You may be in the market for a Skid Steer Post Driver, you might currently use a variety of methods to do the job, you might have already ordering some new tools for the Skid Loader or Mini Exc., and are considering what and where to buy the Post Driver for your needs or business... Or we've got this all wrong, and you already have what you need and you've come here out of curiosity. Regardless, WE'VE BEEN THERE ourselves. There is TOO MANY choices and not enough funds in your bank to get them all or get the wrong the one. We hope that no matter why you've found your way to this blog that you're able to learn everything there is to know about Eterra Post Driver Attachments. And for you folks in the market for a hydraulic post driver, choosing the right attachment for your machine is the final step before you get to work, so there is a lot to be concerned about. Unfortunately, us manufacturers have made it hard for you because we're all making some really great products these days. So let us do our part to make things a little easier on you as you decide which post driver is going to be best for you. If you've looked at an Eterra Post Driver and seen them action, we hope you're impressed. Now here's the rest of the information you've been looking for.
Note:
We're not going to spend a lot of time evaluating alternatives in this blog, or make a big fuss about the differences between ours and "theirs" when it comes to hydraulic breaker style post drivers. If you're here for those reasons, you'll be disappointed, but stay tuned for the Skid Steer Post Driver Buyers Guide Coming in late August 2018 from SkidSteerSolutions.com.
What We Offer:
Eterra PDX -750 Skid Steer and Excavator Post Driver
Shop Now | Everything you need to know!
Eterra PDX-1250 Skid Steer and Excavator Post Driver
Coming Soon | Everything you need to know!
Eterra PDX-750-E Series Skid Steer and Excavator Post Driver
Coming Soon | Everything you need to know!
Eterra Tremor Vibratory Post Driver
Shop Now | Everything you need to know!
... Everything you need to know about the PDX-750 Post Driver by Eterra
The Sales Pitch you Should Hear:
The PDX-750 is latest revision to a post driver line that originated in 2006, when Eterra brought the "Breaker Style Post Driver" to the North American marketplace. This newest generation remains USA Made, and gives more flexibility and control to fence builders using a Skid Steer and Excavator. This latest model has been featured in online product reviews and equipment magazines. Famous for it's incredible speed at driving posts (15-20 seconds) and onsite serviceability, this Post Driver has been a hit with many fence building companies across the nation, the Eterra PDX-750 Post Driver is the primary and premium choice for professional fence contractors. It puts more posts in the ground, and stays operational far longer than competitive brands.
The Specs You Need:
Impact Force: 450 Ft. Lbs
Impact Energy: 750 Ft. Lbs
Coned Driver Head Diameter: 9"
Flat Driver Head: 8"
Hydraulic Flow Requirement: 13-21 GPM
... Was that all you needed? Just in case it wasn't, let me run through some of the essential questions you might still be asking.
Frequently Asked Specification Questions
- How big of posts can it handle?
- The PDX-750 Post Driver is the optimal choice for driving 4-10" posts.
- Can it drive a railway tie?
- This depends. In very very hard ground, you'll need to pre-drive the holes. In soft ground, yes it can but it won't be as fast as our PDX-1250 model, and before you ask... Yes, you're going to want the post driver guide and eyelits with a flat head driver. This should do the trick.
- Pointed vs. Flat Posts
- Easy. It can do both, but clearly a pointed post is going to go in a lot faster. Stabbing the ground with a sharp pencil is always easier than a flat unsharpened pencil.
- Will an Eterra Breaker Style Post Driver damage the posts?
- Any Post Driver has the potential to damage the top of the posts, and in our experience, a lot of controlled powerful hits on the top of the post is better than dropping a huge amount of weight on top such as the drop hammer style. So the answer is No, it will not damage the post as long as you operate the post driver in a controlled manner (like any tool).
- What driver head should I buy?
- Both. Just kidding, but sometimes that is a great solution for customers who want the flexibility of being able to cup a post vs. place on top of large posts with the housing guide. If you're not interested in using the post driver guide housing and eye-lits, don't bother with the flat head and go with the coned round driver head. On the contrary, if you're going to be "poundy pounding" all day on some large posts, the post driver housing and flat head are a synergy to be reckoned with.
- If my machine is compatible with both models (most are), why would I not buy the 1250 model vs the 750 model?
- Great question, and here's where things come down to preference and budget. The PDX-1250 has a pretty remarkable difference in price, of course it's understandable for it is almost twice as powerful and much much heavier. The second preference point is taking that cost and thinking about the benefits. The 750 model is by no means a low powered unit, so if you're putting in hundreds of 4-10" posts per day, you really can't go wrong with this model. Add the options you want such as the favorited 15 degree tilt, you can probably purchase for the price of a base model version of the PDX-1250. But look... If you're a believer in bigger is always better, and getting work done faster is your number one priority, it might just be worth considering the PDX-1250, after all... They exist for a reason. Hard ground, flat posts, railway ties... These are no match for the PDX-1250. The extra weight of the unit certainly helps, but it's the RAW power of the 1250 power cell that makes the difference.
If you have a question that we did not answer, please call in or email and we may add it to this blog.
The Best Pictures We Have (Click to View the Gallery):
The Best PDX-750 Video:
... Everything you need to know about the PDX-1250 Post Driver by Eterra
You're too soon. We are currently working fast to fill this section with everything you need to know about the PDX-1250, but we still need a few things before we can do that. Please check back again soon, we're on it!
In the meantime, check out this new released video by Skid Steer Solutions that shows the PDX-1250 in action.
... Everything you need to know about the Tremor Skid Steer Post Driver by Eterra
The Sales Pitch You Should Hear:
The Tremor Vibratory Post Driver is ideal for high or low volume post driving into clay, solid, or rocky terrain. Inspired by the technology used by plate compactors on excavators, Eterra harnessed the power of the Stanley plate compactor and adapted it for a skid steer. Weighing in at 525 lbs, it can deliver 3400 lbs of force at a frequency at 2100 VPM over an area of 17.4” x 20”. Like the Eterra Skid Steer Post Driver Attachment, this attachment has a number of cup sizes — 2”, 4”, 6” and 8”. Because this attachment utilizes two systems (cup and mount system) and has a quick coupler, there is the option of unbolting the two systems from one another and using it on a mini excavator such as the E60 backhoe boom.
The Specs You Need:
Impact Force: 3400 lbs.
Impact Frequency: 2000 VPM
Coned Driver Head Diameter: 9"
Cup Sizes: 2", 4", 6", 8"
Hydraulic Flow Requirement: 12-25 GPM
Plate Width: 17.4"
... Was that all you needed? Just in case it wasn't, let me run through some of the essential questions you might still be asking.
Frequently Asked Specification Questions
- How big of posts can it handle?
- The PDX-750 Post Driver is the optimal choice for driving 4-10" posts.
- Can it drive a railway tie?
- No, you'll need a driver with more impact force. Some things just require some brute force now and again, railway ties fall into that category.
- What posts does this Vibratory Post Driver do the best on?
- 2-6" (It will do 6-9" posts on hard ground if the posts are pointed, Flat if the ground is softer).
You should know a lot about the competition as well... We wouldn't have such differentiated products if it wasn't for these legacy products.
What They Offer:
Drop Hammer Style Post Driver
A free fall system, meaning no springs, hydraulic cylinder, or return line to allow the weight to come down. While a drop hammer is indeed powerful, the problem is that it has no way to control this power. Fractures and damage to the post head is common and inevitable when working with a drop hammer system on tough terrain. It is important to remember that drop hammers are frequently used to break and demolish concrete, which means no mercy on fragile wood posts. Not to mention, more moving parts drastically increases the risk for injury.
Go Vibratory and Increase Job Site Safety:
Operating heavy machinery always has its risks. While most products have the safety of the operator in mind, there is very little to protect those on the ground working alongside the machinery. With skid steers, the leading cause of injury for workers (non-operators) is being struck or crushed during its use. Common sense tells us to stay out of the way when heavy machinery is being operated nearby, but what about those situations where a team effort is necessary? Even the best post driver attachments sometimes requires human intervention. Take for instance some other popular post drivers on the market — even those with a post grabbing/grapple system won’t have perfect positioning 100% of the time.
Popular Video of the Tremor Post Driver
Why Choose An Eterra Post Driver:
Our product, which is designed with safety in mind and efficiency during operation and when it's out of operation for service, is one of the most reliable fence building products on the market today, and with a 1-year warranty, the craftsmanship is guaranteed, First and foremost, it is designed and made in the U.S.A.. Clearly you sacrifice more than quality when you opt for the cheaper product.
What does this mean for you besides supporting local businesses and the American economy? Less moving parts, less risk of injury, and less time to complete each task.
The Eterra designed post driver was developed a decade ago and has since inspired our competitors to produce their own cheapened versions — versions that are more likely to lead to accidents.
A study titled “Causes of Accidents with Post-Drivers and Their Remedies” found that “most accidents occur due to a combination of poor machine design and poor operator communications,” with most of the injuries occurring when hands are near or on top of a post during its positioning. The purpose of the study was to figure out “what was inadequate about the design or use of the machine that required or allowed the handler to put his hands on the post in the first place.”
The study’s findings were unsurprising: “the post would move from side to side as it was being hit into the ground. Therefore the handler would have to straighten it between or even during hits. Where the post guides were inadequate, the handler used a variety of methods to keep the post straight… six accidents occurred as a result of the weight falling unexpectedly” (only possible with a drop hammer post driver).
Our post driver works by utilizing a nitrogen gas back-head (as the energy source) to lift a piston directly into the gas using the hydraulic oil from the loader hydraulics. The hydraulic oil exits the hammer when the piston reaches the top of the stroke. Nitrogen gas then decompresses and drives the piston to the bottom of the stroke, and successfully impacts the working tool. There are no external hammers and no falling weights. Our 70lbs driver head (a single piece of 4140 steel that has been machined and hardened) is delivered in short strokes so as to remain powerful enough to get the job done, but gentle enough it won’t damage the post.
Another finding from the study was the need for control over the post to stop it from moving in all directions except downwards into the ground. They suggest a clamp that can quickly and easily secure and release, as well as “be tailored to the different size and shape of posts.”
Again, our unique cup system (3 inch, 6 inch, or removed completely for an 11 inch opening) keeps the post from being ejected in directions besides downwards. We recommend no more than two inches of space between the post and the opening. Our range of sizes ensures optimum fit.
Caring for Your Eterra Post Driver:
There’s no need to dissemble your attachment or remove various parts — all you need is a couple of shots of grease every 6-8 hours to ensure the mechanisms are running smoothly. It really couldn’t be any easier.