Driving T-posts

[bja105]

Bought a tractor with a loader this winter, a Ford 4610, 52 PTO horsepower. It has already been handy, I am happy. I was told that I can use the loader to push steel T-posts into the ground. I tried yesterday, with mixed success. It is a two person operation, one to run the loader, one to hold the post. I got the post in so far, then the front end comes up and the post flexes. I have a little divot in the bottom of the bucket from where the pallet forks attach, that held the top of the post from sliding. I just couldn't get the posts in deep enough for what I needed yesterday.

There is a chance that the ground is still frozen down there, I didn't dig it. I also have some sandstone around.

Any tips for installing posts with a tractor? I had hoped that I could even push sharpened wooden posts with the loader, but that seems unlikely in my soil.

I am thinking about this now, since my elbows and shoulders are sore from using my post pounder.

 

[DutchHenryBrown]

I use a Rohrermfg.com t-post driver for my fence line work and have been happy with it one person operation and in my rocky soil works ok.

 

[Oiltech]

Subscribed

 

[Bird]

I've seen posts driven with front end loaders on larger TLBs and I found I could do it with my 27 hp Kubota . . . but only if the ground was very wet and soft. In other words it wouldn't work 99 and 44/100% of the time with smaller tractors.

 

[SSdoxie]

The ability to push post in with loader depends on firmness of soil and weight of loader/front end of the tractor. It doesn't always work. I have done this by myself, starting the posts by hand just enough to keep them standing straight then drive along push them in. It works best with 2 people. When I have a helper I slip a piece of pipe/light tubing over the post (tubing is cut to length I want the post out of the ground) then start pushing it in. The bucket moves in an arc going up and down, so push it part way then raise bucket enough for post to spring back vertical to different contact spot on bucket then push again. Depending on length of post and depth you may have to repeat this last step a couple times to keep post straight or from bending.

Another tip: Cut a length of tubing the height you want the posts to be and slip in over the post, when bucket touches tubing post is at desired depth.

 

[teg]

Soil moisture helps so does a bucket with rocks or soil. A little extra weight in the bucket...

 

[Notforhire]

I have driven many T posts with my FEL. I have bent a few, but most of the time they go in no problem. I have done this using a S130 Bobcat, and a Kubota L3240, as well as my 5055E.

My wife holds the post, and I'll slowly lower the bucket until it starts into the ground and will support itself. After my wife moves to a safe distance I continue to let the bucket push it in.
Putting a big rock in the bucket helps, and making sure the top of the T post is against a reinforced area keeps from denting the bucket bottom.
I have struck the post by raising the bucket about a foot and dropping it quickly, but most of the time it isn't necessary.

As far as sharpened wood posts go, I have pushed them in with my neighbors crawler loader, with a rock in the bucket. I wouldn't even attempt it with my tractor.

Best, Bill

 

[MikePA]

I tried yesterday, with mixed success. It is a two person operation, one to run the loader, one to hold the post. I got the post in so far, then the front end comes up and the post flexes. I have a little divot in the bottom of the bucket from where the pallet forks attach, that held the top of the post from sliding. I just couldn't get the posts in deep enough for what I needed yesterday.

There is a chance that the ground is still frozen down there, I didn't dig it. I also have some sandstone around.

Any tips for installing posts with a tractor? I had hoped that I could even push sharpened wooden posts with the loader, but that seems unlikely in my soil.

T-posts - Mixed success is standard with t-posts. It's a function of the soil, how wet the soil is and the weight of the front end of your tractor. I've slipped a hand post driver over the T post to increase the contact area with the FEL It made it a little easier to line up, but nothing worked well. Hit a rock that you can't push through, or displace (not likely) and you wont go any deeper. Plus, it can be dangerous, to the helper and the tractor, if the T post springs out from under the FEL.

Wooden posts - Sharpened or not, forget about it. You're trying to displace a lot more soil than a T post.

I ended up buying a hydraulic, 3ph post driver that drove wooden posts (4" x 4", unsharpened) and, with an adapter, T posts.

 

[wolc123]

I find driving "T" posts by hand, with a good pile-driver, to be a relatively easy, one-man operation. I am a big, strong guy, and that helps me stay that way. I can not imagine a tractor/loader being very effective, compared to the pile-driver. Besides keeping you in shape, it uses no fuel. I often have some difficulty lining up a helper, and it seems that they would be at considerable risk of hand injury. I sure would not want to squish my wife or kids hands (my usual helpers). Also, tractor access, in some of my fenced areas, would be a problem. By the way, I find pulling them by hand even easier, with one of them cheap, Northern Inc, post pullers. Not a real smart use of a tractor/loader in my book.

 

[TerryR]

I'm an old, wimpy, 72-year old and I also find them easy to drive with a hand-held pile driver, even in our rocky soil. I can't imagine how trying to maneuver a FEL in place would be easier.

Terry

 

[newbury]

Not T-posts but 1 5/8 chain link fence line posts w/ a $24 17lb Home Depot post driver in moderately soft clay. About 20 to 30 strokes to put them in 2 feet deep. T-posts I usually drove with a sledge. Just maneuvering a tractor would take more time. But then I rarely drove over 20 at a time.

Now definitely dig the 2.5' deep post holes for corner and terminal posts with a 3pt PHD.

 

[jdjdjd]

I also own one of these: Man Saver Post Driver, Multi-directional pneumatic post drivers - Rohrer Manufacturing
Worth every penny and factory support is great!

I have tried pushing in with FEL. Some worked OK, some bent, some hurt!

 

[nc redneck]

Years ago I bought a bucket mount T post driver special made for this task has spring retainer to hold T post for one man operation. Never used it as plans at that time changed. Just had a project last week to give it a try. Setting about 30 T post. I messed around with it for several hours and was only able to set one in a area where a ditch had been dug 2 years ago. I ended up bending and throwing aweigh about 6 T post.
Loaded tractor up and towed to my other property where my Shaver Post driver was. Brought it back to shop made a adapter to fit T Post went back to job and put in 30 T Post in less than 2 hours with little effort. No more bucket driving T Post for me.
This was done with a Kioti 45.
Hope this helps
Scott

 

[crowbar032]

It does take two people to drive posts, one to run the tractor and one to hold the posts until the bucket hits the top. I've never tried driving T-posts with the tractor loader. However, I've driven many fairly large locust posts with my 953 Cat track loader in Indiana clay. As others have stated, the soil must be fairly damp and you have to sharpen the end. I didn't have any issues with the locust, but I did break a couple of cedar ones. Rocks and tree roots can cause problems if the sharpened end doesn't slip over them.

I was at an auction one time where a Shaver post driver was for sale. An old timer said he would never own one. One of his neighbors was using one to drive landscape timbers (mistake one). His wife was standing up the timber under the driver. The wife stepped a few feet back (mistake two not far enough), the driver came down, the post splintered in half and hit his wife in the stomach and came out her back. She was dead by the time he got off the tractor. Point being, safety isn't an accident. Use actual solid good fence posts and be stand far enough back in case something does happen.

 

[wolc123]

I will bet that most of them folks who try using their loaders have never seen or heard of a "pile-driver". Before I used one of them, I also did it with a sledge and that was difficult. I can still remember carrying a 5-gal bucket around to stand on and get better leverage with the sledge for the first few inches of driving. Thankfully, I discovered the "pile-driver" before ever getting a loader tractor, or I definetly would have been tempted to try it, and my wife would likely be a "one armed bandit" today. For every job, there is a proper tool, and for t-post driving, the pile-driver is it.

 

[MikePA]

It does take two people to drive posts, one to run the tractor and one to hold the posts until the bucket hits the top. I've never tried driving T-posts with the tractor loader. However, I've driven many fairly large locust posts with my 953 Cat track loader in Indiana clay. As others have stated, the soil must be fairly damp and you have to sharpen the end. I didn't have any issues with the locust, but I did break a couple of cedar ones. Rocks and tree roots can cause problems if the sharpened end doesn't slip over them. I was at an auction one time where a Shaver post driver was for sale. An old timer said he would never own one. One of his neighbors was using one to drive landscape timbers (mistake one). His wife was standing up the timber under the driver. The wife stepped a few feet back (mistake two not far enough), the driver came down, the post splintered in half and hit his wife in the stomach and came out her back. She was dead by the time he got off the tractor. Point being, safety isn't an accident. Use actual solid good fence posts and be stand far enough back in case something does happen.

No offense to the 'old timer' but his neighbor's accident had very little to do with the post driver and a lot to do with not following safety precautions. Any post can split, it's where you're standing when it does.

 

[doxford jim]

For ordinary T posts I use my homemade driver - a piece of 1and 1/2 inch sched. 40 pipe, with a weight on the end to act as the driving hammer. I slip the pipe over the post then place the post where I want to install. Just lifting the pipe and bringing it down sharply does the trick. It also helps to sharpen the end of the T post. I have one made from 2" pipe as well and use both when I install T posts. I made the divers so that they were about four and half feet long which allows a good depth for the posts (assuming 8' posts).

 

[wawajake]

I use this a piece of pipe 4ft long mounted on a wood base with hole in middle. It becomes a one man job, place post holder where want T post to be, slide t post in pipe , 3 feet will stick out , then place bucket on tpost and push down, (using underside of toothbar works good ) may need to adjust by moving forward or back as I am pushing down. Bucket stops at top of pipe.
Works for my clay in spring and fall ............(forget mid summer clay to hard)

 

[cletus99]

I use this a piece of pipe 4ft long mounted on a wood base with hole in middle. It becomes a one man job, place post holder where want T post to be, slide t post in pipe , 3 feet will stick out , then place bucket on tpost and push down, (using underside of toothbar works good ) may need to adjust by moving forward or back as I am pushing down. Bucket stops at top of pipe.
Works for my clay in spring and fall ............(forget mid summer clay to hard)

Interesting...seems like that would work pretty good