A planetary drive auger is the perfect tool to dig holes in various types of soils and rocks or dig landscaping holes for trees and shrubs. John Deere offers 3 planetary drive augers: the PA15B, PA30B and the PA40B. The model numbers indicate the maximum hydraulic flow and they offer reverse rotation for quick back-outs, plus a variety of bit styles and diameters
If operating an attachment in cold weather, ensure to start the engine to allow the hydraulic oil to warm up. Set the engine RPM to just above idle and activate the auger to circulate the warm hydraulic oil. After a few minutes, set the engine RPM to roughly the ¾ setting.
To start - raise the boom and tilt the auger forward so it is vertical and free floating. Ensure the auger is not in contact with the ground surface at this point. Once you have the auger in position, slowly lower the boom and allow the auger bit to pierce the surface of the ground approximately 2 inches. Actuate the auxiliary hydraulic control to begin the clockwise rotation of the bit and then set the engine RPM to your desired speed. Next you will want to lower the boom into the ground using only enough boom-down pressure to maintain force. Adjust the speed if needed. Once the auger has reached approximately 24” in depth, return the auxiliary control to the neutral position and raise the boom to remove the auger bit from the hole. You will want to avoid using the reverse bit rotation to remove the auger from the hole as this will cause dirt and debris from the auger flutes to fall back into the hole. Once you have the auger raised out of the hole, maneuver it in both directions to spin loose debris off the auger bit.
Repeat these steps until the desired depth has been reached. Allow the auger to turn a few seconds at the final depth to clean the hole. If your machine is equipped, you can use the hydraulic lock to allow the auger to continually dig without manually holding the auxiliary control.
Before you store your auger, ensure that the attachment is clean and free or dirt, grease or other debris.
Check out the video below for more operating tips or contact your local Martin Deerline to learn more about this and other John Deere attachments.