cylinder. IF you want down force get a hydraulic auger and put it on the FEL.

 

[bullbreaker]

12" for me also

 

[rd_macgregor]

When I got my Beltec hydraulic auger I also bought 9" and 15" bits (with the 2" hex shafts) at the same time. My intention was to use the 15" to drill holes to plant trees. I have used the 9" bit a lot more than the 15" so far.

 

[Fallon]

I have a 12" and it works well for 6x6 posts and rr ties. IF I did a lot of smaller posts I would get a 6 or 9.

As far as the "down force kits" I am of the belief that they do little to nothing. The 3 point hitch floats so the lower links can't push down and I can't tell a difference when I engage the down force cylinder. IF it was really doing something you would feel the tractor try to lift when it engaged like what happens when you push down with the FEL. Simply extending that cylinder can't really do much IMO as the only down force is really the weight of the post hole digger which does not change by simply extending a cylinder. IF you want down force get a hydraulic auger and put it on the FEL.

Downforce kits for the 3pt PHDs only provide a few hundred pounds of force, not enough to lift any cat 1 tractor I'm aware of. They don't look right, but if you can visualize the leverage you'll see how they work.

A loader/bucket mounted hydraulic unit is superior though, at well over double the price of a good 3pt unit with a downforce kit. Better downforce & reverse when you corkscrew.

 

[rswyan]

When I bought our post hole digger (CountyLine from TSC) I picked up two augers (either a 6" or 9", and the 12") they had in stock ... and had them order a third (18") which was available but not stocked ...

I thought about getting the 24" which was available rather than the 18" ... but it cost a good bit more than post hole digger itself.

I mostly use them for landscaping ... digging planting holes ... don't have any fences on my property.

Definitely beats using a shovel.

 

[roadhunter]

Downforce kits for the 3pt PHDs only provide a few hundred pounds of force, not enough to lift any cat 1 tractor I'm aware of. They don't look right, but if you can visualize the leverage you'll see how they work.

A loader/bucket mounted hydraulic unit is superior though, at well over double the price of a good 3pt unit with a downforce kit. Better downforce & reverse when you corkscrew.

I understand the concept I simply don't believe it does much good as if it was really pushing down with several hundred pounds of force you would feel it on the tractor like you can if you put even a little bit of down force on the front. I don't think that by simply extending that cylinder it gives several hundred pounds of additional down force during the entire dig. At best it gives you a little bit of down force right when you engage the cylinder but once it digs down any additional down force has been lost IMO.

+1 on the FEL mounted hydraulic unit. Much superior to the 3 point model