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I finally had a post hole digger shear a pin on a rocky slope in Asheville
Was setting a line of cedar posts on a steep backyard job last Tuesday when the auger hit a hidden granite shelf. The shear pin snapped with a loud crack, and the whole unit started to twist. I had to shut it down fast and ended up hand-digging the last two feet with a rock bar, which added about 3 hours to the day. Has anyone found a better shear pin setup or a different method for really rocky ground like that?
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west.richard11d ago
Used to think a shear pin was just a cheap part you replace. Then I watched a guy's whole gearbox get wrecked after his "upgraded" bolt didn't break. Saw the metal twist and snap something inside. That pin is there to be the weak link on purpose. Now I just carry a bunch of the right grade bolts from the hardware store and expect to use them. Rocky ground eats equipment.
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murphy.mason11d agoTop Commenter
My uncle's old tractor manual had a whole page just on shear bolt grades, with a warning in bold about using the wrong ones. It basically said what happened to that guy's gearbox would happen, and it's way more expensive than a 50 cent bolt. I get why @iris927 learned fast with a mower blade, that's a loud and expensive way to find out.
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iris92711d ago
Yep, learned that lesson with a mower blade.
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