Summary of fence pulling techniques

[GrantMO]

Here's what I could find on TBN on how to pull up fence posts including my own technique. If anyone has additional ideas please share.

1 Wrap a chain around the post then over an old tractor rim and pull with the tractor.
2 Wrap a chain around the post and over the lip of a handyman jack and jack the post out of the ground.
3 Get one of those t-post removers that ratchets the t-post out of the ground.
4 My method was to first get two chain hooks welded on your FEL bucket. Then wrap the chain 2-3 times around the post and through the chain hooks with the bucket dumped forward enough so the hooks are pointing up. Slowly curl the bucket back until the post sneaks out of the ground and raise the loader to pull the post and set it aside. I needed about 300 pounds on top of my box blade as ballast and even then rear of the tractor would come up a little at times. If that happens you dump the bucket or lower the loader or both, slowly. I also had to rock the post occasionally to loosen it up. This seems to work the best after it rains. Of course you have to be careful and keep any helpers back in case the chain breaks. This method worked great for 4X4 posts but I haven't tried it on anything bigger....I may not have the breakout force/weight necessary. Also I haven't tried it on t-posts yet.

 

[Von]

Grant,
I use a chain and wrap it around the post and the 3 point draw bar and use the 3 point to lift the post out of the ground.

 

[fractal]

Well, if the post pullers work half as well as the post drivers, I can't imagine why anyone would use anything else. For 15 dollars, they look to pull a pole in seconds compared to how long it would take to position a tractor and wrap a chain.

Me? I still use the soak, wiggle and pull technique for the few t-poles I pull.

 

[njrqs]

I use the drawbar and 3PL to pull mine out !!

Neil R.

 

[Bird]

Grant, I've used your method on everything from the half inch steel stakes I use to mark the ends of my rows in the garden, to t-posts, to 3" steel pipe and fence posts made from railroad cross ties and cut off utility poles set in concrete.

Bird

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Grant,

I recall that someone used an automotive flywheel with a welded link on the wheel. Dropped it over the post and pulled it out with the front loader.

Al

 

[unaka]

Instead of welding hooks to your FEL, you can do what my uncle did. He drilled a 1/2 inch hole in the bucket of his FEL on his JD 855. Then, whenever he wants to pull telephone poles, locust fence posts, and the like, he sticks a heavy duty ring bolt (looks like a ring) and nut into the hole and hooks the chains to it. You have to be careful not to thread it too tightly to the nut or you will have a heck of a time getting it off.

The flywheel trick sounds interesting. May have to try that one as it would seem to save the time of wrapping and unwrapping the chains.

 

[bgott]

They had a guy in Farmshow that dismantled a pressure plate from a clutch assembly and used the drive plate. That might be what you're thinking of. It has a bigger hole than a flywheel.

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Brad,

I bet your right. In any case it makes more sense, bigger hole, and probably more available. At least I got part of it right... the guy used a car part to pull fence posts/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Al