# How do I pull out fence posts **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 17, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110 "2006-09-17T23:39:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/21 "2006-09-18T18:23:32Z")
This doesnt sound right. You can’t pull posts out of the ground straight up? Are they seated in concrete? I can’t imagine plain poles to be that hard to pull up. My idea is to yank them hard with a truck or piece of heavy equipment (pull them to an angle with chain). That should loosen the dirt and allow you to move them from there. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/22 "2006-09-18T18:40:03Z")
Might I kindly suggest hiring som evil Nazi Groundhogs to dig them out for you? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/23 "2006-09-18T19:08:42Z")
[QUOTE=crazyjoe] Might I kindly suggest hiring som evil Nazi Groundhogs to dig them out for you? [/QUOTE] Give me the word, I’ve caught and relocated 9 in the last 9 days. We can arrange a transfer **Scylla**. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/24 "2006-09-18T19:33:07Z")
> [@](#): > > This doesnt sound right. You can’t pull posts out of the ground straight up? Are they seated in concrete? I can’t imagine plain poles to be that hard to pull up. Properly put in they are really in tight. When I used to build fences proper procedure for a standard 8ft 4 in fence post to put them in was dig a hole that is about 2 3/4 foot deep, and 12 inches around. Then put the post back in, all the original dirt and a full wheelbarrow full of new dirt as well. If you don’t tamp/pack it dense as hell it becomes a water sink, and the new post sits wet and rots quickly. each rain. For a 10ft 8 inch post it was a 4ft hole, 15 inches around, and 2 wheelbarrows of dirt. I can easily belive it takes over a ton to pull them out straight. To get them out, I’d just dig a parallel hole about 3/4 of the way down along its edge. Then either push it with the truck bumper, or use a come-along to pull it towards the new hole. Then just wiggle or sledgehammer it until loose, and I’ll come out much easier(one trick of you have access and a truck with a snow plow, take the plow off and use the hydrualics to lift it with a chain once it’s loose.) Only takes about 15 minutes once you get the hang of a hole digger. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/25 "2006-09-18T19:35:43Z")
forgot to mention, I have no idea about pile-driven posts compared to hand tamped posts, in terms of holding in the ground strength, but it’s still probably a lot ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim_1)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/26 "2006-09-18T20:45:26Z")
[QUOTE=Dorjän] Would explosives be overkill? 😉 [/QUOTE] I was just thinking what he needs is about 3 feet of det cord for each post wrapped 4-6 inches below the soil. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/27 "2006-09-18T20:59:59Z")
Okay, you don’t want to spend money on an excavator. Your time is cheap though. Therefore get your self 3 , lets say 12 foot 4x4’s , arranged in a tripod over the posts one at a time. Use long 5/16 in bolts to connect them together. Rent a block and tackle hung from the apex of the tripod and put a choke on the pole. Pull. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/28 "2006-09-18T21:01:23Z")
I’d estimate it would take you 9 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/29 "2006-09-18T22:06:07Z")
You didn’t say how big the tractor is. I had a set of fenceposts that were railroad ties set 3’ deep. My tractor is a 90-horse John Deere with a 158 loader. I’d nudge the top of the post fairly hard with the bucket until it started to move, and then hook the bucket over the top and back up until it starts to move the other way. Repeat a couple of times, and then hook up a chain and lift straight up. I never had a problem with insufficient lift, although I have 800 lb counterweights on the back axles to keep from overbalancing when I lift hay bales (my bales average 1,700 pounds). For two of the posts, I couldn’t get the chain to grip. I drove in nails, and the chain ripped out the nails. I ended up screwing a 2x6 to the post about a foot off the ground, and wrapping the chain around the post under the 2x6. Rocked it back and forth a bit, and yanked it straight up. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/30 "2006-09-18T22:12:36Z")
Couldn’t you just clench them betwixt your awesome [bowling ball ass cheeks](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7763756&postcount=13) and yank 'em out? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/31 "2006-09-18T22:41:39Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] Okay, you don’t want to spend money on an excavator. Your time is cheap though. Therefore get your self 3 , lets say 12 foot 4x4’s , arranged in a tripod over the posts one at a time. Use long 5/16 in bolts to connect them together. Rent a block and tackle hung from the apex of the tripod and put a choke on the pole. Pull. [/QUOTE] I’ve used this trick successfully before also, except I used come-a-longs, when I didn’t have a tractor available. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/32 "2006-09-20T04:01:27Z")
Leverage. I wiggle them back and forth first, then ram the point of a shovel into the wood and use it as a lever. repeat until post is all the way out. You could rig a chain around a 2X4 and do the same thing with a fulcrum but I’ve always been able to elongate the hole by moving the post around which loosens them enough for a shovel to work. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/33 "2006-09-20T04:02:34Z")
You could also drive a couple of large screws near the base of the pole to gain a good grip for the lever or shovel. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/34 "2006-09-20T06:46:03Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I have never tried this for such deep posts, but in removing posts, I would use a garden hose and stick it into the ground driving it about 6 inches deep and I would let it run for about 5-10 minutes and then with it still running starting pushing and rocking the post to work it loose. Try it on one and see if it works at all. If so repeat 17 times. If not, let me know and I will save some water. It worked very well on smaller posts. Jim [/QUOTE] I did this years ago with a Bobcat to lift them out. Dug and drilled a hole next to the post down about 2’ or so, then ran the hose in, turned it on, waited for 5 minutes, let sit for another 10 minutes or so, turned the water back on, then wrapped a chain around and lifted. Trick was to keep the water running while lifting. I think we also rocked the post back and forth a bit while running the water, just to make sure everything was saturated. -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/35 "2006-09-20T15:19:00Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] To dig each one out I’d have to start 3 feet away or so and dig a great big hole. [/QUOTE] You only have to dig, er, half a hole on one side of the post. Push over; pull up. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/36 "2006-09-24T03:04:16Z")
I thought I’d report back on progress. I took the giant lever approach. I put two cinder blocks on top of each other near a post and took a 4 X 4 X 12 and angled it in. Then I chained it to the post and hung on the other end. Nothing happened. So, I got the big floor jack and put it on the small end and worked the lever from the other side. I made the post move up a little, lowered the chain and cranked it again. I got that one out and ten others in about three hours. Then I pinched my finger in the chain while trying to adjust it when a part of it was still under tension and ripped a nice chunk of flesh out of the ringfinger on my right hand, so I took a break for the day. I’m using a three ton floor jack and it’s near capacity. I’ve chewed up the four by four and had to cut the end out. Damn, it takes a lot of torque to move these things. They’re about 3 feet down and sure enough, they are mushroomed on the end. In case your curious, it’s **all** about the chain. You have to make the chain tight so the four by four doesn’t pull away from the post, yet you also have to make it like one of those pole climbing slings you see the utility guys use so that after you pull up the post a little bit you can just slide the chain down and start cranking. Exhausting work. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/37 "2006-09-24T04:25:02Z")
Wow. I feel so at home. I grew up on a farm in Illinois that used to have a **lot** of fence posts. I took out the last 3/4 mile of them a couple of years ago. Osage Orange/Yew/Bois d’Arc, probably 8-9 feet long, buried about 4 feet deep and heavy as hell, been in the ground for 80 or so years. Not bad work though. Pulled them straight up mostly with an International tractor (780?) equipped with a bucket and chain, although a few needed some persuasion by rocking back and forth first. The worst part was getting out the wire fencing that had become buried up to 8 inches over the years. My father informed me that the previous fencing was a hedgerow of Osage Orange, and my grandfather had hired a steam-powered tractor to pull it out piece by piece. Cool. I would love to see that today. I need to ask if explosives were required for stump removal. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/38 "2006-09-24T23:06:04Z")
As an alternative, you could anonymously tell the FBI that Jimmy Hoffa is possibly buried underneath the base of one-they’ll dig 'em all up for you. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/39 "2006-09-24T23:13:29Z")
Tried burning 'em? ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110/40 "2006-09-25T01:20:41Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Tried burning 'em? [/QUOTE] That’ll work IF you drill some small angled holes and fill them with a saturated solution of IIRC potassium permanganate or something similar to make the wood more flamable when it dries out. This would likely take a long hot summer though. :rolleyes: [QUOTE=Scylla] I thought I’d report back on progress. So, I got the big floor jack and put it on the small end and worked the lever from the other side. I made the post move up a little, lowered the chain and cranked it again. I got that one out and ten others in about three hours. Then I pinched my finger in the chain while trying to adjust it when a part of it was still under tension and ripped a nice chunk of flesh out of the ringfinger on my right hand, so I took a break for the day. Exhausting work. [/QUOTE] Worse than splitting or sawing Osage Orange hedge row trunks, but the system does work. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-pull-out-fence-posts/373110.md?page=3)