This is just not my day
After icing down my ribs I decided to get back and do some planting. I had 9 shrubs that needed to go into the ground, all were in 9" diameter pots so I put a 12" auger bit on the post hole digger and went to work. Got all 9 of them planted without incident. Feeling pretty good about things I decided to drill 2 more holes for 2 bushes that my wife wants, but that we currently don't own. Figured I just get ready for the inevitable arrival of 2 'Winterberry' bushes that caught her eye last weekend.
So I went over to the spot where she wants the Winterberry bushes planted, drilled a hole for one, repositioned the tractor and started to drill the second hole. 1/2 way down the hole the bit stopped spinning. No biggie, I was digging in clay I figured I simply snapped the bolts, they are grade 2 bolts and designed to snap BEFORE the gearbox is damaged.
Pulled the tractor into the workshop where the tools are and started to examine things. The bolts were not damaged! Upon close inspection, it appears that some of the gears inside the gearbox have broke apart, there is at least 1 tooth left on the gear, but I suspect not much else. I've not taken it apart but simple hand rotation shows as much as I need to know. The inside of the gear box is trash.
Now the decision ~ repair or replace. I can replace at Tractor Supply for $399 and be back in business today. Or I can repair it if I can find the parts for probably a fraction of that cost, wouldn't surprise me if I could replace the gears for about $100. The problem will be finding the gears. The PHD was sold by Tractor Supply, no clue who built it, its different than the model they currently sell. This implement is probably 8 to 10 years old. I'm leaning on replacing it.
After icing down my ribs I decided to get back and do some planting. I had 9 shrubs that needed to go into the ground, all were in 9" diameter pots so I put a 12" auger bit on the post hole digger and went to work. Got all 9 of them planted without incident. Feeling pretty good about things I decided to drill 2 more holes for 2 bushes that my wife wants, but that we currently don't own. Figured I just get ready for the inevitable arrival of 2 'Winterberry' bushes that caught her eye last weekend.
So I went over to the spot where she wants the Winterberry bushes planted, drilled a hole for one, repositioned the tractor and started to drill the second hole. 1/2 way down the hole the bit stopped spinning. No biggie, I was digging in clay I figured I simply snapped the bolts, they are grade 2 bolts and designed to snap BEFORE the gearbox is damaged.
Pulled the tractor into the workshop where the tools are and started to examine things. The bolts were not damaged! Upon close inspection, it appears that some of the gears inside the gearbox have broke apart, there is at least 1 tooth left on the gear, but I suspect not much else. I've not taken it apart but simple hand rotation shows as much as I need to know. The inside of the gear box is trash.
Now the decision ~ repair or replace. I can replace at Tractor Supply for $399 and be back in business today. Or I can repair it if I can find the parts for probably a fraction of that cost, wouldn't surprise me if I could replace the gears for about $100. The problem will be finding the gears. The PHD was sold by Tractor Supply, no clue who built it, its different than the model they currently sell. This implement is probably 8 to 10 years old. I'm leaning on replacing it.