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hydro driven post-hole digger

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agentorange
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 117 Pacific Northwest
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2004-02-17          77109

When I had my old rickety grey-market tractor a few years ago I had a post-hole digger for the 3PH. Was pretty difficult, actually it sucked. Recently somewhere I saw a pic of a FEL mounted post-hole digger. Looked like it was pretty efficient and more controllable.

Insight on this concept? Parts available? Complete attachments available?

tks -ao


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hydro driven post-hole digger

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AC5ZO
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 928 Rio Rancho, NM 87144
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2004-02-17          77124

If your tractor has a quick attach plate, you can probably use the PHD that will fit on any skid steer. Look at the flow rate on the hydraulic motor and make sure that your tractor can handle it. You will probably need an extra hydraulic circuit running to the front of the FEL frame with quick disconnects. (This could also be an extention of an existing Power Beyond circuit.)

I have used these diggers with skid steers and the visibility is good since the hole is directly in front of where you sit, but on a CUT, I think that the visibility would be better with a rear mounted unit. Most of those will be PTO driven and work quite well. Buy a quality unit and I think that you will be pleased. ....

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hydro driven post-hole digger

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2004-02-17          77133

There is another big advantage of front-mounted hyd. drive augers, DOWN-PRESSURE.

In tough ground a 3pth auger tends to just bounce around, a little down-pressure sure helps with the penetration.

The one drawback is the price, they tend to be relatively very expensive. It is very easy however to convert most 3pth, pto-driven, models to hydraulic drive. Ususally you can find a good strudy unit used and do the conversion using over the counter parts.

Best of luck. ....

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AC5ZO
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 928 Rio Rancho, NM 87144
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2004-02-17          77134

Murf, you make a good point about the down pressure. I think that I would add weight to the PHD frame of a rear mount unit however, if I needed more down force.

Both methods will work and you probably have to choose the rig that you want to work with and that will give you the best service. If I still owned a skid steer, I would definitely get a front mount unit. But with my CUT, I am not sure that I would like the front mount. ....

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hydro driven post-hole digger

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2004-02-17          77143

If precision matters it is far easier to get holes plumb when the PHD is on the FEL.

Digging extra depth is also easier because of the lifting height of the FEL, we do perculation tests and the holes must be 8' deep, with the PHD on the FEL it's snap.

It's also easier to work around things with it out front. I gave a friend a hand to install a post & wire fence at his place and the posts had to be put behind an existing row of shrubs. New puppy control. I was able to reach out over and sink them all without getting into the greenery at all.

Best of luck. ....

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hydro driven post-hole digger

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HuckMeat
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 121 Colorado
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2004-02-17          77149

Do a search, and you'll find my recent experience on this. I purchased a 3ph PHD, and am probably going to retrofit or sell it, and replace it with either a quick-tach FEL mounted one, or mount a hydraulic one on my backhoe. In my soil (rocky and hard clay) my PHD digs 10" and stops, polishing the clay into a mirror. Down pressure works according to my neighborhood excavator.

So I'd try before you buy if you can, and consider if you need the down pressure. I think it is pretty important unless you have "normal" soft soil.

Where are you at? I have a rhino RPHD cheap! :) ....

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agentorange
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 117 Pacific Northwest
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2004-02-17          77151

HuckMeat- I am in Washington (the state).

I can see the diffs in two types will probably come down to money. If I had my shop built I would dabble in creating an FEL unit. May just wait until then.

I suppose there are good/not so good implements out there, just need to see them and do abit of research.

Overall the FEL method apeals to me.

thanks folks

-ao ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2004-02-17          77158

Huck, if your PHD is a Rhino the retrofit to hydraulic should be easy.

Have a look at the head (gearbox) of the unit, I'll bet that where the driveshaft goes in it's a flat machined surface with 4 bolt holes around the edge, one in each corner. That's where the adaptor bolts on.

Best of luck. ....

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Abbeywoods
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 110 New England
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2004-02-17          77178

I use a Worksaver 714H that I mounted on a forklift carriage for attaching to my 460 JD FEL. I had this hydraulic unit mounted on the extreme end of the dipper stick on a CC 7.5 backhoe once, ran it from a pto driven pump while the hoe ran from the power beyond circuit. The hoe allowed for quick & precise placement of the auger, however, in order to keep the auger plumb it is necessary to reduce or alter the radius as the auger digs in to the ground. This meant having to back the tractor or try to make adjustments using the boom down force while crowding the dipper. The weight of the unit, plus the fact that the boom down force was a bit too fast acting, made me abandon the hoe location. The FEL position works much better, and to alter the radius, I just drive ahead slightly and everything stays plumb. The single lever control valve offers much better control of the unit, over that of the backhoe, and the FEL handles the weight far better. Visibility to the front on most CUT's is limited, including my 4610, however, I have two mounting positions: right and left side of the carriage frame. In either position it is easy to keep an eye on the auger. Cost of the unit was high, $1100.00 plus tax, through J.S. Woodhouse. I prefer the hydraulic unit over the pto driven 3pt hitch variety for these simple reasons: it mounts quickly, is reversible, is fast to position, and absorbs shocks better than the pto types. For a landscaper, it is a bread-and-butter must have attachment. ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2004-02-17          77180

Land Pride makes a PHD Down Pressure Kit that looks like it can pretty much be adapted to most PHD's. ....

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HuckMeat
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 121 Colorado
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2004-02-19          77305

Murf,
Does Rhino (or someone else) make the adapter to go to hydraulic? I noticed they had some instructions in the manual on it. I think I could take that hyd motor, drive the gearbox and auger I have, and buy one of those quick-tach plates with a pivot to mount it on. That would save me a lot of cash!

Thanks,
John ....

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hydro driven post-hole digger

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2004-02-19          77308

John, that's EXACTLY what I was suggesting all along.

Now for the SECRET, the 'adaptor' is really only the same thing as is intended for mounting a pump to a gas engine for a logsplitter, etc., it is a standard 4 bolt pattern & size. One end mates to the bolt pattern on the gearbox, the hyd. motor will bolt to the other end, then all you need is the 3 piece 'spider set' that connects them. It is a pair of steel parts with fingers that mesh together while sandwiching a rubber isolator to prevent shock and vibrations from being transmitted. The steel parts are available in a variety of bore sizes to mate to the different shaft sizes involved, you can mix & match to your hearts content.

Most people who do this conversion just make a plate with the swivel joint that bolts to the side of the bucket, then you can swap sides as needed. This offset also allows for better visibility.

Best of luck. ....

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hydro driven post-hole digger

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HuckMeat
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 121 Colorado
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2004-02-19          77314



Super guru murf knows everything! I figured you guys would know how to keep me from having to run off and buy a bunch of parts I don't need!

Hey folks - Any recommendations on good sources for hydraulic motors and suggestions on size? I have a L4330, which has ~9 gpm hydraulic system.


(off to fabricate!)
John ....

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