General Operation - Land Pride SA35 Operator's Manual

Section 2: Operating Procedures
6. Periodically adjust the machine's position to keep the
auger and hole vertical. Be careful not to damage
gearbox or auger.
7. Apply down pressure to assist ground penetration. If
auger speed slows or stops, back off down pressure.
Excessive down pressure can stall the auger.
IMPORTANT: Always stop auger from rotating
before raising it out of the hole. This will keep auger
from wobbling with an unbalanced dirt load.
Do not reverse auger rotation when raising it up. This
will dump soil back into the hole.
8. After penetrating the ground approximately 24", stop
auger rotation and raise it up to remove soil and
debris from the hole. Lower auger back down to
continue digging. Dig another 24" and again raise
auger up except this time keep auger turning to
lessen the strain on the equipment. Stop raising
auger within 1 to 2 feet of being out of the hole and
lower it back down to continue digging. Repeat this
procedure until hole is at its final depth.
9. Allow auger to turn several revolutions at final depth.
With auger still turning, raise auger up to within 1 to
2 feet of being out of the hole. Stop auger rotation
and continue to raise auger out of the hole.
IMPORTANT: Stop auger rotation immediately if it
becomes stalled while digging. Some power
machinery have a hydraulic relief valve to protect
equipment. This valve will open in a stalled situation
and allow oil to bypass the machine's hydraulic
motor. Check your Operator's Manual to see if your
machine is equipped with a hydraulic relief valve.
IMPORTANT: Stop auger immediately if auger
starts to screw itself into the soil, hits a large
obstruction or becomes stalled, raise auger up to
free it and then continue normal digging operations
by lowering auger down slowly. If auger does not
penetrate obstruction, raise auger out of the hole
and remove obstruction by other means or dig a new
hole nearby.
It is best to leave drilling through hard rock to
premium high pressure drilling equipment or other
rock excavation methods
10. Roll tilt arms into a low carry position when
transporting from one digging site to the next. Be
careful to watch out for people, obstructions, and
uneven terrain.

General Operation

By now you should have thoroughly read your Operator's
Manual, properly installed your Post Hole Digger onto
your machine and performed your pre-start and
operational running checklist. If you plan to dig holes
immediately, you should have also contacted your local
utility companies to make sure it is safe to dig where you
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plan to work. If you haven't done all of the things just
described above, please stop and do them now. This is a
must for your safety and the safety of others.
Now that you are properly briefed, your SA35 Post Hole
Digger is properly installed, and you have the proper
digging authorization from the utility companies, it's time
to transport to the work site. Make sure that the Post Hole
Digger is in the raised position and not in contact with the
ground. If you have an extensive distance to travel, you
may want to secure the auger with ropes, slings, or
chains to prevent swinging and potential damage in
transport. Select a safe speed and transport to your
digging site in such a manor that faster moving vehicles
can pass you safely. A slow moving vehicle sign should
be employed if you are using a public road or
right-of-way.
Once you have safely arrived at your digging site,
position your Skid Steer/Tractor so that the auger is
directly over the spot where you want to dig a hole. Make
sure your operator protective shield or safety door is
securely in place. Lower Skid Steer/Tractor arms and
auger to a point where the auger clears the ground by
approximately 12". Do not operate the digger when the
auger is more than 12" above ground level or the auger
could bind or swing erratically causing injury to the
operator and damage to the equipment.
With the engine at idle, engage hydraulic circuit and raise
engine rpm to operate between 10 and 25 GPM hydraulic
flow to a point where the auger is turning at speeds a
speed of approximately 85 to 100 rpm. Do not operate
the auger at over 110 rpm or damage to the Post Hole
Digger and Skid Steer/Tractor could result. Using the
loader arm controls, lower the auger into the ground until
the desired depth is achieved and then raise the spinning
auger back up to remove extraneous soil. Once the hole
is completed, disengage hydraulic drive circuit, raise
auger to a point where the auger tip is approximately 12"
off of the ground, release park brake and move away
from the hole.
If an obstacle is encountered that stalls the auger while
digging, reverse auger rotation and lift up to clear the
obstacle.
Periodically adjust the machine's position to keep the
auger and hole vertical. Be careful not to damage
gearbox or auger.
Before dismounting your Skid Steer/Tractor; you must
always set the park brake, lower your loaders arms and
attachment to the ground, turn off the machine, and
remove the ignition key. If you must park on a hillside you
should always chock the Skid Steer/Tractor wheels for an
extra measure of safety.
With a little practice and experience you should become
very good at operating your Land Pride SA35 Series Post
Hole Digger.
See "Features and Benefits" section or "Product
Specifications" for additional information on
performance enhancing options.
Model SA35 Hydraulic Post Hole Digger 317-093M 13