FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tractors

[scaredychicken]

FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tractors

Hi Everyone,

We are getting ready to do some more holes / fencing with the PTO driven, 3 point hitch, rear mount, post hole auger that I bought with my Kubota BX23S.

Then I see a short video that Neal of Messicks posted about "Can you run a hydraulic auger with a compact tractor? Land Pride SA20 Low-Flow" (Jan 30/20). That was using a B series tractor.

Got me thinking that the next time I visit my Kubota Dealership I will be asking what options they have for the BX tractor series.
- I do have the Quick Attach Option (and I'll also be checking into the Quick Attach system for the 3 pt hitch, shortly)
- I do have the 3rd Function Valve already installed at time of purchase (love the grapple)
- I think operating the Auger from the front looks simpler
- There are probably longer Auger Bits available if running from the loader position, as it can be raised much higher / deeper holes.

Is there anything specific that the BX would have trouble with ? ... low flow limitations maybe.

Again, thanks for any experiences or insight.

scaredychicken

 

[CADplans]

Re: FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tract

- I think operating the Auger from the front looks simpler

Is there anything specific that the BX would have trouble with ? ...

There is only one problem with a hydraulic post hole digger,,,

$,$$$.00 ,,, Are you ready to spend that much money?? :confused3:

 

[Dave M7040]

Re: FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tract

You do not have the hydraulic flow to drive even the lowest flow model of SA20 which needs 6 to 15 gpm.

According to Kubota's web site the latest BX23S has a flow rate of 6.2 gpm. Models a little older produced 5.6 gpm. This flow would be a full engine rpm's .

Any movement of the FEL would slow or stop the post hole auger.

You cannot expect any post hole machine equipped with a low flow motor and then having that low flow motor supplied with its minimum flow requirements is going to perform like models using higher flows. There is no free lunch when it comes to hydraulic power.

Dave M7040

 

[rd_macgregor]

Re: FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tract

You do not have the hydraulic flow to drive even the lowest flow model of SA20 which needs 6 to 15 gpm.

You cannot expect any post hole machine equipped with a low flow motor and then having that low flow motor supplied with its minimum flow requirements is going to perform like models using higher flows. There is no free lunch when it comes to hydraulic power.

Dave M7040

Dave is right. With only a tad over 6 gpm, you aren't going to get much performance out of any hydraulic auger I've seen. I have a Belltec NC150 and it does great on my Kioti DK45. Note, however, that my hydraulic flow rate is over 11 gpm, so I'm dramatically faster digging rate and more torque that a lower-flow, lower-pressure setup. The drive unit has a 2" hex shaft, which I love, and I have 9" and 14" auger bits; they go great until I hit (sandstone) bedrock (it pretty much chews through any smaller stuff, but we don't have hard rocks to contend with. Depending on the diameter of the auger you are using, you can actually drill down so the drive unit is in the hole, giving a full four feet of depth without buying an extension.
A tractor FEL is not ideal for two main reasons. Usually, you can't see the exact point where the auger hits the ground, because of the tractor hood (I bought a camera to help with this...and someday I hope to get it mounted!). Second, the FEL actually moves down in an arc, so you have to adjust the angle of the attachment or the position of the tractor as you drill down...or risk having a angled hole. Both these issues become less important with experience.
Here are the company specs on the NC150...I suspect competitors' products are similar.
NC150
6-15 GPM 1500 ft/lb
MODEL NC-150 ORDER NUMBER 113025
Maximum Output Torque 1419 ft/lb
Recommended Fluid Flow 6-15 gpm
Maximum Pressure-Continuous 3000 psi
Recommended Max Auger Dia-Dirt 18 in



Torque
GPM RPM PSI ft/lb
6 39 2000 946
8 52 2500 1182
10 65 3000 1419
12 78
14 91
15 104

 

[zzvyb6]

Re: FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tract

I built my own from scrap parts. Uses existing augers. My JD 1070 is 8.5 gal min. Plenty of speed and torque/power, even in heavy clay. even just above idle. Side of the bucket mount so I can see when the auger starts, Loader curl circuit, no need for 3rd function. $38 for a 1" to 2" coupler from Graingers.

Land Pride deal was $1900 just for their hydraulic unit (had gear reduction) and a hex drive, so special augers needed ($500). Does not include hoses, couplers or 3rd function need.

Pictures later.

Mine weighs a lot less than the rear pto drive, and I don't have to look behind me to drill any holes.

Problem still remains that you dig an 8" hole, put in a 6" post, and there's not enough dirt to fill it up. Still working on that one. Road commission gravel may be the answer ( ! ).

 

[DieselBound]

Re: FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tract

Unless you have a full time need for an auger I'd just rent a skid-steer with an auger.

I had to do something like 110 holes: 2,100 linear feet of fence; holes done in two days. Even though I've got a tractor with reasonable hydraulic flow it still wouldn't have been worth it: yes, I could buy something, use it and then turn around and sell it, but that's a headache.

 

[Dave M7040]

Re: FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tract

Let me amend my thinking on the adequacy of the hydraulic flow on your tractor.

I just finished reading a lengthy thread on the orange forum of an owner who is using a AugerTorque X1100-13

Hydraulic Auger / Mixer Project - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

The required flow starts at 4 gpm.

Dave M7040

 

[scaredychicken]

Re: FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tract

You do not have the hydraulic flow to drive even the lowest flow model of SA20 which needs 6 to 15 gpm.

According to Kubota's web site the latest BX23S has a flow rate of 6.2 gpm. Models a little older produced 5.6 gpm. This flow would be a full engine rpm's .

Any movement of the FEL would slow or stop the post hole auger.

You cannot expect any post hole machine equipped with a low flow motor and then having that low flow motor supplied with its minimum flow requirements is going to perform like models using higher flows. There is no free lunch when it comes to hydraulic power.

Dave M7040

all of that makes sense Dave. The video did show them operating the auger with the FEL connect simultaneously, and adding pressure to the drilling down ... that's why it caught my attention

that was the auger in the video, I thought there would be similar auger options that might work on the BX23S

 

[Jkott]

Re: FRONT LOADER & HYDRAULIC POST HOLE AUGER ??? (skid steer style) for compact tract

The flow rates are a recommendation for full performance if you want to use it at full capacity on a job. Personally, i think pressure is more important than flow.

I used my brothers Bobcat auger on the front of my New Holland Boomer 30, connected with 15’ hoses to my rear remote. I never ran more than 2/3 throttle and almost never had the hydraulics fully open.

My Boomer ran the smaller Bobcat augers just fine. Just don’t expect to do it as fast as a high flow skid steer. Its more than fine for a weekender who’s not in a hurry.

Being able to reverse it when you dig into a rock and be able to feather the hydraulics in clay, vs having to run at whatever your PTO is at is really nice.