Best way to vertically lift phone poles for fence

[MossRoad]

You tractor seat weenies! :laughing:

 

[wedge40]

How high does the 7800 FEL lift? I've read about people placing a 2x6 in the hole to help guide the pole down.

Wedge

 

[MossRoad]

If its a 9 foot pole, you only have to lift it slightly over center, in this case, a tad over 4.5'. Gravity will tip the heavy end down. Sure you can lift it higher on the pole and it will hang straighter, but generally, only a bit over centered will do the trick. You can maneuver the butt end into the hole and work it in with gravity and wiggles of the loader controls.

 

[crazyal]

Granted my tractor is a little bigger but I just used the front bucket. I have a large flat rock that's about 4' tall that I placed the end of the pole I wanted to be the top of the post. I drove up to the post with the front bucked into the dump position (both top and bottom of the bucket touching the pole) and chained the pole on both top and bottom of the bucket. I could get about 3' up from the bottom. The edge of the bucket kept the pole from slipping as I used the curl function to raise the pole into the vertical position. I have a 55 gallon drum filled with cement for the 3pt as a counter weight but they stood right up. It worked fine for both rail road ties and power poles that were 10' long. My friend had an auger on his 3pt and I was following behind him dropping the posts into the holes.

 

[pat32rf]

I figured your helper can guide the butt end down into the hole. How deep are the holes anyway? I didn't like the idea of the FEL at its full height with that post swinging in the wind....If I keep the attach point low the center of gravity stays low as well.

 

[Western]

Read through the thread, for the most part. Co-op gave me a 40' power pole they replaced with a new one. Still has the ground and insulators attached and thinking of using it for a security light pole:thumbsup:. Some goo ideas so far and many I have used on shorter poles in the past.

 

[oosik]

I used my tractor this past summer to set railroad ties at various locations on my perimeter fence line. I have a set of logging tongs. I slung a chain under the bucket - from hook to hook - and attached the log tongs at the dead center. BTW - this IS a two person operation. So you go over to the RR tie and grab it above the half way point and lift. Once the RR tie is in the air you can adjust its vertical angle by tipping the bucket forward/back because the tie is pinned hard against the lip of the bucket.

Anyhow, after you get all of this over to the hole - it helps to have a second person guide the tie as you lower it into the hole. Once everything is lined up, fill the hole, compact the dirt, lower the bucket and whack on the tongs to release them from the tie.

 

[hal2001]

I used one of the first ideas...choked chains just above 3 foot mark and at top of fork back (or whatever you call it) and then set the pole with 6 feet above ground all by my lonesome.. worked great. These are very large diameter heavy treated poles, much too heavy for 2 men. Was at the top end of the capacity for lift with my 7800. Thanks to all who chimed in, Hal