Post hole digger for Ford 8N

[danbrennan]

Hi - I plan on buying a post hole digger for my Ford 8N, and I wondered if anyone had any recommendations. I would like to dig to 42 inches(frost free in my part of the country), so I was looking at the 48 inch bits(and CountryLine auger) at Tractor Supply Company. But I wonder if 48 inches would be too tall for a relatively small tractor like the 8N? Maybe a 36 inch auger would be more appropriate? Would a Ford 8N be more like the modern subcompact tractors they talk about now? Everything attachments talks about using their Land Shark digger for subcompact tractors.
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[caterpillar guy]

If you have just a few to do fine if you have a whole pasture to do then rent a skid steer with one on it. Faster and easier to line up with hole and is reversible if it gets stuck. Though if lifted up a few times during the digginr process I haven't had one get stuck doing that then I don't dig hole when it is first thing in the spring and gumbo wet either.

 

[Johnhof]

I borrowed a light weight posthole auger when I had the 8N. Wasnt too good. Got it stuck a few times, had a kid hang on the front of the N to hold it down Had a lot of new fence to build while working so gave up the wood post idea and used new steel posts.

 

[Tony in SD]

Do yourself a BIG BIG favor! Do not us an 8N on a PHD. You have no live power and the 3 point will not work unless the pto is engaged. If you get into wet clay, it will screw in the ground with only an undesirable option to get the auger out. BTDT! A way way better option is to rent a skid steer with a PHD. They will dig faster, straighter, cleaner, and deeper holes than any 3pt PHD. The work is right in front of you, you can adjust the plumbness on the move, it has down pressure, reverse direction of auger if you hit a rock or get into clay and the skid is more maneuverable than the tractor. I have used both and the skid steer is far superior and safer. I will say a 3pt PHD will loosen the dirt so you can clean the hole easier with a hand digger.

 

[Texasmark]

You owe it to yourself to heed this good advice. A tractor with a Live PTO is perfect for the job and a tractor like my Ford 3000 gives you more room to lift that 4' auger.

 

[Leroy]

It will not reach to 42 inch or even 36 inch. Lift does not have that much travel. I have used one on my 2N tractor but about 30 inch all the deeper that was wanted her in Ohio and only used it to dig holes for a post building. As far as sticking you need to be constantly raising and lowering the unit, you cannot leave it in down position all the time, You have to raise it to clear out the loose soil, I think that is what makes them stick. before letting it back down Was about 66 holes for the building. It was a borrowed unit and over 40 years ago. If you heard the auger start to hit a stone you better have your hand on the lift lever and get it raising out of the hole and jet a spud bar ready to loosen up that stone. And it was only a 8 or possibly a 10 inch auger but plenty for a 4 x 6 pole barn post. Now a 36 inch auger would take 3 times as much horsepower or more than a 10 inch auger or about 60 plus horse power and you are talking about a 25 horse tractor in the 8N. I did buy a auger made for the small Ford tractors but it was missing a couple of mounts and never got it mounted. I think it was a full week before we got all the holes drilled for the building. Now that was before a skid stear was even thought of. as back in the 70's. When they were made for setting fence posts if you could do it with 2 guys per hole instead if 3 in 15 minutes you thought you were flying, Now if it takes over 5 minutes per hole you get to wondering why it is taking so long. Like using a 5 foot combine then but now wanting at least a 25 foot combine. Works to an extent but easier ways to do it. But still better than the hand post hole auger.