Posthole Digger Restoring a Post Hole Digger

[nitroxn]

If anyone recognizes the brand please speak up, I have no Idea.

Found this on craigslist for $150. It is weathered and has had some low quality welding repairs through the years. Here are a few pics after pressure washing the rust and flaky paint off. Note the leaky input seal and the bent tabs on the A frame where it attaches to the boom.

 

[nitroxn]

Here is a close up shot of the A frame. Look at the gorilla welds. In this came "more isnt better" LOL

 

[nitroxn]

Here is the A frame after the repair. I used D.O.M. tubing 1/2" I.D x 1" O.D. for the middle of the mount. The side plates are 3/8" x 2" Flat Bar. Should be plenty stiff now.

 

[nitroxn]

The tractor end of the boom pole it tweaked a bit. The hole was also wallowed out by about an 1/8". I will attach several pictures that will show the arm in my mill after I leveled and squared it by the boom and gearbox mount. I figured it would be much easier to bore the hole larger with the correct alignment than to heat and re-bend the mount itself. Hope that makes since. Pics worth a 1000 words.Here ya go.

 

[nitroxn]

This is part way through making the bushing to weld into the tractor end of the boom pole. It is also D.O.M. tubing and ended up being 1" O.D. x 3/4" I.D.

 

[sweettractors]

If anyone recognizes the brand please speak up, I have no Idea.

Found this on craigslist for $150. It is weathered and has had some low quality welding repairs through the years. Here are a few pics after pressure washing the rust and flaky paint off. Note the leaky input seal and the bent tabs on the A frame where it attaches to the boom.

I am 99% sure it was made by Independent Manufacturing Company (IMCO) in Neodesha Ks. Ken Sweet

 

[nitroxn]

IMCO, Thanks Ken!! I know the gear box is OMNI. Seems they are still made.

 

[sweettractors]

IMCO, Thanks Ken!! I know the gear box is OMNI. Seems they are still made.

I owned 1 just like it back in the late seventies. We were a dealer for them until they went out. Real good machines for the $ spent. Ken Sweet

 

[npalen]

I refurbished an old Speeco PHD just recently and the gearbox was real similar. It had a leaky seal on the input also but was very easy to replace the seal. I did have a thread problem on a couple of the bolt holes that mount the shaft cap. The hexbolts were not the best so replaced them with slightly longer bolts and worked fine. Always a good feeling to "resurrect" and old piece of equipment especially when it will perform as well or better than a new one today.

 

[nitroxn]

Here are the boom and A frame after some paint. On the boom, tractor end, notice the bushing pressed and tack welded into place. Ill be picking up new pins for the A frame too.