Tips for when your 3 point auger gets stuck in the ground

[@MusicandMachines]

If you have an older tractor with gear driven Pto option, you can jack up the rear drive wheel off the ground, put tractor in reverse and it will unscrew it out of the ground.

[@robertmoore3353]

Almost never comment on videos, but I am so thankful for this video. This little tip saved me a lot of blood, sweat, and tears! Thank you sir for posting this!

[@dmeskill2]

This was very helpful. Thanks for sharing!

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

You've probably learned this by now, but the trick is to continually lift the auger while you dig to clean out the hole. Depending on the soil, you may only be able to dig a foot or two, before you have to lift it. Lift and drop, lift and drop.

[@BirdTownAntiques]

Yep.

[@tlself011]

In a perfect world, that would work but for me, I have this mucky clay and once it takes a bite, it doesn't stop and you can't get it to release. Even the 4x4 trick doesn't work for me because of that clay.

[@DavidCaissy]

Thanks for your video, it will surely safes me a lot of troubles!

[@MillCityJam]

Thanks for the great tips. I just bought the same post hole set-up (Country Line and 9" auger) and put in my Yanmar SA424. For my first test hole, I went to an area on my property where the soil is pretty soft - good black dirt mixed with a little clay. The auger worked beautifully - like butter. Then I drove over to an area near my arena where I knew the ground was very hard - a mix of sand, clay, and DG. It started out by grinding away the top 6-9 inches without much hesitation, but when I increased the RPMs and lowered the boom - it really started to dig. After about 30 seconds - I completely buried the auger at about 30 inches and stalled the tractor. Couldn't raise the boom at all - I laughed. Decided to fill the hole with water to loosen up the soil, but that didn't work. Then I tried to rock the tractor back and forth a little, but that didn't work either. Then I decided to head into the house to find out on KZbin if anyone else has done this... After watching your vid, I gathered up 4 - 4x4s and stacked them underneath the safety housing of the gearbox. Making sure the stack was secured, I started the tractor, set the RPMs to around 2,000, and then pressed the PTO button, It stalled after 4-5 seconds - still wanting to drill into ground further, but the stack of 4x4s stopped it. Went through the same process two more times and then the auger was spinning in the hole. Raised the boom and laughed again. Thanks again!!

[@cameronmundell7190]

I knew I couldn’t be the only one who had issues! Sure seems like it would be simple enough to design a gearbox with a reverse switch but for some reason that doesn’t exist. Glad you got it out! Best of luck!

[@justlooking6898]

Fantastic video, and thanks for that (!) Another viewer has hit upon the idea I was having during your video - but, mine is to attach a 4 x 4(s) temporarily or bolt/weld a large plate to the plate that is already there to give it a support platform that would possibly prevent it from pulling down below that depth - every time. Cripes, it could even become adjustable if it worked at all; 🙂Loved how you sped up the 'film' to show the arduous nature of the project! I realize that the vid is for NOT having any luxuries, lol. Good luck in all your other endeavors---

[@opengaitfoxtrotters]

Just experienced this fun for myself... Hubby wasn't around, so thank you for taking the time to explain how to get out of this situation!

[@cameronmundell7190]

No problem! Good luck!

[@dustysnow2502]

Just bought the same digger for my RK55H tractor. Only dug one hole for fun but have 2 fences and a deck to do. I'm sure I will be really appreciative of your advice soon.

[@nevinleiby]

Worked like a charm. I set my bx23s on second pin with stock shaft. Ran at low rpm, handle on hydraulics and PTO 3/4 the way to full PTO and reduced 3 point lift speed to absolute minimum possible. Dropped down into each hole no more than 4” at a time, then rocket back up to clear the auger. Continued to reach max depth. Then bumped up pto speed to clear any residual debris. If I would start to bog down, I’d instantly pop up. If I started to jam, I’d stop pto immediately and fwd/backward while raising 3point. I had one a little more stuck, but fwd/bwd earlier widened the section so I made sure it was as in the clear as possible and slowly bumped pto/throttle up to clear auger while rocking. 🤞🤞🤞 and TY!!❤

[@cameronmundell7190]

Very nice! 😊

[@cjones1262]

The two common things im seeing in all these videos is either to small a tractor and county line. The tractors like this one are barely at the minimum pto hp rating for these augers. So while you can still use them it does make it hard. The other issue is 3 point lift capacity just isnt that high making it much easier for the auger to get stuck. Doing what he did with a 4x4 is a good plan

[@dannygoldman8216]

So so helpful. Great video

[@JasonCook-i5i]

Got me unstuck. Thank you Sir

[@mcdonaldshenanigans7270]

Thank you so much for those tips!!!

[@redneckrebel6246]

Great idea 💡 👍 👏 👌.

[@stephenrhodesianridgeback7418]

I took the pto shaft off and made an adapter too mount a hydraulic motor . Best thing I ever did . Reverse is a game changer . 👍

[@cameronmundell7190]

Do you happen to have a video on this? I would love to upgrade mine.

[@stephenrhodesianridgeback7418]

@@cameronmundell7190 Yes I do and lots pictures also of setup . Do you have messanger face book ? Let me know how I can send them 👍 .

[@stephenrhodesianridgeback7418]

@@cameronmundell7190 Yes I have a video and pictures . Would be glad too show you . Let me know how I can send them too you 👍

[@haweater1555]

If you have hundreds of holes to dig, the best tip is to buy a hydraulic drive hole digger that clamps onto the front loader bucket. Far more user-friendly especially if you have rocks in the soil. Once you use one you never switch back to PTO or 3PH.

[@justoldjoe9328]

If your auger is stuck in the ground another trick for getting it out is to use the bucket to lift the front of the tractor off the ground. Then raise your 3 point as high as it will go. Then raise the bucket and the weight of the front of the tractor coming down will be pulling the auger up.

[@cameronmundell7190]

Great idea! I’ll keep that in mind if I ever get stuck again. Thank you!!

[@BetweenTheCricksFarm]

I wondering if mounting that 4x4 on there would help lol

[@markcdeyoung3118]

Seems like a person could do something with the cutting edge to make it cut less aggressive maybe take smaller bites maybe grinding upward angle on the bottom of the cutting edge or maybe sweep it back a little bit and let it eat more from The inside of the auger bit or maybe weld a V block wedge just above the cutting edge to help it modulate itself against the dirt that's being pulled up From what I'm seeing the front bucket skid steer style auger drills are a hell of a lot easier to work with And you have down pressure and reverse so you can just back that thang up definitely much easier on the neck after 8 hours of drilling a bunch of holes And it probably doesn't lift the ass end of the tractor up like it would the front end

[@cameronmundell7190]

I definitely agree with you, the loader mounted style run by hydraulics is way better. I don't use this attachment nearly as much as I used to but if I ever started using it frequently again I would be interested in upgrading to a loader mount one with reverse. I like your idea about making the auger less aggressive.

[@ResilientFreedom]

Thank you!

[@ja4476]

thanks for the video.... what's the hp of your tractor ? I'll use a old international tractor 434 (about 44hp) and got many holes to do...

[@cameronmundell7190]

I have a Kubota BX 23 engine HP and I think pto HP is about 18. If you’ve got a 44 HP you shouldn’t have as much trouble as I do sometimes. The best thing to do is just go slow on the first few holes and get a feel for it. Anything beats doing it by hand! Good luck!

[@ja4476]

@@cameronmundell7190 Glad I've seen your video before beginning holes next summer... Indeed I'll go slow.. but it will be 10 times faster then without this tool... !

[@olm911]

Try a fish tail stinger on the end of the auger. It makes working in clay soils much easier.

[@cameronmundell7190]

I’ll have to look into this, thanks for the tip!

[@etg1951]

I installed a Prince Hydraulic Pump onto my PTO shaft. I connect my hydraulic hoses from my hydraulic pump to my drill motor which can turn either clockwise or counterclockwise. If my auger starts to get stuck I simply turn the drill motor counterclockwise to get the auger free. Good luck!

[@cameronmundell7190]

That's my long term goal, hydraulic is 100% the way to go. I was thinking of a loader mounted unit but I'm going to have to look into this option too. I like the way it sounds!

[@MattClark-z7j]

I let my tractor idle while digging. With 38 hp, I don't need all the speed. It it starts to bind, I've more time to react and I do tend to pop it up every 6 inches or so. I've got a 4x4 already chained to the gearbox for worstcase. I've got a big project now...60-70 posts for corral. So far, no issues, but I've got several to put in near some trees, and I KNOW there are some rocks near the barn, so at some point this WILL happen. Not the end of the world but it does slow ya down.

[@cameronmundell7190]

Well best of luck! I also have noticed that running the pto slower gives more reaction time. Thanks for watching!

[@charliesmith9528]

I have a 2023 Farmtrac 25h 25 hp 4 wheel drive tractor..is it powerful enough to run a auger properly..i have sandy soil but will be dealing with roots and vines

[@cameronmundell7190]

I would imagine so, my tractor is 23 horsepower and only around 17hp at the pto and I have drilled hundreds of holes. The best advice i have is go slow!! 😃

[@danfarris135]

Pecking isn’t just for chickens. It applies to drilling holes in all materials whether its steel on a drill press or dirt on a tractor. 😉

[@dimitriosfilipakis4504]

Hey brother, just an fyi… Obviously, I don’t know your tractor, but on my tractor, I close the three-point float valve To a point where it’s skimming the top, every few inches when the auger tries to grab it bounces against the 3pt and immediately releases kicking out the dirt, it doesn’t bore fast as yours, but a 40 inch hole takes me about a 60-90 seconds.. hope this helps

[@davesilvernail3528]

Dave Silvernail Dave Silvernail 1 second ago I have the worst ground ever. All clay and rocks- big rocks left by the glaciers. The auger will catch in between two rocks and screw itself down. No way to jiggle those huge buried rocks to let go. The only way I found to retrieve the auger is: Unbolt the auger and move the tractor forward. I made fitting for the top of the auger with handles at a tee that bolts on. Then I manually (sometimes with a lot of leverage) un-screw the auger and back it out of the hole. Wouldn't it be nice if the posthole digger had a reverse gear to be able to back it out under power? D.

[@cameronmundell7190]

YES!! They need to build these with a gearbox that has a reverse switch! 😂😄

[@tlself011]

I’d mount a shorter 4x4 to the gear box for days like that…in a way to remove it if not needed.

[@jontrip247]

what size of tractor is this?

[@cameronmundell7190]

23 hp Kubota

[@rainman7992]

TIL that a 4x4 can be your friend

[@johnstark3058]

Your instructing people how to use this when you're not using correctly, not supposed to let it just bore itself all the way down like that,, constant rpm's while taking little bites, removing it from the hole between bite to clean the bit.....sheesh!

[@buffaloacres]

Funny... I didn't see the video YOU made to try to help people out! sheesh!