# How to get an auger out of the ground...



## StockDogLovr

We bought a post hole digger for our New Holland TC30, and went out to dig the first hole with it. DH got overzealous and sank it a bit too far on the first pass, so it got stuck and sheared the pin. I got more pins, but still couldn't get it to lift out of the ground. Anyone have any ideas of how to get the auger out of the hole? It's about half way in, but our dirt is compact and heavy. No roots to keep it bogged down. It almost seems as if the upward hydraulics on the tractor aren't working - not enough power to lift the auger and dirt back out. The auger can wiggle in the hole...

We're very new to tractors, of course!


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## logbuilder

Unhook the auger and back it out with a pipe wrench and a pipe for additional leverage.


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## 1shotwade

DITTO ! No fun but it works!

Wade


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## TnAndy

Personally, I wiggle the tractor back and forth slightly until the auger is free enough for the tractor hydraulics to lift it out. Then don't do that again.....until the next time you do....


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## RonM

When digging postholes always lift the auger as you go, up and down, up and down, several times for each hole, don't just go down, as you lift up each time you are throwing the dirt out of the hole, makes it so much simpler.....


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## haypoint

TnAndy said:


> Personally, I wiggle the tractor back and forth slightly until the auger is free enough for the tractor hydraulics to lift it out. Then don't do that again.....until the next time you do....


That works, until the pin is sheared. Then the auger won't lift out. I'm too old to crank three feet of auger out of the ground with a pipe wrench. Get a fresh shear pin, line up the holes, drive out the chunk of bolt still stuck in the digger shaft, put in the shear pin, tighten down the nut. Then some gentle forward/reverse lifting.


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## TnAndy

haypoint said:


> That works, until the pin is sheared. Then the auger won't lift out. I'm too old to crank three feet of auger out of the ground with a pipe wrench. Get a fresh shear pin, line up the holes, drive out the chunk of bolt still stuck in the digger shaft, put in the shear pin, tighten down the nut. Then some gentle forward/reverse lifting.


Sorry, I should have said 'not running'......PTO off, and wiggle the auger back and forth. You won't shear the pin that way.


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## haypoint

TnAndy said:


> Sorry, I should have said 'not running'......PTO off, and wiggle the auger back and forth. You won't shear the pin that way.


At first I thought I wasn't making my self clear, then I realized different PHD have shear pins in different places. My PHD will shear the bolt that you remove to unhook the auger. When it shears and you try to lift the 3PT hitch, the auger separates from the gearbox, leaving the auger still stuck in the hole. I could rock back and forth, but until I replace that cross bolt, I can't begin to get the auger out.
However, if I shut the PTO off in time, before the pin shears, I can rock the tractor and the lift arms will pull it out. 
I have 40 feet of red clay. When it is dry, it is like drilling stone, but once it gets a foot deep, that clay will pull the auger into the hole before you can lift the hitch arms.


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## watcher

The ways listed are the only ways I know of. You can *sometimes* work it lose by replace the shear pin and wiggle the auger back and forth to loosen things up then put the 3pt in full up and engage the PTO. The auger will *sometimes* be broken loose enough that it will turn and will screw enough dirt out that it will eventually pop out.

If that doesn't work you can attach a long pole to the top and walk around and around until you get more of it out of the ground and repeat the above process until it either pops out or you have screwed out of the ground.

Thing to remember when you start a hole make sure you don't put the 3pt in the full down position.


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## fordy

..............Fill the hole with water each day , for several days and see if it will break loose ! , fordy


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## beenaround

StockDogLovr said:


> We're very new to tractors, of course!


that's were you start. 

I'd of dug it out by now when I started with tractors, but I've always had enough strength to get myself out of stuff like that, not so much anymore (I have strong sons now  ).

I also have an Oliver 1850 w/loader. That's where you'll go eventually, bigger I mean.  Those small tractors can get a guy into all kinds of trouble. Mine can go through more gas than your's holds in an hour though. 45 gallon tank LOL. The 3 point can easily hold up a 200 gallon tank, the bucket I imagine can do 4000 lbs. I know it can do an 1800 lb. steer.

Anybody you know with a bigger tractor? Sure they'd be glad to show off, I knew a few I was glad to let them do it.  Now I could lift there's.


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## uncledoug

StockDogLovr said:


> We bought a post hole digger for our New Holland TC30, and went out to dig the first hole with it. DH got overzealous and sank it a bit too far on the first pass, so it got stuck and sheared the pin. I got more pins, but still couldn't get it to lift out of the ground. Anyone have any ideas of how to get the auger out of the hole? It's about half way in, but our dirt is compact and heavy. No roots to keep it bogged down. It almost seems as if the upward hydraulics on the tractor aren't working - not enough power to lift the auger and dirt back out. The auger can wiggle in the hole...
> 
> We're very new to tractors, of course!


sorry backhoe time


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## DaveNay

Weld on 30' of pipe, run a flag up the pipe and plant flowers around it.


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## logbuilder

DaveNay said:


> Weld on 30' of pipe, run a flag up the pipe and plant flowers around it.


Old thread but if it hasn't been solved by now, your solution is brilliant.

BTW to OP, there is some merit in closing out a thread.


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