Pullin Old Fence Posts

[weldingisfun]

For regular field steel fence posts I used a chain attached to one of the three hooks welded to the top of my bucket. Wrap it around and pluck it out. You may want to get some one to catch it when it comes out so you don't scratch your bucket

For serious fence posts like 4" x .25" , I used an angle grinder and cut it off below the surface and left it.

You can wrap an old blanket around the post too.

 

[jinman]

Wow... that's a slick puller..... I may have to make me one of those.... but, maybe not...just too easy to wrap chain around the few posts I do from time to time.

Am I missing something? How do you "shuck" that post once it is pulled? Wouldn't you need a rope to a release mechanism to drop the post?

It's probably right in front of my face and I'm missing it.

EDIT: Duh! Watch the video Jim!

 

[patrick_g]

Am I missing something? How do you "shuck" that post once it is pulled? Wouldn't you need a rope to a release mechanism to drop the post?

It's probably right in front of my face and I'm missing it.

EDIT: Duh! Watch the video Jim!

Jim, I took a short scrap of pipe and some scrap metal, sized to fit over a T-post and welded a chain on it. Y put the chain on the FEL and it dangles down with the pipe ring at an angle between vertical and horizontal. You can drive up to a post and lower the ring over the post. When you pull up the piece of pipe tries to capsize and grips the little bumps running the length of the post. It grips pretty good and doesn't slip often but its grip depends on tension, i.e. the weight of the post holding down on the puller and its chain. If you lower the FEL and let the weight be partly carried by the ground the puller-gripper-thingy looses its great grip and can be jiggled a bit if needed and it will release the post. IT helps if you don't initially lower the gripper way down on the post, just grab it near the top.

Pat

 

[texasjohn]

Patrick_g, I'm going to need a photo of your puller-gripper-thingy....can't seem to get a picture in my head...

 

[diyDave]

Easiest way is to watch a lazy man do it! Take a chain, hook to the bottom of the post, have an old rear tractor rim, preferably taller than the post handy. Place the chain OVER the rim, pull forward with car, lawnmower, horse, donkey, fat 2nd cousin or whatever. Wheel gives you the leverage necessary to pull the post out of the ground!

 

[xlr82v2]

I guess I failed to mention that the posts are from an old hurricane fence.
Brian... I think your puller would also work on these.

digicamnut,

I dont' think I'm familiar with the posts you're talking about, got a picture? I could probably tell you if it would work or not, as long as the C plate will fit over it... but that could be "sized to fit" as well.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Leo pulled this off of tractorbynet so I know the threads are here. But the eaiest search I have is my own website. Post Pulling Buddies Pulling Posts

 

[radman1]

Most people have mentioned using the loader to pull posts, which is what I also do. If you don't have a loader, the 3 pt will also work well and usually has much more lifting power for the really stubborn posts. Ideally, use a drawbar between the lift arms but you can also just wrap the chain around one lift arm and the post. It may require removing and reattaching the chain once the post is lifted part way to completely remove ithe post from the ground. Use a good chain because the lift power of the 3 pt can be much stronger than the loader. Many CUTs will lift 3-5K with the 3 pt. Our larger farm tractors will lift 15K+. Not many loaders will lift that much.
If any one is familiar with older hedge posts, those can be extremely hard to remove. They are very hard and usually curved and wider at the base than the top. The curve and wide base keeps them anchored in the ground and are harder to remove than any post.
I have never used a hand type post puller. I just can't seem them working well in our type of soil which can have clay.

 

[patrick_g]

Patrick_g, I'm going to need a photo of your puller-gripper-thingy....can't seem to get a picture in my head...

John, I posted a drawing a while back.

It really isn't complicated. It is basically a short length of scrap pipe with a chain welded to it.

Hanging from the chain, the axis of the pipe is diagonal WRT the world. The pipe is like a wide wedding band. It will slip over a T-post by gravity but when you pull up on the chain it cocks the pipe which catches on the bumps on the T-post and lets you pull the post.

If you lower the FEL till the post starts to touch the ground a little and jiggle the FEL a bit and raise it a bit the T-Post falls out of the grabber and you are ready for the next one.

My pipe was a little larger diameter than I wanted so I welded some scrap steel inside the ID to close the hole down a little so it grabbed batter when I pulled up on it.

I haven't used it (or seen it) for a while and don't really know exactly where it is. It would only take a few minutes to make another one. I'm no artist but I'll try to make a sketch, scan it in and post it.

Here goes...

OK, I fond some previous scans so posting an old one and a new one. Both designs work. The one with the scrap plate grabs better (fewer missed attempts) but doesn't release quite as easily.

Note: These drawings are not all that good to scale. Make a prototype and watch how it works and then make a better one. NOt much to these but they do work.

The commercial post popper I have, the one that works manually like a jack has a little attachment that grabs the post. You could duplicate that attachment and have a post puller that would work on flat posts AND T-posts.

Pat

 

[texasjohn]

OK... I got it now..... thanks for the sketch....very functional, and all that I needed to understand .... I'm remembering that once I tried to use a pipe but it didn't catch the T post ridges.... maybe it was too long or something.... good idea! Thanks!