Yup, it works ok. I have drilled at least 100 holes (no exaggeration) with my Frontier PHD100. There are two schools of thought for using the phd on these little guys. I prefer to go full 540 PTO RPM and when I hear the engine start to bog and I will pull up on the phd so it doesn't screw itself into the ground. Others like to go slow and pull out when they start to bog, I've heard the slower method works better in rocky soils. The main problem is the auger likes to screw into the ground and the tractor doesn't have the power to pull the auger out of the ground or keep the auger from the pulling the tractor down. I have screwed the auger into the ground and have had to use a bigazz pipe wrench to unscrew the auger.

 

I was working part time at a YMCA camp. They had a JD 4310. I came in one morning and the boss said take a shovel and go dig out the post hole digger. He had left it stuck in the ground. Instead, I took the tractor, chain and 36" pipe wrench. I used the loader and chain to put "lift" on the PHD, and the pipe wrench to unscrew it.

 

I have a PHD100 as well, I use it frequently with a 12 inch auger. I have used it with a 9 inch auger as well, but in my soil, the 12 inch one works so much better. It seemed like the 9 inch one was prone to breaking shear bolts in my hard soil.

How well it works really depends on your soil. We have lots of clay, and sometimes it doesn't want to dig down it just sits there spinning on top of the soil. I rarely have the problem of it digging faster than I can control. I am mostly in the "dig at idle" camp. I do vary the throttle settings as I dig, though , sometimes faster does seem to work better.

Just a couple of suggestions. Keep plenty of shear bolts on hand. Clear the hole out as you go by lifting the auger slightly every now and then. And keep the cutting edges and tip clear of roots, vegetation, etc.

When it works as it should, it's really nice to dig a 3 foot deep hole in less than a minute.

 

Is the 3 point PHD for the category 1 3ph on the 1 series a specific unit due to the limited lift height?

Am I correct that just any 3ph post hole auger won't work on the 1 series due to the lift height?

What about the angle of the PTO driveshaft? It would seem to be rather extreme at the auger digging starting position or when lifted out of the ground due to the length of the 3ph arms, is this correct?

Also, for those who have purchased a PHD for the 1 series machines, what is the cost for the unit with the PTO shaft and roughly how much are the augers each?

Is there a "common sized auger" based upon this machines HP, lift height, etc?

The holes I need to dig are going to be 9" to 12" in diameter and 30" to 36" deep as I need to use the cardboard cement tube to form a pole base with a curb which sticks up at least 9" to keep the lawn mower and grass trimmer cowboys and cow girls from damaging the bases of these posts as they are quite $$$......($600+ per post with all the die cast base covers, architectural detail, brackets, finials, etc.)..

Thanks for the details, since this is on the topic of 3ph post hole diggers, I hope the OP doesn't mind me adding some of my questions to their thread................thanks to all who reply.

 

How many holes do you need to dig? It might be cheaper to pay a contractor to dig them or rent a PHD. When I built my pole barn, I rented a PHD for the day used the 2030. I did have to buy an extension for the auger to get deep enough to meet code for frost in my area. IIRC I used an 18" auger

30" to 36" does not sound deep enough to me? :dunno:

 

I have seen alot of people break their cast top link on the 1025r from using Post Hole Diggers. Not sure if it was user error or JD design. I was looking at this one: Compact Tractor 3 Point Post Hole Digger

 

we pretty much power drive most fence type posts these days........but i did drag out the old PHD this last week to dig some holes for a pole type equipment shed ..

we had a lot of moisture in the ground which made it very nice digging.....we have top soil...sometimes rocks....and clay soils

we drill them with our smallest tractor dont want to overpower the auger and it is easier to position ......
we go very slow..going slow and letting it turn a lot will either remove rocks or work them into the wall of the hole ...going fast the auger grabs and schears pins

i run my old auger at idle rpms...and control the height all the way down....very slow ...not in a hurry at all...

if we need to dig anything above 12" i just borrow or rent a hydraulic unit for my skidsteer......if we need deep holes we hire it done by a truck mounted rig

a 1025r should be just fine just dont get in a hurry

 

With my old Ford2000 i just run at 1400rpm and let it take its time. Sometimes it takes a while but it gets the job done. The 1025r is so tiny my lawnmower even has more HP. Wonder if i could use my old PH digger with the 1025?

Thanks for the input

 

Just got the country pro from fleet farm last weekend w/12" auger, whole set up was 550 dug like a champ may need an extension... whole unit weights about 225lbs.

 

Idea to keep the auger from screwing itself into the ground. Believe me, it works.

Auger Drilling Itself Into the Ground Fixed!!! 48 Post Hole Bit - YouTube

 

that video makes me cringe inside

 

I would be very very leery of that 6x6 blocking under the lift arms technique. While it appears brilliant, look at the PHD arm going to the top link and watch the back of the tractor. The PHD arm is being pulled down with tremendous leverage. It's being bent, it's prying up on the top link. And it's lifting the whole back of tractor off the ground by the top link. If that hung up on a rock instead of loose dirt, it would probably break something expensive. The shear bolts wouldn't even pop right away because the auger is turning just fine like a lag bolt.

I broke the cast iron top link clevis on my 1026r trying to hook up a PHD the wrong way. So I can absolutely assure you they can break and it will be a very dangerous failure. That hunk of cast iron clevis under thousands of pounds of pressure will fly and kill whatever it hits.

 

LOL, I was just going to post exactly what you said, I was cringing :crazy: watching that boom flex as the auger kept drilling into the ground! It also appears that the guy in the video doesn't know how to run his equipment, it sounded like he was engaging the PTO way above idle, which isn't good for both the tractor and implement.:dunno:

 

1025r engine shot 200 hrs

Hi, new here didnt know where else to turn. 2015 1025r with 200 hrs on it and 6 months out of warranty . Not a mechanic at all .. engine started clunking than broke loose spraying gray oil everywhere.
I guess just looking for advice.

 

Hi, new here didnt know where else to turn. 2015 1025r with 200 hrs on it and 6 months out of warranty . Not a mechanic at all .. engine started clunking than broke loose spraying gray oil everywhere.
I guess just looking for advice.

edited 'cuz new guy made his own post.

 

But remember, that shear pin is for the protecting against excessive force applied to the PTO drivetrain. That has no impact on the forces being applied to the lifting arms or top link. If the auger is happily screwing itself into the ground around a rock, there won't be any excessive forces applied to the PTO drivetrain until it actually bottoms out getting stuck. So the whole time it is screwing itself in, it's prying down on the arm, applying a lifting force to the top link. Something will break, and it probably won't be a shear bolt.

 

You're making good sense here, but I guess the question is, "What's the answer?" When I didn't use the block, the auger would sometimes pull itself into the ground even with lift lever pulled back into the up position. This didn't happen with every hole, maybe one out of ten. But when I used the block, the auger would begin pulling itself down and the block would stop it from bottoming out. Stopping at the block, the auger would usually clear itself or would choke down the tractor and I could shut it off. According to another local owner, the PTO switch is not a clutch and you should not disengage it under load. I certainly don't want to break the tractor, but I don't want to not use it for fear that it might break. :unknown:

 

I didn't want to create a new thread on this topic because there were many good answers here and it didn't seem appropriate to lose all that information. Besides, old posts never die, they just remain vertical in the ground if put in properly.

I was all set to buy the CountryLine 3-Point Post Hole Digger, SKU on TSC's website is 602377, this spring to use on my JD 1025R until I read in the Q&A section on TSC's website this response:

"The John Deere 2025r is a borderline sub-compact / compact tractor. Most sub-compact tractors are too small for the Countyline PHD. The 2025r has enough power for the PHD, but, the physical size / height of the tractor is where the issue comes in. The tractor is not physically big enough to lift the auger high enough off of the ground for transport or digging and or while digging the front of the tractor may come off of the ground."

If the JD 2025R is borderline, I'd expect the 1025R might be too small for the CountryLine PHD.

The same responder - I assume a TSC or CountryLine rep - also replied to a similar question about the Kubota BX2200, saying it's too small for the CountryLine PHD. The Kubota BX2200 is, I believe, similar enough to the JD 1025R in size/weight/horsepower.to apply to the JD 1025R.

Does anyone have any additional thoughts on the CountryLine PHD being too small for the 1025R? If so, I'll just bite the bullet on the extra cost and buy the JD/Frontier PHD.

 

I didn't want to create a new thread on this topic because there were many good answers here and it didn't seem appropriate to lose all that information. Besides, old posts never die, they just remain vertical in the ground if put in properly.

I was all set to buy the CountryLine 3-Point Post Hole Digger, SKU on TSC's website is 602377, this spring to use on my JD 1025R until I read in the Q&A section on TSC's website this response:

"The John Deere 2025r is a borderline sub-compact / compact tractor. Most sub-compact tractors are too small for the Countyline PHD. The 2025r has enough power for the PHD, but, the physical size / height of the tractor is where the issue comes in. The tractor is not physically big enough to lift the auger high enough off of the ground for transport or digging and or while digging the front of the tractor may come off of the ground."

If the JD 2025R is borderline, I'd expect the 1025R might be too small for the CountryLine PHD.

The same responder - I assume a TSC or CountryLine rep - also replied to a similar question about the Kubota BX2200, saying it's too small for the CountryLine PHD. The Kubota BX2200 is, I believe, similar enough to the JD 1025R in size/weight/horsepower.to apply to the JD 1025R.

Does anyone have any additional thoughts on the CountryLine PHD being too small for the 1025R? If so, I'll just bite the bullet on the extra cost and buy the JD/Frontier PHD.

As you read through the many repeated questions, you will find other answers saying the 1025R is okay with their PHD.

 

I run a County Line post hole digger on my 1025. Have for several years. Use a 9” auger. The 3pt only lifts it about 4” off the ground but the tractor has no problems powering it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

with all the comments about shearing drive lines or 3PH links, what about a front end 3rd function loop and a hydraulic PHD in place of bucket like they (at least usta) have in Northern Hydraulics (now northern tools?). I be pretty slow but, wouldn't putting a hydro loop into pressure bypass be better than shearing metal? and isn't that how the utility company trucks are rigged?

 

chuckle...that may be but we all are used to shear pins and i think some do have a system like you discribe but also have a shear pin backup. You don't expect us all to stop ranchin farmin and become tech-ees now do ya?

 

I run a countyline PHD on my 2305.
There is a technique to it. If you lower it too fast it can screw itself in. In tough soil i run it up and down a few inches at a time which breaks up the dirt. Do that until i drill in 1-2ft and then lift out and clear the dirt off the auger.
If it soes drill itself in i shut off the phd and go fwd/rev a bit to ream out the hole a bit and losten the auger then lift it put. I have never had to reverse the auger with a pipe wrench to get it out. Drilled about 100holes in total.

I have a slip clutch on my phd.... dealing with shear pins is a pita compared to the slip clutch....

Cheers