John Deere 1025R: Post Hole Drilling Sucks You In

[@johnbourgeois1414]

Before you start drilling use your loader bucket flat on the ground and raise the front of the tractor off the ground about a foot and when you are stuck in the ground raise the loader

[@letsgoBrandon2024]

Awesome idea. When I drill, mostly in clay, I just do a few inches at a time. I have been sucked in many times. Bet I'm gonna try this!

[@neilhillman6130]

There are different reasons for what is happening. I drill well over 10,000 holes in a 6 month season. 1 There are many different tips and cutters for your auger the one you have is for sand and soil. If you look at the tip it looks like a wood screw. It will suck down into the ground faster then the auger can remove the cuttings. There are tips for hard soils like stone or hard dry clay the cutter's are carbide and the tip you have would work better for that because it would grind the hard soil to power. For clay you need cutter's that shave the clay into small pieces. 2 When you are drilling into wet soil or clay you need to go to a large diameter auger so the cutting can clear the hole quicker. If you don't go to the larger aurger the wet material will turn into a larger muck ball and it creates a suction and the way you got your auger wont work. At that point the only way to get it out is by following these steps. 1 You don't have a reverse on your tractor so you need to shit the gear box into nutral. 2 There is downward pressure on the auger take a 5 foot pipe wrench with a cheater bar and place it on the top part of the auger and start unscrewing the auger. Keep a little upward lift on the 3point hitch and it will come out nicely . The way you got the auger out worked but it could destroy your shear pin and in time the gear box . Great video.

[@TheRaulr151]

Bravo on using the wood to let the auger clear the dirt. Thought you were done there for a minute.

[@thomasg4324]

*HERE IS WHY YOU ARE SCREWING YOUR AUGER INTO THE GROUND* The auger bit is suppose to scrape a small amount of dirt free from the planet beneath you. Especially when you have heavy clay, or wet hard pan, the auger must have time to chew a sliver from the bottom of the hole, collect it, and then fling the loose dirt out when you raise the spinning auger. *What is happening is that you have your 3point hitch valve opened all the way. This is causing the 3 point hitch to lower too fast. So what happens is instead of your auger screw scraping small bites out of the bottom of the hole....you are allowing the full weight of entire attachment to push the auger into the earth like a screw, rather than let the bit take small bites out of the earth.* Use higher speeds, and close down that valve between your legs & under your seat. Let your auger TAKE SMALL BITES! #ChewYourSteakWell #TakeSmallerBites 👍

[@zackwootensc]

The first correct answer I’ve read and not a single like or comment. That’s the world we live in 🎉

[@TractorHoarders]

Good technique getting the auger out. I’m storing that method away for “someday”... 😊

[@trosk994]

I’m favorite attachment I hate the most is the post hole digger. Usually in that situation in that kind of ground I will only take little bites as you go down rather than like 6 inches take 2 As soon the tractor starts to labor even a little start up pressure.

[@DakotaStone408]

A couple of tips: 1) try adjusting the drop speed valve on the 3 point hitch so the auger drops very slowly while making the hole. You don't want the auger pulling itself into the hole quickly or it will stall. 2). If the auger does get stuck and won't turn or come out you can loosen it in the hole by putting the three point in the up position and rocking the tractor back and forth to move the auger forward and back. Eventually it will pop out of the hole.

[@ScottRogerson]

When it starts to bog down, instead of hitting the PTO off, raise your RPMs to give more power to the lift. Be ready to turn RPMs back down, and turn off the PTO when it begins to raise back out. Also, you can move the pivot pin on the Hoop towards the auger to give more leverage.

[@lectro88]

I used my auger today for the 1st. time and I could see this trying to happen to me... My advantage is I was on a 4720 and conditions were right that my lift was able to overcome the screw-in effect. Not sure that this will always be the case, but my 3 point has a little more umph. I was also running a 8" or 10" auger. one thing for sure... these beat a standard set of post hole diggers. cheers.

[@sixosixo]

Great idea on getting the auger out. I would have never thought of that!

[@LeadfootPTM]

I use a pipe wrench to turn the shaft backwards and simply unscrew the auger

[@rcclassiccrawlers4368]

Easy fix. Add a stand/stop on the auger shield so it doesn’t go all the way down in the ground. It’ll work the same as your wood boards but you shouldn’t have to get off the tractor.

[@keithjohnson4602]

When you start to hit the right soft material, the auger will no longer cut and lift material, but actually start screwing itself into the ground, just like a wood screw. Because it is not breaking up the material, the material can still be solid and the bit is embedding itself in it (just like a wood screw). Because it is screwing itself into the material and not cutting and lifting, you can get a auger stuck. What you want is the auger to function like a drill bit, cutting the material, or like stripping the threads out of a piece of wood instead of screwing itself into it. Since the PTO doesn't have reverse, you can find plenty of stories online where people had to take the auger lose, move the tractor out of the way, then put a REALLY BIG pipe wrench on the bit to try to reverse it out. Sometimes this requires a length of galvanized pipe on the end of the wrench for leverage and two people. The first indication of this happening is the bit starts dropping into the ground really fast (It has started screwing down and not cutting/lifting material out). When this happens, stop the PTO, and lift the hitch as quickly as possible to lift out the material. This can also happen when you pass a large root or a rock. If the material below is soft enough, once the screw catches the root (or rock), instead of cutting it and pulling it out, the auger starts screwing past it. I have never gotten one stuck, but I have come close plenty of times. Good Luck!

[@AGs2WheelLife]

Common problem unfortunately. I have used mine a lot in the past couple weeks. Couple pointers i have are, right above idle around 350 is best in my soil, as soon as you hear the auger start to bite pull up on the 3 point. Constantly up and down cleaning the hole. Patience is everything with this setup. Lol.If you do get sucked in, instead of engaging the pto under load, simply disconnect the shaft at tractor and use a pry bar or lever of some sort to insert through the shaft at the u joint then rotate backwards and have a friend pull up on 3 point while doing so. Its actually fairly easy once you have done it a few times. A forward/reverse gearbox would be awesome for someone to come out with . Hope that helps.

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

Thanks Aaron for taking the time to share some good advice!

[@bibleandbibs6407]

Just before you grabbed the cribbing I thought I wonder if Hurst spreaders would work. Great plan. Also I have had some success once I reach the desired depth to lower the auger while spinning to bottom of the hole, shut pto off then lift out and then spin off the spoils.

[@Chris-D9]

Hydraulic post drivers are the way to go...we were able to drive 8" posts thru 40+ inches of frost no problem for running high tensile. No need for the auger anymore, unless you're a lineman.

[@keithpachol6821]

Skipping the ballast box is not a good idea and not just from a safety perspective either. The counterweight actually removes weight from the front axle and prevents damage to the tractor itself.

[@davidward6626]

I have a Ford 3000 diesel tractor with a Post hole digger it does a good job just idle with it it doesn't have a bar on it

[@coffeebert6644]

Very methodical in your problem solving skills 👍🏻

[@CaptainKleeman]

We have a lot of clay and rock around here. Done that many times....talk about a sinking feeling! Saw a few other comments where they say don’t let it dig in, that’s the ticket with clay, little bites and also because how clay bites, helps to keep the auger perfectly up and down so It doesn’t bite the side wall of the hole and steal the power from the lift arms. When I got stuck, would always disconnect auger but, put a big pipe wrench on the auger shaft with a cheater piper and back it out like a giant screw. Don’t listen to these people saying you need a bigger tractor for what you’re doing, if a guy knows his tractor he can get a lot done with a sub compact.

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

I usually have the pipe wrench standing by, but hope I can avoid using it.

[@letsgoBrandon2024]

@@ataleofthreecabins1025 I pop 12-inch diameter, 3-foot holes with my 1025R in clay. I just don't rush it.

[@zaynesalmon3070]

Good idea. Happened to me once. Removed the shear pin and unscrewed it out of the ground.

[@WelshRabbit]

Like Leadfoot here in the comments, when I get my auger stuck, I just disconnect the auger and move the tractor out of the way. I then pull out my 48" pipe wrench and manually reverse the auger to back it out. If it's REALLY stuck, e.g., on a rock, I supplement the 48" pipe wrench with another 4' section of steel pipe over the pipe wrench's handle. It's relatively easy -- and I'm a 74 year old woman. The auger is up and unstuck in minutes. I then reconnect the auger to the post hole attachment and I'm back in business.

[@nounoufriend1442]

Your letting Auger screw its self into the ground bit like a massive screw rather than digging hole , soon as it starts screwing in either lift of cut power . We have same problem with 2 man Stihl post hole auger in our heavy clay soil ,had to dig auger out once ,but if you lift soon as you feel it grab you can avoid this

[@distorta]

Just put wood under the boom where the frame legs are. When it grabs if you stack the wood high enough it will keep it from getting stuck. Good for smaller jobs, but after 300ft picking the wood up gets old.

[@cashxx]

Have them give you the yellow 4ft countyline tiller. Many folks I have seen have that one on the 1025r and it works fine. Reviews on tractor supply site say you can't use it on the 1025r, but it handles it just fine. Can reverse it as well, but I wouldn't do it without making a guard/flap in the front first or you and the tractor get covered in dirt. Guy did it a few weeks ago and has a video and made a world of difference. Why Tarter doesn't make a kit is beyond me!

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

I"m still waiting for the replacement. All I know at this time is it has the countyline name, it's yellow, it's a newer model, cause it does not appear on their site yet, and Tartar called it a light duty tiller.

[@cashxx]

@@ataleofthreecabins1025 I was talking about this one. Interesting that they are coming out with a new model of the light duty version. www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/countyline-rotary-tiller-4-ft?solr=1&cm_vc=-10005&st=tiller

[@diyranch8475]

Good stuff! I look forward to seeing more videos and learn a thing or two! I’m doing something similar on my page as my family and I build our forever ranch in central Florida.

[@truckerray7533]

Nice video, Tractor Mike. 1.) Why do you have your hand on that long handle when drilling the auger into the ground. I dont believe I've seen that before. 2.) If this will help, ya might take ya a can of bright red or bright orange spraypaint & paint a mark around the center auger shaft just above 3rd or the 2nd auger screw blade from the top of the shaft at the gear box. that idea would leave you a good visual mark to not go quite as deep with the auger & bog down. . . . .just a thought. 3.) If your ever traveling to with heavy load on the loader & no "ballast weight" of any kind, & ya get rear tire spin at any time from loss of traction as shown in the video, put your tractor in 4WD. That way ya have the steer axle helping you with traction & helps ya to move. 99% of the time when im using my loader for whatever reason on my 1025R, i have my 6' FT blade hooked up to the 3-point hitch on the back for "ballest weight". This really helps alot. Thankya for sharing the video & stay safe. God bless!

[@jk-guy4226]

Rodney Leonard - it keeps the tractor from spinning around if the auger grabs.

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

It keeps the auger in place when it comes out of the hole, otherwise it has a tendency to move and miss the hole coming back down.

[@cmiseri84]

This just happened to us...and wish I would have watched your video before we tried to get it out...

[@Core-vu6mc]

Don't skip the ballast. Its not worth a potential injury or expensive damage to your tractor. It takes so little effort to mount an implement compared to what it could cost you.

[@hardset-vi3ze]

The tractor looks a little light to do some of your tasks and have enough power to lift up the auger?

[@schwazelbacher]

Good idea with the 4x4s to keep it from going deeper. I wonder if there was a way to get some kind of fulcrum on the handle to assist in the upward push to help it up?

[@BS.-.-]

It's almost like these non reversible 3pt augers need a big round metal plate at the top of the flutes so it could stop there and chew up what it alreaty bit off.

[@dpd16790]

i can see that as a problem but for myself i use a hydraulic post hole digger on my excavator... if anyone has that in the budget i highly recommend one of them over the 3pt post hole digger.... best thing is they are reversible...

[@FloridaDeere]

good video, don't have this attachment yet, but hopefully will someday

[@silverdragontaylir8252]

Use 6x6 blocks under (upside u)it springs you back up(no more stuck auger

[@tannertuner]

Ok, I was thinking about dragging our old auger out to put behind my 650 compact. But now I think a compact ain’t got enough ass to use it with. We had always used it with a 4000 Ford (which we no longer have) and this never happened, even with a much larger bit.

[@001jacksun65]

You can use the 3pt drop rate valve to prevent the post hole digger from screwing itself into the ground. just set the drop rate to very slowly fall. I had to learn the hard way also.

[@jimgardner9044]

You have a big tree not far away, did it get caught under a root?

[@AirGunnerrr]

Great video... Thank you for sharing... 😎

[@ChrisJones1974]

When you get hole angered to the depth you need, pull the bit out while pto is off and dirt will stay on the bit.

[@AGs2WheelLife]

Hopefully the replace you tiller with the gear driven model!

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

Tartar seems to make a lot of them for different brands (Rural King, Countyline), I'm hoping for it will be gear driven.

[@timcrosby4651]

What does that lever that you are holding onto do?

[@royhoco5748]

you just got some lessons from the University of LBYOM learn by your own mistakes. I currently hold a masters degree from there and am working on my PHD

[@ashlandgunclub1000]

roy hoco Got mine, easier than I thought.

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

My mistakes are for the benefit of mankind.

[@supporterofeverythingyouli6255]

You have only mastered something after you have made every mistake possible. An old man once told me that at Binion's casino Las Vegas 🎰 in the back at the bar.

[@johnmcook1]

hydro on the 3 poit should easily pull that out not spinning fully packed. Have it looked at that dont seem right at all.

[@scottgavurnik9849]

Do you think if the post whole digger was geared differently to allow you to speed up the rpm and slow down the auger would the digger not get stuck then

[@alittleofthisandalittleofthat]

Did the tiller PTO shaft have shear bolts or clutch. If clutch tighten the bolts. To put more pressure on the clutch plates to prevent from slipping in hard tilling

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

Shear bolts, they do tend to break more at higher PTO speeds.

[@dalepete2854]

Yes with a kabota had to use a pipe wrench to spin it out

[@farmall51]

Seems like the auger ay be a bit too big for that compact tractor. Could be the way the bit is .

[@BackyardEngineer334]

Pay attention to the sound of the engine at normal operation, when you hear the slightest difference in the idle of the engine pick up on your auger to clean it out, if you don’t it’s just gonna bury itself & cause you unnecessary work & stress on your equipment. & that’s not just for the auger that’s for anything attached to the PTO. You should know how your engine sounds when everything is running smoothly, when you hear it start sounding different you need to make adjustments.

[@johndeno562]

If TSC doesn't sell it anymore there's probably a good reason. Personally I would have gotten a different one.

[@wileycoyotesr8623]

I likely agree. Would research why discontinued. If proven to have a design flaw I'd want my money back and move on to a better product. I always enjoy these video's.

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

I originally was looking for the RK 48' XB, but our local store was out of them. So if I ordered one even ship to store was an extra $300. which put me our of range for the amount of tilling I do. I had heard that Tartar makes a large amount of the tillers and even the one I got came with a 48 XB manual. TSC happened to have a sale, plus I had a 10% off coupon so that's when I pulled the trigger.

[@johndeno562]

@@ataleofthreecabins1025 I'd of done the same thing probably..

[@hrcjoet]

a little late to the game but slow down the 3-point hitch going up and down. There's a knob you turn to slow it going down and up.

[@juanromano5765]

Forgive me for asking but can you post hole digger and 1025r handle the 48 inch augers?

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

I believe the augers I have are 48” in length , but I think the deepest they go is around 42”.

[@medic4076]

Do you have rim guard in your rear tires? That and a quick hitch ballets box would be good.

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

My ballast is usually something attached to the back. Since this was so close to my truck, I when slow and easy.

[@martineastburn3679]

Once drilled deep - then rev up and pull it all out! Then rev down and dill another.

[@jk-guy4226]

I think you’re right. The low rpms probably wasn’t building enough hydraulic pressure to lift the 3pt hitch.

[@Bigbadbear8383]

Do you have a box blade?? If so what brand. Thanks to your video I decided to go with TSCs 3 point post hole digger. Looking to get the country line box blade as well. Just curious whether or not if my tractor could handle a 5 footer. I have the 2025r

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

I have the Fontier 4' and my 1025r handles it well for smoothing out our driveway. I should have got the countyline and saved $300. I think you'd be OK with the 5'.

[@yankeegardener9565]

Welp we use the bucket of are tractor to push the metal post into the ground work's every time.

[@supporterofeverythingyouli6255]

Looks like your pto shaft is tweaked?

[@deanbenson6879]

No parallel bars on auger!

[@johnfulcher559]

I have used a big pipe wrench to back it out .

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

I have one standing by, but try to use it as a last resort.

[@jerryjdotson]

put the PTO in natural get a big pipe wrench and unscrew it simple it will come right out

[@hartleyhomesteadmichigan6041]

Good job 👍

[@peacefieldfarm_mn]

What is that ratchity sound I hear when the auger gets stuck?

[@kr5289]

why drill so deep? not sure how long that arguer is but 18 to 24" is plenty deep.

[@cdee6096]

This may have been covered already, but the problem with your tiller may be the PTO clutch. Did you happen to smell burning when the tiller is in the dirt? Is the pto spinning faster than the tines? Just an idea.

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

I'm pretty certain it's the chain tensioner as the PTO spins into the gearbox and the driveshaft going to the gears with the chain spins, but a loud grinding sound comes from the chain. No burning smell. Oils and greases are good. Thanks for taking the time, Tom

[@yourlogicalnightmare1014]

Why do these post hole diggers appear to drill at an angle instead of straight down?

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

It's a little tricky. I usually have some one stand back and watch. Once the auger starts descending, you usually have to back the tractor up slightly to keep it straight.

[@jerryjdotson]

put the pipe wrench at the top of the auger

[@tylerblazo]

What causes the auger to get sucked into the dirt like that? Lack of 3 point hitch power to lift? Or the type of soil? Would a bigger tractor with more 3 point hitch power still get stuck like that? Or is it the quality of your auger?

[@CobyRupert]

Tyler Blazo, it’s when the auger “corkscrews” into the ground and acts like an anchor, biting more earth than the 3 point hitch can lift; instead of talking small bites and using the auger like a screw conveyor to move dirt to top of hole. I’m short, it’s letting the auger screw itself down too much instead of stopping to convey dirt up and out. Taking too big of a “bite” between lifts. The hole can be drilled to any depth as long as you take small bites.

[@HondaMechanic1]

The auger climbed down a root

[@Stan_in_Shelton_WA]

no reverse?

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

No reverse, some more expensive one have a lever in the gearing to reverse.

[@paulstiles5707]

A good way to clean out the hole. Stop the auger, rase it to the top, spin the auger, the dirt will land outside the hole.

[@Thebowzer221]

A bumper jack will lift that auger. Dig down 18" from post to post sink in some varmit screening to keep wabbits and others creatures out.

[@plainwornout3964]

Why these manufacturers don't put a reverse on these augers is beyond me. I'd rather dig by hand any day.

[@halfwayfarmsandoutdoors3550]

Need a little bigger tractor for what you are trying to do.

[@Beelzebabe95]

🚜💨 ❤️

[@walterneville2625]

Typical issue, asking a tiny tractor to do too much for its size.

[@msnow3850]

Get a CAT skid steer with auger drive. You will drill 50 to 1 holes

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

I think my post holes are done for the year, though we are thinking of building a pole building in the fall.

[@johnfulcher559]

It looked like you might of hit rock

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

We were on the last couple holes, but it didn't seam like it with the one that bottom out.

[@valleyboy2099]

Hahaha

[@stoicllc2352]

Or you could go grab a car jack.

[@anthonywolfe3051]

Get a 50hp tractor

[@ataleofthreecabins1025]

My Birthday is coming up😁

[@johnburk9157]

A real tractor would solve most of the problems