Tractor PTO Augers, commonly referred to as Post Hole Diggers and Earth Augers, are implements used in conjunction with a tractor's Power Take Off drive, and a tractor's 3 point hitch.
The basic concept of a tractor PTO auger is to harness the tractor's available energy by attaching a PTO shaft to a tractor's PTO drive in order to drill a hole of predetermined size (size of the auger shaft and diameter) and depth into the ground. This in turn will provide power to the Tractor PTO Auger's gearbox. Most modern [1] Tractor PTO Auger gearboxes come standard with a shear bolt to protect the gear drive if the auger encounters an obstruction such as rock during drilling a hole.
Tractor PTO Augers connect via 3 point hitch to subcompact tractors and mid-size tractors.[2]