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Drilling and compacting

Hydraulic auger

Mini-excavator fitted with a hydraulic auger, boring flight extended along the dipper arm
Auger fitted on a mini-excavator, flight in the working position.
The hydraulic motor is inserted between the coupler and the flight.
Synthetic image.

The auger bores regular holes for posts, fences, planting or light foundations.
Over a series of holes, it replaces a gang.

Other names for this tool: boring auger, auger drill, hydraulic drill, excavator-mounted post-hole borer, tool-carrier auger.
The part that turns is called the flight, or the screw.

The essentials
Family
Drilling and compacting
Classes (t)
0.75 to 50 t
Coupler
All, by plate
Power source
Hydraulic — flow and pressure: we calculate it with you for your machine

The 40 posts case →

01 Use

What it is for

On the left, the flight penetrates and brings up the soil, the hole is round and vertical. On the right, for lack of torque, the flight turns on the spot without advancing. Computer-generated image.
the flight penetrates and brings up the soil, the hole is round and vertical for lack of torque, the flight turns on the spot without advancing
Left: the flight penetrates and brings up the soil, the hole is round and vertical.
Right: for lack of torque, the flight turns on the spot without advancing.
What sets it apart:
it is the torque that makes the flight penetrate — insufficient torque makes it turn on the spot.
Computer-generated image.
The flight goes straight down, the soil comes up along the helix.
A clean hole, at the right diameter, for every post.
Synthetic video.
Orange skid-steer loader seen from the front, an auger with a large flight resting on the ground in front of it, soil still clinging to the spirals.
Auger fitted to a skid-steer loader, the flight resting on the ground after drilling.
The hydraulic motor, between the coupler and the flight, provides the torque.
Photo:
Ildar Sagdejev (Specious), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, resized, brand removed.

A hydraulic motor drives a flight that penetrates the soil, bringing the spoil up along its spiral.
The hole obtained is cylindrical and regular, which makes it possible to fix or to backfill cleanly.

The common uses are fencing, vineyard stakes, tree planting, sign posts and light foundations.
Over a series, the regularity of the result counts more than raw power:
a properly sized hole is backfilled in one go.

Telescopic versions exist to reach a greater depth without changing machine.
Trenchers, similar in principle, open a continuous slot instead of a single hole.

The diameter and length of the flight are chosen with the post, not before. A flight that is too wide makes a hole that will not hold without compacted backfill.
It is the most frequent mistake with this tool.

Auger or pile driver?

In loose ground, a pile driver drives directly and goes faster.
In stony or compact soil, it deflects or refuses:
the auger bores a regular hole that is then backfilled.

How the post holds also differs.
A driven post holds by the grip of the soil around it; a concreted post holds by its anchorage.
For a stock fence subject to the pressure of animals, that is not a matter of indifference.

See this case dealt with in detail →

02 Key technical data

On which machine?

They exist for machines from 1 to 45 t.
For example, on a 2 to 5 t mini-excavator, the weight is generally from 22 to 105 kg.
On a micro-excavator, its weight: we calculate it with you for your machine.

What the tool does

For example, on a 2 to 5 t mini-excavator: drilling diameter from 150 to 900 mm, torque from 1 600 to 4 500 N·m.

What is needed on the hydraulic side

It connects to the machine's auxiliary circuit.
It generally needs from 20 to 150 l/min, at a pressure from 220 to 280 bar, depending on the size of the machine.
The direction of rotation and the return to tank must be checked.
The flow: we calculate it with you for your machine.

Figures taken from 15 models on the market.
Your study sets the exact value for your machine.

All the measurements found for this equipment →

How to read these values →

03 Your study

Have your machine checked.

Give us the model of your excavator, the nature of the soil, the number of holes and the type of post.
It is the soil that decides between an auger and a pile driver.

What we need to answer you
  • Your machine Its make and its tonnage.
  • The auxiliary circuit Its flow in l/min, its pressure in bar, single- or double-acting.
  • The coupler in place Its system and its class.
  • The work The use, and the material.

Without these details, the study still begins: we will ask you for them.

Send my photos

or describe your need

Book an appointment with the specialist

Or call 01 84 16 55 49 · our lines are open 7 days a week, from 7h to 22h.

Written study within 3 working days, once the file is complete.

04 Choice

What determines the choice

  • 01 — The nature of the soil Topsoil, clay, stony ground or compact ground impose neither the same flight, nor the same torque.
    A survey at two or three points is worth more than an opinion.
  • 02 — The diameter and depth aimed at They follow from the post and from the bearing capacity sought.
    It is they that determine the flight, and the flight that determines the torque needed.
  • 03 — The torque available It is what makes the flight penetrate.
    Insufficient torque makes the tool turn without advancing, particularly in compact soil.
  • 04 — The verticality A crooked hole shows on a fence in line.
    Some models include a visual aid to alignment, useful over a long series.
Ranges recorded from dealers — indicative figures
Range Carrier class Feature recorded
Mini-excavator 1 to 5 t With a gear motor
Telescopic, mini-excavator — not recorded Greater depth without changing machine
All classes — not recorded Interchangeable flights, extensions available
05 Check

What is checked before ordering

  • The presence and flow of the auxiliary line An auger does not work without one.
    It is the first point, even before the choice of flight.
  • The direction of rotation and the return to tank A hydraulic motor tolerates back pressure badly.
    The section of the return is checked.
  • The buried services Boring without a prior declaration exposes you to a serious accident.
    Locating the services is done before, not during.
  • Consistency of flight / torque / soil The three are chosen together.
    A correct flight with insufficient torque does not bore.
  • The interface Coupler type and size, or pin dimensions.
    The tool is supplied with the matching plate.
In the same family
Alternative to be studied
On the interface
To go further
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