Can an auger drive install helical (screw) piles?

Yes — helical pile installation is one of the main professional uses of high-torque auger drives. The drive screws the pile to design depth while installation torque is monitored, because torque correlates with the pile's load capacity. VANROCK supplies both the drives and helical piles, so the torque rating, drive hub and pile shaft are matched as a system.

What auger diameter can my excavator drill?

It's set by the drive's torque, not the machine's size alone. Torque demand rises roughly with the square of auger diameter and with soil resistance — a drive that spins a 300 mm auger through clay effortlessly may stall a 900 mm auger in the same ground. Size the drive for the largest diameter in your hardest soil, and use reduced-diameter rock augers where ground gets tough.

Why does my auger stall, and how do I prevent it?

Stalling means torque demand exceeded supply: auger too large for the ground, worn or wrong teeth, crowding the auger too fast, or hydraulic undersupply from the carrier. Fixes in order: clean/replace teeth, reduce crowd pressure and let the auger cut, verify carrier flow and pressure, and step down auger diameter or up a drive torque class for that ground.

Hydraulic Attachments — Auger Drives

PrevRock Breakers NextDrum Cutters

Hydraulic Attachments — 0.5–40 Ton Excavators & Skid Steers

VANROCK
Auger Drives

Introducing the VANROCK Auger Drive 'AG' series: a dynamic drilling solution powered by the hydraulic systems of excavators or skid steer loaders. Ideal for diverse applications including tree planting, fence piling, landscaping, road signs, pole installations, foundation piles and photovoltaic pile drilling.

Applications

Inert Material RecyclingRoad WorksPipeline and TrenchesForest MaintenanceTunnels and Enclosed SpacesUrban Job Site

AG — Series / 13 Models

Engineered hood and ears

Built to handle strain without breaking or detaching.

High torque hydraulic motor

For high productivity.

Epicycle gearing technology

Motor output torque multiplied with extreme efficiency.

UniShaft

Single-piece locked shaft — no risk of dislodgement.

The Series

VANROCK auger drive series

Thirteen models covering carriers from 0.5 to 50 tons — each with epicycle gearing and the single-piece UniShaft.

Filter by product

13 / 13 models

Machine type

Carrier range

Units

0.5–4.5 Ton

Compact auger drives for mini excavators — fast fence, footing and planting holes with minimal hydraulic demand.

VR-AG 1000

Excavator0.5–2 Ton

Skid Steer0.5–2 Ton

Carrier

0.5–2 Ton

Output torque

1000 Nm

Pressure

150–170 bar

Oil flow

70 LPM

Shaft speed

30–95 RPM

Weight

35 kg

Overall length

550 mm

Hydraulic hose

1/2" BSP

Shaft size

65 mm round

Engineering

Why VANROCK auger drives are superior

Five engineering decisions behind the AG series.

Crafted from high-grade materials and precision-engineered components, ensuring durability in extreme conditions. It features high-grade synthetic gear oil for extended protection and a longer service life.

Know-how

Auger drive know-how

How an auger drive works

An auger drive is a hydraulic motor coupled to a planetary gearbox that converts the carrier's oil flow into rotational torque at the output shaft. The gearbox multiplies torque and reduces speed so the auger bites and lifts spoil instead of stalling.

Torque is what digs: output torque, not engine power, decides whether the auger keeps turning in stiff clay, fracturable rock or frozen ground.
Speed matters for productivity in easy soils — light drives spin faster; heavy drives trade speed for torque in hard ground.
The hub connects drive to auger: hex and round shaft standards must match between drive, extension and auger — mixed standards are the most common ordering mistake.
Planetary gearboxes run submerged in oil and tolerate the shock loads of rock augers far better than direct-drive alternatives.

Choosing the right auger drive

Pick the torque class for your hardest expected ground, then verify the carrier and hub details.

Ground first: soft soils need speed, cohesive clays need mid-range torque, and rock or frozen ground needs the high-torque classes with rock augers.
Carrier match: the drive's rated flow and pressure must sit inside your machine's auxiliary circuit; oversupplying flow overspeeds the motor and shortens its life.
Auger diameter sets torque demand: doubling diameter roughly quadruples the torque needed — size the drive for the largest hole you'll drill, not the average.
Hub and shaft: confirm the output hub standard and any extensions before ordering; torque capacity of the weakest coupling limits the whole string.
For screw pile installation, choose a drive with the torque headroom and mounting to accept torque-monitoring equipment.

Where auger drives earn their keep

One drive on one carrier replaces a dedicated drilling rig on a huge share of everyday boring work.

Fencing, signage and barrier posts: high-count small-diameter holes at production speed.
Solar farm and foundation piling: repetitive holes or helical pile installation with torque verification on the same drive.
Tree planting and landscaping: clean augered pits with minimal site disturbance from a compact carrier.
Rock drilling: with rock augers and tungsten teeth, high-torque drives bore fracturable rock that would otherwise need a breaker or coring rig.

FAQ

Auger Drives FAQ

Match three things in order: torque class to your hardest ground and largest auger diameter, hydraulic requirement to your carrier's auxiliary flow and pressure, and the hub standard to your augers and extensions. A drive that stalls in your worst ground costs more in downtime than the next torque class up. VANROCK dealers verify all three against your exact machine before quoting.

Drilling Depth Guide

Drilling depth (m) by auger diameter and soil hardness.

VR-AG 1000	Diameter (mm)	150	200	250	300
Drilling depth (m)	Soft	3.5	3.0	2.5	2.5
Drilling depth (m)	Medium	3.5	3.0	2.4	2.4
Drilling depth (m)	Hard	3.0	3.0	2.2	2.2

VR-AG 2000	Diameter (mm)	150	200	250	300	350	400
Drilling depth (m)	Soft	3.5	3.0	2.5	2.5	2.4	2.0
Drilling depth (m)	Medium	3.5	3.0	2.4	2.4	2.2	1.8
Drilling depth (m)	Hard	3.0	3.0	2.2	2.2	2.0	1.5

VR-AG 3000	Diameter (mm)	150	200	250	300	350	400	450	500
Drilling depth (m)	Soft	3.5	3.0	2.5	2.5	2.4	2.0	1.7	1.5
Drilling depth (m)	Medium	3.5	3.0	2.4	2.4	2.2	1.8	1.6	1.4
Drilling depth (m)	Hard	3.0	3.0	2.2	2.2	2.0	1.5	1.5	1.3

VR-AG 5000	Diameter (mm)	150–600	650	700	750	800	850	900
Drilling depth (m)	Soft	4.5	3.2	3.0	2.6	2.0	1.7	1.5
Drilling depth (m)	Medium	4.2	3.7	2.8	2.4	1.8	1.6	1.3
Drilling depth (m)	Hard	3.5	3.3	2.5	2.1	1.7	1.4	1.2

VR-AG 8000	Diameter (mm)	150–500	550	600	650	700	750	800	850	900
Drilling depth (m)	Soft	6.5	4.5	4.0	4.0	4.0	3.6	3.0	2.6	2.5
Drilling depth (m)	Medium	5.5	4.5	3.7	3.7	3.7	3.5	2.8	2.7	2.2
Drilling depth (m)	Hard	5.0	3.5	3.5	3.5	3.2	3.0	2.4	2.4	2.0

VR-AG 10000	Diameter (mm)	150–500	550	600	650	700	750	800	850	900	1000
Drilling depth (m)	Soft	6.5	4.5	4.0	4.0	4.0	3.6	3.0	2.6	2.5	2.3
Drilling depth (m)	Medium	5.5	4.5	3.7	3.7	3.7	3.5	2.8	2.7	2.2	1.9
Drilling depth (m)	Hard	5.0	3.5	3.5	3.5	3.2	3.0	2.4	2.4	2.0	1.5

VR-AG 18000	Diameter (mm)	150–400	500	600	650	700	750	800	850	900	950	1000	1100	1200
Drilling depth (m)	Soft	8.6	7.2	7.1	7.0	6.5	6.1	6.0	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.0	4.7	4.5
Drilling depth (m)	Medium	7.6	6.4	6.4	6.2	5.8	5.4	5.3	5.2	5.0	4.6	4.5	4.2	4.0
Drilling depth (m)	Hard	7.0	5.8	5.7	5.5	5.4	5.0	4.8	4.6	4.6	4.3	4.2	4.0	3.7

VR-AG 30000	Diameter (mm)	150–400	450	500	550	600	650	700	800	900	1000	1100	1200	1500
Drilling depth (m)	Soft	9.0	8.6	8.6	8.6	8.6	8.4	8.0	7.6	7.0	6.5	6.3	6.0	5.0
Drilling depth (m)	Medium	8.2	7.7	7.7	7.7	7.7	7.5	7.3	6.8	6.3	6.0	5.7	5.5	4.6
Drilling depth (m)	Hard	7.3	7.0	7.0	7.0	7.0	6.8	6.6	6.2	5.7	5.3	5.0	4.8	4.0