Mailbox repair

goodoleboy · Dec 5, 2004

Fellas,
Well my young wife decided to drive and back in to and hit our nice 3 year old brick mailbox. Mailbox is still standing but tilted back 6 in" and the foundation is exposed (remroved from ground) . Can I use my lawn tractor with a chain or my chevrolet 2500 4x4 to pull it back towards the ground hoping that it will land back on its foundation without damaging the mailbox. The car bumper is toast but it did its job. I dont have a picture, but i can one in a few days.

Do you think if i pull and wrap chains at different points will fall and crumble?
Any ideas are welcome on this Leaning Tower Of Mail.

RoyJackson · Dec 5, 2004

Personally, I'd start picking nd digging until you can move it by hand. Then, position as it was.

Just be advised that pulling if with your vehicle or tractor may do more damage. If you're willing to take that risk, give it a try...

btolle · Dec 5, 2004

My guess is that some dirt fell into the hollow space under the raised edge of the foundation. If you try to pull it back straight the dirt will hold that edge up and you will end up raising the opposite side or corner.

I would agree that you need to dig under it first to get the excess dirt out they you should be able to push it back into place by hand.

Try not to disturb the original soil on the upraised side, just get out the excess that fell under it.

Once you get it level then tamp the dirt under it as best you can.

Bill Tolle

goodoleboy · Dec 5, 2004

ive tried pushing the thing and it is very heavy. Ill try and clear out the dirt first.
thanks

Chuck52 · Dec 5, 2004

If you find you need mechanical assistance, I'd go with a come-along because you'll have much better control. It might be hard to come up with the stationary object to pull against however.

Chuck

wroughtn_harv · Dec 5, 2004

In this situation I believe I can speak for most of the old boys. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Moving by hand means using levers etc, not equipment. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you can rig up a sling with straps instead of chains then you can probably lift up the whole unit, replace or rearrange the footing material, sand, gravel, and set it back down.

Here in Dallas there's two ways of building the mailboxes. One is a laborer scrapes off the top soil down maybe two inches and lays down a bed of mortar, not concrete. Then the box is built on that.

The other is prefabbed and it's delivered and placed using equipment like a truck crane on the corner of a one ton.

There are no footings that I now of except for the ones I've been involved with. And as I get older I wonder if my pride isn't sometimes getting in the way of common sense.

A good footing means it won't lean over time most likely. But it also means that in situations like yours considerable more damage to the offending vehicle and the mailbox if an accident happens. Then there's the increased chances of hitting something like a public utility beneath grade while excavating the footing these days.