Pulling out remainder of broken-off 6x6 fence post

[MossRoad]

JB, your Bobcat has 1500# of lift on the 3pt hitch! Dig down a foot, wrap a chain around it a couple times and lift straight up. If the chain slips, put in a lag bolt to stop it and try again. You can do it! :thumbsup:

 

[joshuabardwell]

Sounds like lag bolt and chain is the leading contender. I'll give it a go!

 

[boggen]

digging down and around it is a big one.

chain loop around it. and pull it like any other post should work.

if ya down to a "farm jack" vs using a tractor. have a few different chunks of lumber that you might be able to slide under the jack to keep jack from sinking into the ground. i have done this on a few posts before, were posts were way to close for comfort to something else. and it works, it is just time consuming, more so if you need to get shovels out.

if ya had a backhoe though, more so one with a smaller size bucket, that had teeth on the bucket. that would be more ideal to make a couple digs with bucket first, and then use teeth to dig into post and hopefully pry it up and out.

WARNING!!!
if you try and hook up to 3PT Hitch on rear end of tractor to pull the post. have your foot/hand on clutch, you can risk flipping the tractor backwards, and rolling itself right on top of you in a heart beat. ya there is a lot if this and that. but when ya down in the mud, frustrated, ya most likely not thinking straight. and then a uth oh.


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have found waiting for some cheap boat trailer style jack/wheels and getting some U bolts to bolt/clamp jack wheel to end of gate. really helps reduce stress on post gate is attached to. reduces problem if trying to drag gate through mud, and helps breaking gate out of snow/ice.

 

[joshuabardwell]

if you try and hook up to 3PT Hitch on rear end of tractor to pull the post. have your foot/hand on clutch, you can risk flipping the tractor backwards, and rolling itself right on top of you in a heart beat.

Less risk there because I have an HST, but thanks for the concern.

 

[BigE_]

WARNING!!!
if you try and hook up to 3PT Hitch on rear end of tractor to pull the post. have your foot/hand on clutch, you can risk flipping the tractor backwards, and rolling itself right on top of you in a heart beat. ya there is a lot if this and that. but when ya down in the mud, frustrated, ya most likely not thinking straight. and then a uth oh.

I think you may be confusing lifting with the 3PT vs. pulling something like logs with the 3PT. Definitely there is an issue when towing with the 3PT and risk of flipping.

However, if the tractor is stationary, I seriously doubt you could flip it by just lifting with the 3PT, unless you are on uneven ground to start with. I'm not saying you couldn't pick up the front end. I just don't think there is enough travel on the 3PT arms.

Still, something to watch for. Just keep your hand on the 3PT, ready to drop it. Hitting the clutch won't help you here.

 

[purplewg]

If you were closer I would let you use my home grown post puller.


I call them the Jaws of Joy. I am so joyful when I get the old rotted post out of the ground.

 

[purplewg]

If you were closer I would let you use my home grown post puller.
View attachment 305491

I call them the Jaws of Joy. I am so joyful when I get the old rotted post out of the ground.

 

[Xfaxman]

My fence has several places where there is a 6x6 post with a long (drive-through, opens-in-the-middle) gate hanging on one side and a short (walk-through) gate hanging on the other side. Two of them have recently broken off at ground level--probably rotted away, I would guess. I would love to be able to get the old post out and re-use the existing hole for a replacement. Does anybody have any tips for how to do this?

One thought that I had was to treat it like a stump, drill some holes in it, fill it with diesel, and start it burning. This would leave a neat 6x6 hole to receive the next post, but I'm not sure whether it would reliably burn out completely. Alternatively, I thought maybe I could affix some kind of an anchor and pull the post out with my tractor. But I'm not sure what I could sink into the post, especially into the end grain, that would hold strong enough to take the post out.

Any other suggestions?

This would do it. The Brush Grubber Xtreme Plus, Model# BG-20.
Kinda pricey, unless you can use it alot in the future.