Removing t posts

texasjohn · Oct 12, 2007

I'd be a little surprised if you are having LOTS of trouble pulling T posts... particularly with a tractor.... do you have a post hole digger? If so, I remove all but the supporting yoke and use that as a extension behind the tractor..on the 3pt hitch.... lower to near the ground, chain to T post.... raise 3pt hitch... entire weight of tractor is now vertical lift on T post.... never had one refuse yet... if this isn't clear description, let me know.

Chuck52 · Oct 12, 2007

I've got a few old t-posts in what are now tree lines. Those posts aren't coming out. I've used my 3-point on them and lifted the front of the tractor. I assume the blades are entirely encased in roots. Must have been quality posts when they were put in because they don't seem to break easily 50 years later!

Chuck

texasjohn · Oct 12, 2007

Agreed.... if you are trying to lift a T post by the roots of surrounding trees, not a pretty sight... just let it be. Maybe all your T posts that have taken root will start having little T posts and you can pick them up when they fall to the ground before they root again

jimg · Oct 12, 2007

texasjohn said:
I'd be a little surprised if you are having LOTS of trouble pulling T posts... particularly with a tractor.... do you have a post hole digger? If so, I remove all but the supporting yoke and use that as a extension behind the tractor..on the 3pt hitch.... lower to near the ground, chain to T post.... raise 3pt hitch... entire weight of tractor is now vertical lift on T post.... never had one refuse yet... if this isn't clear description, let me know.

Dont have a PHD... I rigged up a draw bar (the type that goes between the arms) and put a clevis on that. Along w/ a chain and grab hooks I pulled quite a few that the popper wouldnt pull. Then there are those that Im running into now!!! The 3pt isnt pulling them at all. As I said I can wrap a chain around them and use the tractor to pull them out but that causes a break leaving steel in the ground. Its almost as if theyre set in concrete (which they arent). The ground is very compacted and dry.

Podunkadunk · Oct 12, 2007

If you a have a boom pole and a piece of chain or nylon pulling strap...works good, last long time.

texasjohn · Oct 12, 2007

Yep, that'll work... same idea as the yoke for a PHD... such a device has numerous uses.

One benefit over using an attachment right at the 3ph is that the lift is vertical for a longer time..longer arc... so less sideways pressure and more straight up pressure...

Let us know how water helps in your situation, jimg.

California · Oct 12, 2007

Invention wanted:

I already have a Quick Hitch. It would be helpful to have a QH attachment shaped like the mouth on a Post Popper. Maybe with a rod up to the operator seat, to reach back and get the opening around the post.

Has anyone ever built something like this?

JC-jetro · Oct 16, 2007

Podunkadunk said:
If you a have a boom pole and a piece of chain or nylon pulling strap...works good, last long time.

View attachment 87322

That's exactly how I do it with my home made boom pole. It can pull out 6" wooden post buried in the ground for 40 years with ease. T-post is much easier.

Jc,

Willl · Oct 16, 2007

Speaking of T-posts.....

Many years back during a wind storm, lost a large fir tree limb (5"-6") on top a fence line.
Landed dead center on a t-post.
Drove that sucker down till only about 8" sticking out above dirt level.

jimg · Oct 16, 2007

Meant to post this yesterday...but forgot.

The water 'trick' worked really well. While the popper still couldnt pull the posts I was able to get the tractor to pull them. Water made a huge difference, from snapping posts off to being able to get them out in one piece!! I also tryed this w/ a large piece of phone pole and it worked well there too. I just as soon not have to pull posts that are this well anchored though.

Having a boom pole may have helped some but in other cases there wouldnt have been enough room. The popper and chain could go everywhere as could the tractor and chain. I guess I dont have a good enough imagination to understand what else a boom pole would be handy for that I need to do.

In fact Ive never used a boom pole...

A bit of a side note...I also had numerous land anchors to remove some of which came out 'nicely' and others which would only spin. I did attempt to apply upward force but there were a couple that just refused to come out. Not sure what was up w/ that but I had to dig one out which wasnt fun at all.

I think having a PHD would have made that job much quicker and perhaps all would have come up. I assume PHDs are reversible so does anyone have an attachment to remove land anchors? It would be a hook type affair.

Just a plug for my Post Popper...I moved a Martin house which was anchored w/ a large slug of concrete and was thinking along the line of having to dig it all up. Then it dawned on me that I only needed to dig deep enough to get a chain around it so I could apply the popper. Oh yes!!!! That worked out SOOOOO well. Out came the concrete slug w/o much messing about. The popper is built like a tank and can take some major abuse w/o failing/deforming. There was a time or three I stuck a long pry bar into the popper handle to gain some leverage.