Tips/ Tricks to remove broken wood fence posts

[Xfaxman]

One of the bigger Brush Grubbers should do it: BrushGrubber | Brush Grubber Products

Works on small trees:

 

[cqaigy2]

I "re-installed" the fence around my 80 acres when we moved on the property. 1320 x 2640. 745 T-145 posts - four strands of EverSharp barbed wire. That was 40 years ago. I quit having nightmares about this thirty years ago. 165 or so posts are in solid basaltic lava. The last of the "L - shaped fence line supports" were converted to T-145 posts four years ago. The neighbor has a commercial jack hammer and would come over every spring - for five years. Thirty or so post - every spring.

If I close my eyes and listen very carefully - I can still hear the "ringing" of my homemade manual pounder. Driving in the posts.

The joy of building fence on basalt. No matter what you do, it's going to be hard work.

 

[RustyA]

Cordless impact driving long lag bolt with washer through chain into top of post. Use loader where you can, new fence post for leverage where you can't. Works good if base of post is solid. Extract lag bolt and move on to next post. If base of post is punky and won't hold lag bolt this method won't work of course.

 

[BigBlue1]

If you had access to a backhoe with a thumb that may make easy work of things. Or a grapple on a loader, perhaps. Neither will work well if the posts are rotten though.

 

[bigtiller]

When they are busted off, the remaining wood is usually splintered enough that a lag screw won't get good purchase.
I have good luck with a spade. Dig down about 8" or more on 2 sides and pry it out with the spade.
If the new post goes into the old hole, tamp it really good with the large end of a tamping/digging bar.

 

[Scar0B2150]

Great suggestions everyone! Thanks for the input.
I think I'm going to try the lag bolt next time I'm at the property and see how it goes.
I'll keep you all "posted".

 

[mikester]

6 foot prybar, some 2x6 and 6x6 wood for leveraging off the ground.

A backhoe with thumb works too.