Solution to tractor auger bit stuck in ground

I thought i would share this tip.  Last season i got one stuck, which took an hour to dig out. Then i got another one stuck, which snapped off completely.

The problem is there is no reverse. So as you are lifting it up, the auger is spinning down. This created a death spiral for me, as the down force was greater than the upforce.

By adding jackstands, you can stop the downward travel, yet allow the auger to spin. This starts pushing the dirt up and in a couple of seconds the auger is free.

You can place the jackstands prior to drilling, or keep them in the tractor bucket and stop drilling immediately after signs it's getting stuck. Put them in postion and continue. The adjustability of the height makes it great for this purpose.

Great tip. Thanks for sharing.

I got stuck twice today.  I thought the first one was a goner. I was trying to lift the auger while it was drilling down. This was causing havoc with the hydraulics to the point the motor was stalling. Once i realized it i changed direction, going downward this time. It fell on tbe jackstands and  a few seconds later it freed itself.