3 point post hole digger

Wildride47 · Feb 26, 2017

The warm weather we had last week has us thinking of spring. I was at the local TSC store and looked at the 3pt post hole digger they had available. Not wanting to. Jump into anything I checked the ad at Family farm and home. The unit they have is about $100.00 Less than TSC. That unit looked like a medium duty unit. I have a 90 HP tractor and wont have but 20 holes a year so I don't think I need a super heavy unit. Does anyone have any experience with the Tractor supply unit or Land pride PHD's.

Thank you, Greg

ohiojim · Feb 26, 2017

the one I have works great, but I only have a 34 HP tractor.

buickanddeere · Feb 26, 2017

(quoted from post at 17:04:36 02/26/17) The warm weather we had last week has us thinking of spring. I was at the local TSC store and looked at the 3pt post hole digger they had available. Not wanting to. Jump into anything I checked the ad at Family farm and home. The unit they have is about $100.00 Less than TSC. That unit looked like a medium duty unit. I have a 90 HP tractor and wont have but 20 holes a year so I don't think I need a super heavy unit. Does anyone have any experience with the Tractor supply unit or Land pride PHD's.

Thank you, Greg

Light and medium duty augers can have the leading edge cutting tip bent and turned back on the first post hole .
While a three point system is much superior to using a shovel. Once you use a loader bucket mounted , hydraulicly driven and reverseable PHD. You will loath the idea of going back to a 3point PHD.
The auger will make or break your PHD system being it a 3point hitch or a loader mounted hydraulic . I bought one of these and what an improvement .http://www.danuser.com/attachments/auger-systems/parts/9905-auger-hole-digger-head

Wildride47 · Feb 26, 2017

Just called to confirm, The unit at FFH is not a King Kutter its a YTL International that is not rated for our 65 PTO HP. Rural King has a product "Work Saver 720" that is rated for the HP. After looking at the TSC unit I'm thinking that unit may not be rated for the HP also.

WESnIL · Feb 26, 2017

Try to find one with a gear box with 4:1 ratio. This is especially true if using a large diameter
auger like 15 inch or larger. Ford had one (model 910 or something like that) and Danuser most
likely would be. Landscapers use them all the time for digging holes for tree planting but those are
mostly 30 inch diameter augers. 3:1 gear box ratio would not work well in that application. Post
hole auger performance and longevity will also be related to purchase price and manufacturer.

RayP(MI) · Feb 26, 2017

Over the years, I have seen several different diggers sold under the TSC label. Quality wise they all seem about the same. I have one bought several years ago, probably done 200 holes with a 9" auger. No issues, Always run with tractor running barely above idle and don't force anything. Really liked it when I used it with a Farmall 200 which can apply down pressure. Have also used with Massey 180 without down pressure without issue. Have clay, sand, and plenty of rocks. Someday, I want a 12" auger. Note prices have continued to go up so watch for a good sale.

Wildride47 · Feb 26, 2017

(quoted from post at 17:26:00 02/26/17)
Just called to confirm, The unit at FFH is not a King Kutter its a YTL International that is not rated for our 65 PTO HP. Rural King has a product "Work Saver 720" that is rated for the HP. After looking at the TSC unit I'm thinking that unit may not be rated for the HP also.

As i thought, its rated for 15-35 hp. Guess that eliminates that product. Gues it makes the Rural King product look better. i wish I had the cash for the loader mounted PHD. That would be great.

Russ from MN · Feb 26, 2017

I wouldn't think having too much horsepower would matter if you have the proper shear pin, if so equipped. Another thing to consider is how many rocks you have in your ground!

Wildride47 · Feb 26, 2017

We have a mix of clay some clay and a little sand with clay mixed with rocks. The thought of hand digging 20 or more holes 2 feet deep in this soil doesn't make my back feel good just thinking about it.

Adirondack case guy · Feb 26, 2017

The frame and gear box are really not the issue on any make of post hole digger. The gear box has a shear pin to protect it and It is unlikely you will bend the frame unless you are an idiot. The most important part of a post hole digger is the auger. It needs heavy flighting reinforced at the bottom, where the replacement teeth bolt to it. Also a lot of cheaper augers don't have a replaceable point, just a piece of flat iron welded in the bottom of the auger tube.
You need to focus on the part of the tool that engages the ground, Much the same as owning a chainsaw with a screwed up chain.
Loren

tomturkey · Feb 26, 2017

Hire someone with a hole digger mounted on their skidsteer. Will have the 20 holes done, while you maneuver a tractor around to do 5. If your phd does not reverse you can screw it in and have to use a pipe wrench to get it back out. just cheap advice. gobble

Tony in SD · Feb 26, 2017

Couldn't agree more with tom. You would be money and time ahead renting a skid steer with a PHD. Faster, straighter, cleaner. and as tom said reverse if needed.

Lazy WP · Feb 26, 2017

I bought one 20 years ago. Set well over 200 rail road ties in frozen ground. Had to use the loader to put down pressure on it a time or 2. Only had to
unscrew it after I moved to Kansas 10 years later. Guess the Sandhills in Nebraska are a lot easier to dig in. I would guess I have put in over 20,000
holes with mine. Bought a new bit after the RR ties though.

Dave H (MI) · Feb 26, 2017

With all respect, I bought my Ford PHD about 28 years ago and I use it constantly for posts, planting trees, etc. I have heavy clay and in wet years I bury my auger often. Never used a pipe wrench. Unbolt the auger from the gear box and back the tractor up so the 3 pt arms are over it. Run a heavy chain across both arms and around the auger....up she comes. Don't remember the math exactly, but the lift has something like 2.5-3 times the power at the arms as it does at the end of the PHD.

David G · Feb 26, 2017

I dig about foot and half at a time, shut off, pull up, start so it throws dirt off, then repeat.

Tony in SD · Feb 26, 2017

Follow up...... I forgot to mention that a skid steer also has down pressure.

My dad bought a 3pt PHD in the late 60s My brother and I used it until 1997 when I bought the skidsteer and PHD. Neither of us have looked at the 3pt since.

danofarming · Feb 26, 2017

HP rating does not matter. Always use a PTO digger at engine idle. Most of mine is a TSC unit purchased in the 70s new by a neighbors father. it has been rebuilt several times for various reasons. I have a 12" auger. I also have what is left of a linebeck for parts I bought at my uncles auction.

big tee · Feb 26, 2017

Bought one at TSC 3 years ago when I put my windmill up. Bought it with a 9 in. auger and put it on my 3920 Deere. Drilled clear to the gear box --worked good, I recommend it---Tee

big tee · Feb 27, 2017

3020 Deere

Texasmark1 · Feb 27, 2017

It's called foot-pounds. You have a given load X feet from the lifting source (rating point). Divide the sources lifting capability by the distance and that's what's left for lifting effort at the end of the PHD.

I'm teaching a neighbor how to use his new PHD and he got it stuck (augered itself in full length of the blade) yesterday. I used the 24" pipe wrench and cheater bar with some lift on the 3 pt while unscrewing. Took about 2-3 minutes to unscrew it enough to lift out. Soil was wet, heavily packed clay...so thick that when the auger comes out of the hole none of it falls off and will hardly sling off the auger.

jacksun65 · Feb 27, 2017

I have one mounted to my 4200JD moves around great have had it screw into the ground before I learned to use the 3ph drop regulator.

3 point post hole digger

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