Earthquake E43 vs Dually: Which Gas Earth Auger Should You Buy?

In the Earthquake E43 vs Dually choice, I recommend the E43 to most buyers, because it comes with its 8 in x 36 in bit and the Dually does not. Pick the Dually only if you already own a 7/8 in smooth-shaft bit or want a power head that the maker sells for one or two people. I work a 3.7-acre orchard and the yard around the family house, and a tool that needs a second purchase before it can dig has to earn that purchase.

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Earthquake E43 vs Dually: The Short Answer and the Table

These two are not a like-for-like pair. The E43 is a complete 43cc one-person kit with its bit, and the Dually is a 52cc power head sold alone, so the real comparison is a ready kit against an engine plus a bit that you choose and buy yourself. Both come from Earthquake and both burn mixed fuel at 50:1. Neither maker prints a digging depth for its model, and neither manual prints a reverse or a bystander distance. My roundup of seven post hole diggers puts corded, battery and gas picks side by side for home fence jobs.

Two rows decide it for most buyers: the bit in the box and the operator count. The E43 includes its bit and is sold for one person, while the Dually needs a bit you buy and is sold for one or two people, a claim that comes from the maker and the listing and not from its manual. The two weights sit on different bases, so I do not rank them.

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What You Get in the Box

The E43 listing calls the unit a powerhead, yet the bit comes with it: the item details and the maker’s page confirm that the 8 in x 36 in bit comes with it. The Dually listing says power head only and states that auger bits are not included. Both sit in the mid-range tier, and the Dually is the dearer of the two before you add a bit.

Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your auger in the shutdown box above. The E43 manual fits the bit with a 3/8-16 x 1.5 in bolt and nut and calls for two 9/16 in wrenches, and it says the fishtail point is threaded into the stem by hand if it is not already fitted. The Dually manual joins the output shaft to a Flex Coil ShockTop with the same size of bolt, and it does not say whether the ShockTop is in the box, so ask Earthquake before you order.

For bits, the Earthquake Dually auger takes a 7/8 in smooth shaft on the maker’s page, and the listing says bits from 2 in to 10 in fit. The E43’s page lists a 7/8 in smooth shaft as well, plus optional 12 in and 18 in extensions. I keep two 9/16 in wrenches beside the E43, since the bolt and nut are the only hardware the bit asks for. I go through the power head and its bit options in my Dually auger review.

Engine, Fuel and Starting

The E43 carries a 43cc two-cycle engine, the Earthquake 52cc Dually earth auger carries a larger two-cycle, and both manuals tell you to run mixed fuel only. Earthquake prints no horsepower for either, and I do not convert cc into one. What matters in the shed is the fuel routine and the start order, and both are close to identical. For other gas options, I compare five gas earth augers for fence and garden post holes.

Earthquake E43 Auger Gas Tank and Fuel Mix

Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your auger in the shutdown box above. Before refuelling, complete the full gas shutdown in the shutdown box. Refuel outdoors on the ground, not in a truck or trailer, with the engine cooled. Follow your exact manual’s precautions for ignition sources, filling the tank and dealing with spilled fuel. Mix fuel and oil only as the exact manual says.

The E43 manual prints a 50:1 gas and oil ratio on its cover and a chart: 1 gallon takes 2.5 oz of oil, 2 gallons take 5 oz and 5 gallons take 13 oz. The Dually manual also calls for 50:1 and lists 2.6 fl-oz of oil per gallon, with 87 octane as the minimum. Both say never to mix the fuel and oil in the tank and never to use starting fluid. The Dually manual lists a fuel tank capacity of 0.3 gallon, and an earlier Earthquake spec sheet for the E43 line printed the same figure.

Cold Start on Both

Each model has its own printed cold-start order, so follow your manual. On the E43, set the choke lever to CHOKE, prime until the primer hose fills, switch to ON, hold the handlebar firmly, pull the rope slowly until it firms up, then pull with one rapid full arm stroke. After five or six failed pulls the manual says to push the primer once and pull again, and once the engine runs you move to half choke until it runs smoothly, then to RUN. After the engine fires, the manual tells you to release the throttle control briefly with your right hand and return your left hand to the handlebar. On the E43 I follow that printed order line by line, including the half-choke step before RUN.

On the Dually, prime until the primer hose fills, then set the choke to CHOKE, switch ON/OFF to ON, hold the handlebar firmly and pull the rope slowly, then with a rapid full arm stroke. After five or six failed pulls it also says to push the primer once. When the engine runs, move the choke to HALF CHOKE, then to RUN, then squeeze the throttle. It tells you to run at full throttle when possible and not to let the unit idle for long periods.

Put on hearing protection before the first pull. A review of 18 articles found that workers exposed to both hand-arm vibration and noise lost more hearing than non-exposed workers, which is why I do not treat earmuffs as optional on a vibrating two-cycle engine (1). On the Dually I set the power head on firm ground before pulling the rope, because its manual warns that the starter rope can jerk toward the engine.

Never start or run a gas auger indoors or in a garage or shed, even with the doors open. Start and run it outdoors: the exhaust contains deadly carbon monoxide, which has no color, taste or smell. A case series of fatal poisonings from small engines in poorly ventilated spaces is the reason I carry this rule over to every gas tool in the shed (2).

Handlebars, Operators and Control

The Earthquake E43 earth auger is a one-person machine by the maker’s words and by its manual’s one-man figure. The Dually has a welded roll-cage handlebar that encases the engine and two independent throttle controls, which the maker and the listing say let one or two people run it. The manual for the Dually describes no second-operator method at all. My E43 auger review covers the 8 in bit and the one-person rating in more detail.

Use the number of people your exact manual specifies. A two-person unit needs a second person who knows the plan, holds the unit as the manual describes and stays clear of the bit, and both people stop when either calls a stop. A one-person unit is operated by one person; never add a helper to a hand-held unit unless the manual says so. Get Earthquake’s instructions for the exact model before you choose or attempt two-person operation with the Dually.

On the E43, Earthquake adds a coiled Flex-Coil spring between the power head and the bit and says it reduces upper-body impact when the bit meets a stubborn rock or root. That is the maker’s claim, and the manual says nothing about it. The spring alone is not why I recommend the E43, but I like that the 36 in bit lets me start a hole standing upright, as the maker says it is meant to.

If the bit hits a root, a rock or a buried object, it can bind and the machine can twist or kick. Keep firm, balanced footing and hold the designated handles with both hands. Keep hands and feet away from the bit; never grasp or brace the bit or shaft. Release the throttle or trigger immediately if the bit binds or control is threatened, then complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box and inspect for damage before restarting. Use reverse only where your manual authorizes it for your model, and neither of these two manuals describes one. Both Earthquake manuals also say never to operate the machine in wet grass, to be sure of your footing, to keep a firm hold on the handle and to walk, never run.

In a laboratory simulation of torque reaction on a tool handle, wrist and forearm muscle activity ran very high even when the torque peaks were a small share of a person’s maximum strength (3). The tools in that study were threaded-fastener tools and not augers, so I use it for one point only: a firm stance and a firm two-handed grip matter before the bit touches the ground.

Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your auger in the shutdown box above. If the bit sticks in the hole or material wraps around it, do not force it and do not reach for the bit. Stop and complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box before touching or inspecting it. Use only the freeing or clearing method specified in your exact manual; gloves do not make grabbing sharp wire or cutting edges safe. Do not handle unidentified wire, cables or pipes.

Powered reverse is permitted only when your manual expressly authorizes it for that task, with both hands on the designated handles and everyone clear of the bit. Complete the full shutdown again before any subsequent hands-on work. If your manual gives no procedure, obtain manufacturer or qualified service guidance.

After the bit strikes a foreign object or an object lodges in the auger, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above, then inspect the power head and auger for damage and repair any damage before you start again. The Dually manual also allows removing vegetation that clogs the blade by hand, but only after that complete shutdown. Keep that to vegetation: never wire or an unknown object.

Bits, Sizes and Digging Depth

Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your auger in the shutdown box above. Then attach or change a bit only as your manual describes. The E43 ships with an 8 in x 36 in bit with a fishtail point and a replaceable blade, and the Earthquake E43 auger manual says its instructions also apply to EA6F and EA10F augers. The Dually ships with no bit, and its manual prints no bit size.

Neither Earthquake publishes a maximum digging depth for these two machines. The 36 in on the E43 is the length of the bit and not a depth you can count on, and the Dually has no bit to measure. Treat every hole as a job for the soil in front of you, not for a number on a page. For footing holes, I compare seven gas, battery and corded models in my roundup of augers for deck footings.

Do not dig in frozen or rock-hard ground or in ground full of roots and stones: the bit can bind and the machine can twist or kick. Both manuals warn against drilling in soil with large rocks and foreign objects that can damage the equipment. Troubleshooting in the Dually manual lists a dull blade, a damaged fishtail point and a blade installed upside down with the bevel side down as causes of slow cutting.

Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your auger in the shutdown box above. Clean the bit when you finish: both manuals say to remove all debris from the auger and power head. I brush the soil off the flights of the E43 bit once the engine has cooled and the plug wire is off, and I look at the fishtail point and the blade edge while the bit is on the bench.

Weight, Carrying and Storage

Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your auger in the shutdown box above. Before you lift, load, carry or move the auger, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box. Load and unload only as your manual describes, never carry the auger by its cord, and refuel a gas unit on the ground, not in the truck bed. Follow the manual’s lifting and handling instructions. For these two Earthquake manuals that means carrying by the handlebars only and never by the auger, and never carrying the auger between holes with the engine running.

The E43 weighs 32 lb on the maker’s page and 34 lb on the listing, and neither says whether that includes the bit. The Dually manual lists 24 lb for the unit, which is a power head with no bit. Because the bases differ, no weight ranks one above the other, and a Dually with the bit you buy will weigh more than 24 lb.

I lift the E43 out of the tool shed by the handlebar, which is how the manual says to carry it, once the full shutdown is done and the engine has cooled. With the Dually the first thing I notice is how little there is to lift without a bit, which says nothing about how it feels with one.

If fuel is in the tank, both manuals say to transport the unit upright in an open vehicle, and never inside an enclosed space or vehicle. In an enclosed vehicle, drain the fuel into an approved container first. For storage of 30 days or more, take the auger off the power head, grease the output shaft and keep the unit upright and dry, locked or otherwise out of children’s reach, with no fuel in the tank indoors. The muffler and nearby areas may exceed 150° F (65° C), so let them cool before you touch them.

Digging with an auger is heavy, jarring work that twists your arms and back. Take breaks, stop when you are tired or your attention slips, and use the gloves your manual recommends.

Safety Rules Both Manuals Print

Both manuals carry the same core rules, and where they print no number I give none. Only an adult who has read the manual and understands the controls should run either machine, and never anyone tired or impaired by alcohol, drugs or medication.

Wear safety glasses with side shields or goggles meeting your manual’s specification, including ANSI Z87.1 where required, and add a face shield where required. Wear hearing protection with gas engines and wherever your manual requires it. Wear long pants and sturdy, closed footwear with secure traction, plus any additional protection your manual specifies. Tie back long hair, remove jewelry and secure drawstrings; do not wear loose clothing or loose gloves. Use the gloves specified for the task and keep hair, clothing, gloves, hands and feet away from moving parts. Both Earthquake manuals add a long-sleeved shirt or jacket, long trousers and work gloves, and they prohibit shorts, sandals, sneakers and open shoes.

Before you start, walk the spot and remove rocks, sticks, wire, hose, stakes and anything else the bit could catch or throw. Identify irrigation lines, drip lines, cables and sprinkler heads before you start, and take loose garden hoses out of the work area. Do not handle or move unidentified cables, pipes or utility lines: keep the auger away from them and contact the utility if their location is uncertain.

Contact 811 before digging and include every planned hole in the locate request. Wait the required state notice period and confirm responses from every notified utility, including markings or a clear/no-conflict response for the work area. Resolve missing or conflicting responses before digging. Follow state ticket-validity and tolerance-zone rules, preserve markings, and keep augers outside the required clearance area. Near marks, use careful hand digging or another locating method permitted by state rules and the utility; obey any stricter auger-manual prohibition. Arrange separate locating for private services that 811 does not cover (irrigation lines, cables). Do not dig where a service’s location remains uncertain, and do not treat a larger machine as a workaround. Do not treat any depth above a buried service as safe for augering.

According to PHMSA, the call is free and utility operators must mark the exact location of their facilities with flags or paint. Both Earthquake manuals say not to drill above underground utilities, including water lines, gas lines, electric cables or pipes, and neither manual names 811. A trial with utility workers found that damaging buried utilities carries considerable safety risks for the people doing the digging (4).

Keep children, pets and other people out of the work area and at least the distance specified in your exact manual. Stop if anyone enters that area. Neither Earthquake manual prints a distance, so keep everyone well clear of the work area, as your manual describes, and turn the machine off if children enter it. No distance makes a work area safe on its own: keep watching it.

Warranty and Registration

The warranty terms differ in what they cover, and both depend on registration. For the E43, Earthquake’s page lists a 5-year limited warranty on the power head and a 1-year limited warranty on the bit, and the manual says the warranty is valid only if the completed registration reaches Earthquake within 30 days of purchase, excluding emissions-related items.

The Dually manual, in its 2017 edition, gives a five-year limited warranty on the power head for personal recreational use. It does not apply to the engine mounted on the product, which falls under the EPA warranty, and it excludes augers, blades, extensions, shocktops, grips, cables, filters and any run on straight gasoline or a ratio other than 50:1. Commercial use is covered for 90 days, and the product must be registered online within 30 days of purchase. Read the current edition when you buy, because terms change.

Choose the Earthquake E43 If

Choose the Earthquake E43 43cc One-Person Gas Earth Auger with 8 in Bit when you want to start digging the day the box arrives and your jobs fit one person. My earthquake vs vevor auger comparison sets the E43 beside a similar 43cc gas kit.

• You want the bit in the box: the 8 in x 36 in bit and the power head arrive together.
• You work alone: the maker sells it for one person and its manual figure shows a one-man unit. My roundup of five one-person earth augers lists models you can run alone without a helper.
• You want a printed fuel chart: the manual lists the oil for 1, 2 and 5 gallons at 50:1.
• You want the shock-absorbing spring: Earthquake says the Flex-Coil spring reduces upper-body impact, which is the maker’s claim.

A reader with a few small stake or end-post jobs is the buyer I have in mind for the E43, and the 36 in bit lets you start the hole standing upright, as the maker says it is meant to. My roundup of augers for fence posts lists seven picks to compare for that job.

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Choose the Earthquake Dually If

Choose the Earthquake Dually 10310 52cc Gas Earth Auger Powerhead when you already own a suitable bit or want to pick the bit size yourself.

• You own a 7/8 in smooth-shaft bit: Earthquake says the power head pairs with its bits of that shaft size.
• You want a power head sold for one or two people: the maker and the listing say so, and its manual gives no operator count, so get Earthquake’s instructions for the exact model before you attempt two-person operation.
• You want a 52cc engine: the maker’s engine class is larger than the E43’s 43cc. My roundup of seven heavy duty earth augers compares bit size and engine across gas models.
• You accept the extra purchase: a bit costs more on top of a power head that is already the dearer of the two.

The two throttle controls on the roll-cage handlebar sit where either gloved hand falls, which is the detail that stood out when I held it. The manual describes no second-operator method.

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Where I Land on These Two Earthquake Augers

The E43 wins on what you get on day one: a bit, a printed fuel chart and a one-person design. The Dually wins only for a buyer who already has the right bit or wants the larger engine class. For most people who need to dig, the Earthquake E43 vs Dually choice ends at the E43, and I make the same recommendation to a neighbour who needs three fence holes and a mailbox post. For other models, my roundup of the best earth auger picks compares gas, corded and battery models.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Earthquake E43 and the Earthquake Dually?

The difference between the Earthquake E43 and the Earthquake Dually is that the E43 is a 43cc one-person kit with an 8 in x 36 in bit included, while the Dually is a 52cc power head sold without a bit. Both use a 50:1 fuel mix, and the Dually’s one-or-two-person claim comes from the maker and listing, not its manual.

Can one or two people run the Earthquake Dually?

Earthquake and the listing say the Dually is designed for both one-person and two-person operation, with two throttle controls on the handlebar. The manual describes no second-operator method, so get Earthquake’s instructions for the exact model before you attempt two-person use, and always have both people stop when either calls a stop.

What is the Earthquake Dually warranty?

The Earthquake Dually carries a five-year limited warranty on the power head for personal recreational use in the 2017 edition of its manual, and the engine, bits, extensions and shocktops are excluded. Register the product online within 30 days of purchase, because the manual makes that registration a condition of the warranty.

Does the Earthquake Dually 10310 have reverse?

The manual for the Earthquake Dually 10310 prints no reverse and no instruction for backing a bit out under power. Use only the freeing method your manual gives after the full shutdown, and never run the engine to back the bit out unless the manual expressly authorizes it for that task.

Is the Earthquake E43 a one-person earth auger?

The Earthquake E43 is sold as a one-person earth auger: the maker calls it a 1-person model and the manual’s power head figure is labeled 1-Man. Use the number of people your exact manual specifies, and never add a helper to a hand-held unit unless the exact manual says so.

References

1. Thaper R, Sesek R, Garnett R, Acosta-Sojo Y, Purdy GT. The combined impact of hand-arm vibration and noise exposure on hearing sensitivity of agricultural/forestry workers: a systematic literature review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(5):4276.
2. Hyson BE, Friedman BM, Spear B, Bishop-Freeman SC. Lethal carbon monoxide generated from small internal combustion engines. J Anal Toxicol. 2024;48(8):625-629.
3. Armstrong T, Bir C, Foulke J, Martin B, Finsen L, Sjogaard G. Muscle responses to simulated torque reactions of hand-held power tools. Ergonomics. 1999;42(1):146-159.
4. Gallagher AG, Hart M, Cleary D, et al. Proficiency based progression simulation training significantly reduces utility strikes: a prospective, randomized and blinded study. PLoS One. 2020;15(5):e0231979.

Safety Note: Only an adult who has read the manual and understands the controls should use an earth auger or post hole digger, never a child or anyone tired or impaired. Use the number of people your manual specifies, and keep everyone else out of the work area. The rotating bit can catch hair, clothing and gloves, and it can bind on a root, a rock or a buried object: the machine can then twist or kick in your hands. Stand with firm, balanced footing and hold the designated handles with both hands. Keep hands and feet away from the bit; never grasp or brace the bit or shaft. Never wrap the power cord around your hand, arm or body. If utility contact or a gas leak is suspected, stop work immediately. Do not touch, inspect, free or move the auger or exposed service, and do not attempt the normal hands-on shutdown or disconnect electrical connections in the suspected leak area. Leave the area, keep others away and contact the utility from a safe location; call 911 for a suspected gas leak or immediate danger. Otherwise, release the throttle or trigger immediately if the bit binds or control is threatened, then follow the shutdown procedure. On a two-person unit, both operators must understand the controls and agree on start and stop signals before starting; stop whenever either operator calls stop. Use reverse only where your manual expressly authorizes it. Never touch or clear the bit while it turns. Before you clear or free the bit, change or attach the bit, adjust, check or add oil or fuel, clean, load, move, store or leave the auger, complete the shutdown for its power type. Corded electric: release the switch or trigger, wait until the bit has stopped completely, then unplug it from the outlet by the plug, not the cord; before transport or storage, also let the motor cool. Battery: release the switch or trigger, wait until the bit has stopped completely, then remove the battery, and the switch key where the model has one. Gas: release the throttle, trigger or control, turn the engine off, wait until the bit and every moving part have stopped completely, then disconnect the spark plug wire and secure it away from the plug, and let the engine and muffler cool before touching the bit, engine, muffler or anything near the exhaust. For a drill-driven bit or any attachment system, follow the shutdown instructions in both the bit or attachment manual and the power-head or drill manual. If the bit sticks or material wraps around it, stop and complete the full shutdown before touching or inspecting it. Use only the freeing or clearing method specified in the exact manual; gloves do not make grabbing sharp wire or cutting edges safe. Do not handle unidentified wire, cables or pipes. Powered reverse is permitted only when the exact manual expressly authorizes it for that task, with both hands on the designated handles and everyone clear of the bit. Complete the full shutdown again before any subsequent hands-on work. Wear safety glasses with side shields or goggles meeting the manual’s specification, including ANSI Z87.1 where required; add a face shield where required. Wear hearing protection with gas engines and wherever the manual requires it. Wear long pants and sturdy, closed footwear with secure traction, plus any additional footwear protection the manual specifies. Tie back long hair, remove jewelry and secure drawstrings; do not wear loose clothing or loose gloves. Use the gloves specified for the task and keep them, clothing, hair, hands and feet away from moving parts. Contact 811 before digging and include every planned hole in the locate request. Wait the required state notice period and confirm that every notified utility has responded with markings or a clear/no-conflict response for the work area. Resolve missing or conflicting responses before digging. Preserve the marks and follow your state’s ticket-validity and tolerance-zone rules. Keep the auger out of the required clearance area; near marks, use careful hand digging or another locating method permitted by state rules and the utility. Follow any stricter prohibition in the auger’s manual. Marks do not show a safe drilling depth. Arrange to locate private irrigation lines, cables and other services that 811 may not cover. If a line’s location remains uncertain, do not dig there. Do not handle or move unidentified cables, pipes or utility lines. Before you start, remove rocks, sticks, wire and loose hoses, and identify irrigation lines, drip lines and sprinkler heads. Keep children, pets and other people out of the work area and at least the distance your exact manual specifies. Stop if anyone enters that area. If your manual gives no number, keep everyone well clear of the work area as it directs. No single distance is safe for every auger. On a slope or uneven ground, slow down, keep firm footing and follow only your manual’s rule. Do not dig in frozen or rock-hard ground. Before refuelling, complete the full gas shutdown described above. Refuel outdoors on the ground, not in a truck or trailer, with the engine cooled. Keep fuel away from smoking, flames, sparks and other ignition sources. Use an approved fuel container, avoid overfilling, secure the cap and follow the manual’s spill-cleanup and restart-location instructions; do not start with a fuel leak. Use the specified fuel and oil arrangement for that engine. Never start or run a gas auger indoors, in a garage or shed, or in an enclosed or poorly ventilated area, even with doors open. Operate outdoors where exhaust cannot accumulate or enter occupied spaces through doors, windows or air intakes. Exhaust contains deadly carbon monoxide. For a corded auger, inspect the cord and extension cord before use and do not use damaged cords or plugs. Use an outdoor extension cord meeting the exact manual’s gauge, length, plug and grounding requirements, and follow its GFCI instructions. Keep connections dry and the cord clear of the bit, heat, oil and sharp edges. Never carry the auger by its cord or wrap the cord around your body. Do not use it in rain or wet conditions prohibited by the manual. Use only manufacturer-approved batteries and chargers for the exact model. Complete the battery shutdown before removing or changing a battery, and keep the switch off and fingers off the trigger when installing one. Do not use damaged or modified batteries or chargers. Keep loose battery terminals away from metal objects, and follow the battery and charger manuals for moisture exposure, charging temperature, cooling and storage. Load and unload only as your manual describes, and store the auger dry and out of children’s reach. Take breaks and stop when you are tired.