Pulling a T-Post

[swines]

I discovered a buried t-post on a piece of land that I own in southern New Mexico. It is in an area where I want to expand the driveway into the propery and needs to be removed or othewise dealt with. It has about 10-inches of the post above ground and an unknown amount buried.

The ground is unbelievably hard. It is a mixture of small flake rocks from decomposed sandstone, some fines (sand and soil), and probably 25% caliche clay. The ground is nearly impossible to penetrate - I have NO idea how someone got the t-post in as far as it is. For example, we were putting in some geotextile and had to use rebar to make holes for the pins. It took about 30-40 full hits with a 3 pound hammer on the rebar to drive it 6-inches into the ground....we put in about 250 pins.....

For the t-post I tried: pushing it back and forth with my tractor using the bucket to loosen it - didn't budge just bent the post. Lifting up on the post using the bucket - didn't move. Pulling it out with my F350 4x4 in 4wd low range - didn't budge it an inch.

My next thought is to use my 10-ton porta-power to try and lift it straight up - or, lastly - dig around it with the back hoe and cut it off 10 or so inches below ground.

Any other ideas?

 

[3RRL]

My next thought is to use my 10-ton porta-power to try and lift it straight up - or, lastly - dig around it with the back hoe and cut it off 10 or so inches below ground.

I like that idea best.
Use an angle grinder a few inches below grade. You will be done with it in a few minutes.

 

[Keith01]

I ran into a similar problem at my old house. First time I mowed, BANG, I hit a hidden lenght of pipe in the backyard.
A stub, about 2" tall of 2" dia steel pipe. I dig down a bit and hook a chain to it, no luck. Push back and forth with the loader, no luck. Start digging.

Before I knew it I had uneathed at 55 gallon drum of concrete that was the base for some old clothes pole. I estimated where the 'matching pole' was hidden and ignored it!

Good luck with yours. If it was mine, I'd take the advice of cut it off low and bury it.

Keith in SC

 

[cutename]

Same experience as Keith01 on several occasions. Buried in a 5 gallon bucket or one that was attached to rebar as a deadman. Dug down a bit and cut would be my suggestion as well.

 

[cdhd2001]

For "normal" t-post I have had good luck pulling them out with the bucket. Wrap a chain around the post about 4 times then attach to the bucket hooks. Lift straight out.

 

[Eagleview]

Its probably one of my posts that has gone right through . My ground is so soft and sandy they nearly disapear under there own weight . Is it pointy on the top ?

 

[RedDirt]

I got a real good laugh out of that Iron Horse. Thanks

 

[PitbullMidwest]

Have you tried soaking the area around the post with water? I've had luck just letting a garden hose run overnight at the base of the immovable object and when I come back the next morning they pull pretty easy.

 

[swines]

Have you tried soaking the area around the post with water? I've had luck just letting a garden hose run overnight at the base of the immovable object and when I come back the next morning they pull pretty easy.

No water available at the site - still have to put in a well + bring in power.

Question: If you're "PitbullMidwest" - why does your avatar show a Bull Terrier?

 

[PitbullMidwest]

Question: If you're "PitbullMidwest" - why does your avatar show a Bull Terrier?

When I joined I couldn't find a american pitbull terrier pic that I liked so I used an English bull terrier figuring most people wouldn't know the difference and over the years have just never changed it. In 7 years on TBN you're the first to notice or care enough to question it

 

[WTA]

We just wrap a chain around them and with the 3 point arms all the way down and a drawbar between them we wrap the other end of the chain around that. Even my old super C farmall with a fast hitch would pull one out like that. We had a bunch of them burried 4 feet in the ground for some reason when we bought this place too and I never could understand why.

There were concreted in anchors for an old greenhouse that blew away a couple years ago too. They didn't help much for the green house but the anchors stayed in the ground. There must have been 200 pounds of concrete around the base of each one. The farmall pulled them right out too.

 

[swines]

When I joined I couldn't find a american pitbull terrier pic that I liked so I used an English bull terrier figuring most people wouldn't know the difference and over the years have just never changed it. In 7 years on TBN you're the first to notice or care enough to question it

We have an English Staffordshire Terrier - "Petey" from the Little Rascals, or "Tige" the Buster Brown Shoe dog...people insist on calling him a "pitbull" - but he's not.

We tell people he's a mixed breed - boxer + dalmation (he's white with black spots + brindle) - when they get hinkey about the terrible, uncontrollable, unpredictable, "pitbull."

Absolutely the sweetest, easiest going, most even tempered dog we've ever had.

 

[PitbullMidwest]

... the terrible, uncontrollable, unpredictable, "pitbull".

My online name comes from my younger years when a friend compared me to a pitbull; I reacted too quickly, bit harder than intended and once I got my teeth into something just couldn't let things go.

After years of serving Christ, the name has become a misnomer, but what's a guy to do? Kinda late to change it now.