Posthole Digger Advice on hydraulic post digger for tractor

[ciser123]

Hello all,

I'm looking for some experience and advice on using a skid steer style hydraulic auger post digger mounted on a front end loader. I've been thinking long and hard about adding a 3rd functional valve on my FEL of a NH T4.75. The 3rd functional valve kit is actually cheaper than adding an additional remote in the rear -- hard for me to believe!

One main reason for adding the 3rd functional valve up front would be to use a skid steer style hydraulic auger, something like the Danuser EP6. I'm just wondering if anyone has a similar setup and if it's really that much better than a 3-pt hitch auger. We're on a smaller farm, running roughly 30 head of cow/calf pairs, but it seems that the fence building will never stop. We build fence every year, and I get frustrated with the 3 pt hitch rig. There's no down pressure, no reverse, and it seems to be the hold up to the entire fence operation.

BUT......at the same token, if I spend $1500 on the 3rd valve kit and another $2000 on the auger head, I'll have a bunch of money tied up when I could just keep using the 3 pt. hitch rig.

Any thoughts? I've also considered a grapple down the road, so the 3rd functional would double it's use there.

Thanks a bunch in advance!

 

[Fallon]

I got a Danhuser hydraulic SSQA PHD for my new L4060. I don't remember which one, but it's the lower flow one, think I have 9gpm. I had a 3pt PHD on my old L3200, but it ran off with it when it sold. I rebuilt the 3pt PHD to be Quick Hitch compatible & because I had a hydraulic toplink I got downpressure for the first part of the hole. I also had 200lbs mounted over the gearbox.

I'm running a 12" on the hydraulic & all my fencing stuff was with a 12" as well. My hydraulic unit does seem a bit weaker & I stall it often. But I can push it hard with loader downpressure & just put hydraulics into relief rather than stall the tractor. The hydraulic spins a bit slower, even considering that I'd never run over half throttle on the PTO.

Overall I can dig a hole about as fast with the hydraulic as I could with the PTO. The SSQA is much easier to hookup & much easier on the neck. The offset mount makes it easy to see, but being that far up forward I have difficulty with plumb forward & backward. Not horrible, but a little hard at times getting perfectly vertical.

I have a double acting relief valve I really need to install. You really should get one & it doesn't come standard. When you stop the auger, those hoses jump hard. A relief valve will keep them from blowing. The tractor relief valve protects things when it's under power, but doesn't do anything the second the valve closes.

I never corkscrewed my PTO auger, but got close a few times. I have jammed the hydraulic a decent bit, but reverse makes unjamming trivial. As it's trivial to reverse out I push hard not worying about it like you have to with PTO.

Moving the loader starves the auger motor unless you are quickly putting it into float. Minor anoyance because of open center hydraulics, but easy to work around.

 

[jenkinsph]

I used my hydraulic auger a lot this spring, drilled over 1250 holes. It is very handy if you need the down pressure or to reverse and very quick making a hole.

Hard to make suggestions as to whether to buy or keep using the 3pt auger, that is a judgement call you will have to make.

 

[ciser123]

Thanks for the comments Fallon. We typically run a 6" auger and a 4" auger. Both serve as pilot hole augers, and we drive all posts, even corner and brace posts. Most times I would have a helper to guide me as far as being plumb, but I could understand how it would be hard by yourself being that far out front on the FEL. Do you have the offset SSQA bracket, that puts the auger off the edge so you can still see it? I think that would be much nicer than in the middle like on a SS.

Every once in a while we put the 12" on and concrete a post here and there, but that's pretty infrequent.

I'm a novice with hydraulic circuits, so I understand the principle of having the relief valve, but I don't understand where it should be mounted or how it should be plumbed. My understanding is that the 3rd valve kit I would get (factory NH) would include 2 buttons on the joystick....does that allow float function, or is it open valve, close valve?

Thanks again for the insight. If you'd happen to have a few pictures of your setup I'd love to see them. Thanks!

 

[ciser123]

Thanks for the comments jenkinsph. I could definitely benefit from some down pressure and reverse. I've had to back 3PH augers out before, and dig them out a time or two by hand. On those days I probably would have paid anything to have hydraulics.

Thanks again!

 

[ciser123]

Does anyone have advice on a certain hydraulic auger setup that would work well with my NH T4.75? I think it's rated at 12.5 GPM - I assume that means I would have that available at the FEL as long as no other hydraulic circuits are being used at the time?

Danuser has an EP6 and EP10, and 12.5 GPM falls within both of their ranges of operation. Basically $2000. I had a guy tell me once he bought a new one for $400 or $600....I can't find any that cheap anywhere.

 

[Fallon]

I can't speak to which is the better option. My L4060 has 9.something GPM & I have the small Danhuser. I don't remember the ranges for the Danhuser options offhand. I'd rather have more power on the auger, especially swinging a big 12". But it gets the job done about as fast as the PTO unit in the couple dozen holes I've done so far.

You need a crossover relief valve between the valve on your tractor & the impliment. Typically it's mounted on the impliment (the crossover relief valve on my SSQA plow is on the plow). There shouldn't be any problems mounting it on the tractor side.

You can see how mine is mounted.

 

[ciser123]

You can see how mine is mounted.View attachment 527969

Thanks for the pic, Fallon. I like that offset mount. Probably a must on a tractor FEL.

 

[mopardude318]

I have the McMillen X1475 rated for 10-25 GPM. My M7060 is rated at 16 GPM for implement flow. I've never used a pto auger, so I cant really comment on how much better or worse they are, but this hydraulic unit gives me absolutely no trouble and has done all I have asked of it. If it stalls out, I release the button (on the third function) and give it another go and it continues to drill.

Regarding the offset mount, while it is nice to see what your doing, I think I'd rather have the center mount only because if you're not careful, you 'could', I suppose, tweak the loader frame if you don't follow the auger down at the same time as it's drilling. Same for having to pull up out of the hole, but being able to reverse nearly eliminates that. But then you may need a spotter. I suppose the same could happen with a center mount as well... But either way, I enjoy using it and I use it with care of my equipment.

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[ciser123]

I have the McMillen X1475 rated for 10-25 GPM.

[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the great pics mopardude. I've never seen McMillen before, other than shopping around online. It looks like a really nice unit. The pictures you attached looks like yours is attached to the side as well, at least enough to see the auger from the tractor seat?

Was yours in the same price range, around $2000? Also, did you get it from a local dealer or order online somewhere? McMillen and Danuser both have units that are rated for 10-25 GPM, and I'm thinking that would be a better rig than something rated in the 6-15 GPM, but with my hydraulics at 12.5, I'm wondering if I would still be ok. I just need to call a dealer and talk it through I guess.

Thanks again for the advice!