Hydraulic auger recommendations for my FEL

[In.the.Piñons]

Looking forward to hearing your review.... I need a PHD and this looks mighty tempting.

I'll report back when I get it up and running. But it probably won't be for 2-4 weeks as I'm still waiting on my WR Long remotes / 3rd function kit. They are having to make it up custom for me and it's already been about a month and it's yet to ship.

Waiting is killing me! I ordered a MTL grapple at the same time I ordered the WR kit. Now the grapple is sitting in my barn, collecting dust until I get my 3rd function.

 

[IXLR8]

I'll report back when I get it up and running. But it probably won't be for 2-4 weeks as I'm still waiting on my WR Long remotes / 3rd function kit. They are having to make it up custom for me and it's already been about a month and it's yet to ship.

Waiting is killing me! I ordered a MTL grapple at the same time I ordered the WR kit. Now the grapple is sitting in my barn, collecting dust until I get my 3rd function.

I bought a MTL grapple and I am controlling it off one of my rear remotes... seems to work great. Although hoses cost what I thought was a small fortune.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

I bought a MTL grapple and I am controlling it off one of my rear remotes... seems to work great. Although hoses cost what I thought was a small fortune.

My rear remote controls are positioned such that they are not readily accessible when I'm using the loader joystick.

The setup I'm getting from WR Long will still use one of their rear remotes (the kit I'm buying adds four to the existing two) to operate the grapple, but it's activated by a button on a replacement joystick. I went in this direction because they told me that their true 3rd function kit does not support continuous flow. While that doesn't matter for a grapple, it does matter for an auger. But still, their remotes don't flow at the same GPM as my tractors existing rear remotes (18 vs 12gpm), so I will still have to plug into a factory rear remote to operate/power the auger.

 

[IXLR8]

My rear remote controls are positioned such that they are not readily accessible when I'm using the loader joystick.

The setup I'm getting from WR Long will still use one of their rear remotes (the kit I'm buying adds four to the existing two) to operate the grapple, but it's activated by a button on a replacement joystick. I went in this direction because they told me that their true 3rd function kit does not support continuous flow. While that doesn't matter for a grapple, it does matter for an auger. But still, their remotes don't flow at the same GPM as my tractors existing rear remotes (18 vs 12gpm), so I will still have to plug into a factory rear remote to operate/power the auger.

Ahh, my rear remote controls are very handy and easy to use/access.

 

[IXLR8]

Except for the $$$$$, are there any downsides to a hydraulic FEL PHD?

 

[workinonit]

I just bought a China one off the local farm equipment auction. 1200 bucks with 3 augers. I did have to buy a skid steer adapter plate for the global FEL hookup. I never worry about flow rates on those augers. It just turns slower. Mine works fine. Used it to install 50 or so 6x6 posts.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

Except for the $$$$$, are there any downsides to a hydraulic FEL PHD?

I would say the only caution would be most compact tractors don't have the GPM's to power the skid steer auger motors. But they do make motors that are rated down to 10gpm.

Here's a vid of a guy with the extreme example of a big auger motor on a little tractor. It got the job done, but man does that auger turn slow.

With a PTO auger, you have much more power available, but it kind of goes to waste because there's no down force.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

BTW my auger arrived, but it's useless without the WR Long hydraulics I order about 6 weeks ago (which still hasn't shipped).

The auger motor arrived pretty rough looking. They just strapped down the 24" auger on top of the motor. Of course the straps broke during transport and so the auger bit scratched up the motor.

Not sure it's worth complaining about as just about everything I've ordered new, has arrived with gouges and paint missing, looking more like used refurbished/b-stock.

 

[RjCorazza]

Compared to a pto auger, my hydraulic ssqa auger spins slow at around 100 rpm. It took a while to get used to the speed difference.
That video looked painfully slow, but it got the job done.

 

[IXLR8]

BTW my auger arrived, but it's useless without the WR Long hydraulics I order about 6 weeks ago (which still hasn't shipped).

The auger motor arrived pretty rough looking. They just strapped down the 24" auger on top of the motor. Of course the straps broke during transport and so the auger bit scratched up the motor.

Not sure it's worth complaining about as just about everything I've ordered new, has arrived with gouges and paint missing, looking more like used refurbished/b-stock.

Sorry to hear your auger motor came in rough looking. My MTL grapple came in a bit busted up, at least the pallet was. The original straps and pallet were broken and the shipping company ended up putting another pallet under the original and then restrapped it.