Gate Post Removal

[BobRip]

I had little luck removing my own stump, so I took a shot at removing a neighbors gate post. The post was sunk about 3 feet into the ground and had about 300 to 400 pounds of concrete on it. The neighbor had wiggled it with his small SUV but could not get it out. I first thought about using the trencher, but it is in the loft and a little hard to get to. I took the 4 in 1 bucket, lowered it over the top of the post and clamped down. I moved it back and forth and lifted and wiggled from several directions. It came up some, so we dropped an old piece of concrete in the hole to keep it from falling back in. Then I tried pulling it from the back of my 422. It did not go far. I then wrapped the strap around the post and the bucket and lifted and pulled at the same time. The neighbor used a digging bar (not shown in the pictures) to pry some and the post came out. I then dragged it about 600 feet to the burn pile. See attachments.

Bob Rip

 

[BobRip]

The post supported a gate about 15 feet long.

Bob Rip

 

[BobRip]

The camera came out a little late. The pictures were taken by the neighbors wife.

Bob Rip

 

[BobRip]

Another shot

Bob Rip

 

[BobRip]

Hauling it away.

Bob Rip

 

[MossRoad]

Ooooo, that's a big one! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I had some concrete pieces like that at our children's school. I used the forks by jamming them into the ground under them and prying up all around. Bent the forks a bit, but got it out. However, I did not have a 2' post at the bottom of my pieces. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[FOURTEEN]

<font color="red"> Amazing what you can accomplish when you have a good head on your shoulders, and a good machine under your butt!! </font>

 

[davesisk]

Man, I'd be careful getting the rear end that far off the ground! You don't want to end up on your side. Plus the most weight (and thus lifting force) would be with the rear end lower and as far from the front tires as possible. Just my inflation-adjust $0.02. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[BobRip]

I agree. In retrospec it looks a little dangerous. It the strap had broken the rear end would fall 2 feet and maybe very suddenly.

Bob Rip

 

[KentT]

On that note... has anyone loaded the tires (especially the rears) on their PT to add weight and improve traction? I've seen one post of weights added to the rear hitch point, but loading the tires puts the weight on the ground, with a lower center of gravity for holding them on a slope, and doesn't add stress to bearings, etc.

Or, is there a concern about increasing the strain on the wheel motors to overcome the intertia of added weight in the wheel/tire combo...