Pulling 7 inch driven wood posts? Best way

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BryanM

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This is what I have. 6 - 7 inch posts driven in clay soil 4.5 feet deep. they need to be removed. what is the easiest way to do it.
I have removed 1 post so far by using a 3 ton floor jack and chains and cribbing directly over top of post. have to cut post every 12 inches. I think the problem is so much suction on the post. Anybody have any tricks or ideas that will make this easier. Since I broke a farm high lift jack, bent and tore up a skidsteer for frame trying to get these sob's to pull out. and my 3 ton floor jack is being maxed out. HELP! Ideas?
 
Log chain and a loader tractor. Before we had a loader worth a darn dad pulled wood posts with a handyman Jack and a chain. Put a 2 x under the jack foot, chain low, with the jack facing the post. No need to cut the post all the time.
 
If you are breaking equipment, definitely time to rethink. If they are just in the way above ground, cut or shear them off as stated above and be done with it. Look at the economics - what is the cost of a new post vs your time and expense and equipment to remove a used post for reuse?

If they have to be removed from the ground, water around the post, let it soak in for hours, push from side to side with skid steer to loosen and pull them out. If that does not work, dig or bore down beside the post as close as you can with whatever tools or equipment you have until you can pull them out. If I can't pull it out quickly with a loader, I cut or break it off and move on.
 
If there's water nearby, wonder if you could bore a hole alongside them with a pressure washer and loosen them up that way.
 
simme said:
If you are breaking equipment, definitely time to rethink. If they are just in the way above ground, cut or shear them off as stated above and be done with it. Look at the economics - what is the cost of a new post vs your time and expense and equipment to remove a used post for reuse?

If they have to be removed from the ground, water around the post, let it soak in for hours, push from side to side with skid steer to loosen and pull them out. If that does not work, dig or bore down beside the post as close as you can with whatever tools or equipment you have until you can pull them out. If I can't pull it out quickly with a loader, I cut or break it off and move on.
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You'll have a lot more leverage using the 3-point.
 
Like Ouachita mentioned, you'll get the most strength using a chain and the 3pt arms on a tractor. If that doesn't work, they aren't coming out. In that case just cut them.
 
We tried a 12000lb excavator but broke the post. to much wiggling I think. I was not the operator. To clarify the fork attachment frame got bent up. something else to fix. tractor 3pt wont do it I stopped before that got damaged. As far as cutting off, for me not an option. But Ill go back to the drawing board, after pondering I have a couple ideas Ill let ya know what else I broke. LOL
 
12k excavator is pretty small for what your talking about. Catch the ground wet and use a big track skidteer wiggling as you lift. If that wont pull them up do like fence says and sheer them off. Life is to short. Only other option would be a 30k# excavator or track loader like a 963.

How many you have to do? That may dictate how involved you get.
 
If you have a 12000# excavator available and can't pull them out with any equipment you have, why not dig a scoop of dirt on each side of the post with the excavator and then pull them up. I must not be understanding all the restrictions and goals. Maybe a nuclear approach will be required.
 
simme said:
If you have a 12000# excavator available and can't pull them out with any equipment you have, why not dig a scoop of dirt on each side of the post with the excavator and then pull them up. I must not be understanding all the restrictions and goals. Maybe a nuclear approach will be required.
Click to expand...
Maybe some heat seeking missiles. Brutes got em on fire...
 
M.Magis said:
Like Ouachita mentioned, you'll get the most strength using a chain and the 3pt arms on a tractor. If that doesn't work, they aren't coming out. In that case just cut them.
Click to expand...

. . . but if you're going to use the FEL, I've discovered that the tilt has more power than the lift. I tilt forward, lift until it stops, then tilt back. That gets them sometimes.
 
I'm inclined to think there is something more than just a post under ground, like perhaps concrete or even rods on the sides to keep the post from rotating.

I use my tractor to push and pull - rocking - the post just slightly, creating an air pocket on the sides of the post. Then I pull up. I live in a heavy clay soil environment and sometimes when we get a lot of rain the clay acts like a suction cup so adding the air pockets helps a lot. It is is very dry, drought dry, then I would say there's something else holding the post because the clay will be like a slab.
 

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