Posthole digger

dragon · Feb 24, 2009

I would like any info you may know on this heavy ol thing. It has 5E-500 stamped in the housing. Is it too heavy to use on my 1940 ford 9n?

Jerry/MT · Feb 25, 2009

It's really hard to use and auger on a tractor without live hydraulics like the N series Fords.
In hard ground if you get it stuck, as you try to lift it, it tries to screw itself into the ground because the hydraulic pump and the pto anre driven off the same shaft. The only way to get the auger up under those conditions is to use a bar on the u- joint and unscrew it manually. It looks like a good auger though.

buickanddeere · Feb 25, 2009

After using a hydraulicly driven post hole auger. You will haul your pto driven unit to the scrapyard.Or replace the pto shaft with a hydraulic motor.
Transmission driven pto and hydraulics dependent on pto operation? You are not going to like it. Plus people get hurt when doing "work arounds" and having to force equipment.
Post hole augers are dangerous enough when everything works perfectly.
There was a post on here two weeks ago about some poor 14 year old girl being crippled for life while assisting her Father dig post holes.

bruster · Feb 25, 2009

Yes it will work on a 9N. I helped my father dig a few hundred holes with a digger much like it. As long as your hydraulic system is able to lift it with no problem, you can dig. I'll be using mine (by myself) this spring to drop posts for a pole barn addition. (funny how you build a building you think will be big enough, and then it shrinks!)

Bret4207 · Feb 25, 2009

After using a Shaver post diver I'd never use a digger except for really fancy fences where everything has to be perfectly plumb and in a straight line. Maybe for setting poles for a building too.

Leroy · Feb 25, 2009

You never leave the auger set down, keep constantly raising and lowering as fast as you can move the lift lever, that keeps it from screwing itself in the ground. That is the way we had to do it when we browed a auger to drill the holes for a post barn 30+ year ago on a 2N

2t2@IA · Feb 25, 2009

Good posts here. We bought a new Twin Draulic auger for our John Deere A in the early 1950's. What everyone says about the disadvantages of an auger on a tractor without live PTO and hydraulics is absolutely right. However, it sure beat digging the holes by hand.
Then a few years later, we bought a Shaver hydraulic driver and used it on a 3020, and it was a great improvement. Either implement sure can be dangerous. However, my great grandfather had his thumb "removed" by a sledge hammer when he put the thumb on top of a post and said to the hired man "that's enough". Got to be careful.

oldhammer.md · Nov 16, 2013

dragon, I bought an identical PHD from a fellow in NC back in 05 (I think). No model #, just a decal on the boom which read "WARDS". Been looking for info on it ever since. Like yours, the only numbers are casting #s - 5E499 (on the main housing) and 5E500 (on the input shaft flange). Did you ever find out anything on yours?

bernieludwig · May 17, 2019

Did you ever get any info on this? I have 1 with 5E-499 on it and need info too

Posthole digger

dragon

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Jerry/MT

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buickanddeere

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bruster

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Bret4207

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Leroy

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2t2@IA

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oldhammer.md

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bernieludwig

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