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Learn the proper setup procedure for your Big Beaver Earth Drill from Little Beaver Inc. The Big Beaver is just 26 inches wide, which makes it easy to maneuver into backyards and onto jobsites that are inaccessible to larger equipment or trailer-mounted rigs.
Learn how to efficiently cut clean, narrow trenches with your Kwik-Trench mini trencher. The unit’s push-forward design makes it a safe, easy-to-operate solution for installing sprinkler lines, low-voltage wiring and landscape edging.
Mechanical drills’ high operating speeds and compact sizes make them a popular choice for contractors and rental centers — and ideal for drilling holes quickly. Although these transmission-powered machines have significantly more moving parts than their more costly hydraulic counterparts, simple knowledge of how to prevent and diagnose common problems will keep your drill running efficiently. Below are answers to questions we get often and some tips to help you achieve better ROI.
Start by choosing a unit with the correct gear ratio and auger for your soil. For soil with minimal rocks and few roots, a 10:1 gear ratio with a standard auger will provide fast and efficient results. For drilling in clay or other difficult conditions, a 10:1 gear ratio will still work, but switch from a standard to carbide blade to effectively cut through the soil. If you’re working in an area with rocks exceeding 3 inches in diameter, choose a drill with a 20:1 gear ratio reduction and a heavy-duty auger. The gear reduction slows the auger from 360 to 180 rpm and will pop the rocks out of the soil and continue spinning.
The gearbox will always be hot to the touch when the drill is operating. However, if the transmission is extremely hot, smells like burned oil or starts making unusual sounds, check the oil level. Oil leaks can occur around the seal, lower output shaft or the top of the transmission, and will lead to drill damage if ignored. Low oil also increases the risk of premature bearing wear, which can result in excessive heat and unusual sounds. To prevent early wear, check the transmission oil level and condition monthly or every 40 hours of operation.
It’s important to clean, examine and grease the flex shaft every 50 hours of operation to prevent damage.
A problem with the drivetrain, most likely along the flexible drive shaft, is to blame. To pinpoint the issue, start by inspecting the end fittings for cracks or breaks. If there are broken wires or sharp kinks, it’s time to replace the shaft housing. If things appear fine from the outside, remove the flex shaft for further inspection. To prevent flex shaft damage, clean, examine and grease the flex shaft every 50 hours of operation. Check your owner’s manual to determine the correct procedure for greasing the flex shaft.
Over time, a drill’s clutch padding wears, resulting in reduced performance when engaging the auger or accelerating the engine from idle to full speed. The clutch will continue to run, even if the padding is completely gone, leading to easily detectable problems. It’s best to inspect the clutch every 30 days or any time you lubricate the flexible drive shaft. Regular checks will help you track the wear so you can replace the clutch pads before the drill loses performance.
Spring damage can cause the clutch to overheat and may result in the auger spinning when the engine is idling. If this occurs, replace the springs immediately.
Too often, operators allow the points and blades to wear beyond the point of being effective. The drill can run perfectly and spin all day, but if the blades and points are worn, the unit will become less and less effective.
Information is always available at your fingertips, including comprehensive maintenance brochures and video tutorials. These helpful tools are excellent resources and often include visuals as well as step-by-step instructions.
Knowing your drill, keeping up with maintenance and accessing additional resources when questions arise will go a long way toward successful drilling.
Keeping up with routine maintenance and operation best practices can help keep projects running smoothly and prevent costly repairs and downtime. If you follow these quick and easy tips, the Kwik-Trench mini trencher is sure to provide many years of unmatched service and profits.
1. Check the engine nuts and bolts after every 25 hours of use and tighten, if necessary. Also, add sealant to bolt threads at that time to prevent leakage.
2. Change the engine oil after every 10 hours of use, according to engine manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Clean the air filter after every 10 hours of use. In dusty or dry conditions, increase cleaning frequency. In extremely dusty conditions, protect the engine by attaching a remote air filter with a pre-cleaner, which will extend the engine life.
4. Check the slip clutch facings’ thickness after every 20-25 hours of use. If it has worn to 1/16-inch thick or less, change it to maintain its 30-feet-per-minute trenching speed.
5. Grease pillow block bearings after every 100 hours of use to reduce wear and prevent corrosion.
6. Clean vertical frame posts and sleeves frequently to prevent binding. Use a silicone lubricant rather than an oil-based lubricant or grease.
7. Check for missing teeth after every use. Using the Kwik-Trench with missing teeth will increase the possibility of engine vibration. Be sure to replace the disc blade if it’s missing teeth before the next use. Prevent teeth breakage by backing off immovable objects.
8. Do not drop machine off the back of a vehicle. This may cause damage to the body and frame. Machines should always be lifted off, ramped or transported by a trailer.
For additional questions or tips, review the product manual or contact us today.
Matching the ideal point and blade to the soil and digging project can eliminate premature wear while reducing maintenance and boosting satisfaction for rental customers.
Unlike many manufacturers that only make one auger, Little Beaver offers a variety of augers, points and blades designed to optimize cutting in any soil for any project. Here’s a quick guide for setting your customers up for success.
Standard augers are excellent for a majority of projects and excel in soft soils. Little Beaver’s standard augers can also be used in clay, frozen ground and for drilling through hardpan soil. However, the tips and blades should be changed to match the conditions.
For drilling in rocky soils, always recommend heavy-duty augers to avoid damage. These augers are equipped with a more durable tooth and side cutting blades as well as heavy-duty flighting.
Little Beaver offers 13 different auger diameters, from 1.5-inch diameter augers used for soil sampling, to large 16-inch nursery augers. As the diameter increases, more power is required from the drill. Setting customers up with a drill that has a gear reduction will result in more efficient drilling when using large diameter augers.
For projects that require digging deeper than standard augers allow, Little Beaver offers snap-on extensions available in both full-flighted and tube versions.
Six different blade options are available to meet any drilling condition. The standard blades and points are ideally suited for loamy soils or areas with few rocks. They are made with cold-rolled steel and hard surfacing to their edges.
To drill through hard clay or frozen ground, Little Beaver’s carbide blades are more effective. For abrasive soils and compacted rock, Little Beaver’s heavy-duty augers are specially designed with heavy-duty steel and carbide blades and tips.
Little Beaver’s snap-on augers and extensions use convenient spring-loaded snap buttons, allowing customers to switch augers quickly without needing tools.
Most Little Beaver points and blades attach to the auger with two easy-to-remove steel bolts. Little Beaver points and blades can easily dig more than 100 holes before requiring maintenance. Reversible blades are also available. These can be flipped over for a fresh cutting edge to last twice as long as regular blades.
Need help picking the right augers, points and blades for your jobs? Connect with our Little Beaver experts today.
View our full line of augers, points and blades.