Fence post corner...? Wrong?????

[Fuddy1952]

I recently got more land that I'm fencing about 500ft. I'm using 8"-9"x8ft treated posts every 50ft with 7ft T posts every 10ft between.
It's not perfectly straight line, halfway there's a slight angle, so there I use 3 posts with a treated 5"x7ft. across with galvanized pins I drilled.
I auger, then post hole clean out to 30" (posts I got were over 8ft some so about 6ft above ground).
I used heavy gauge wire and ratchets, center post galvanized U nail bottom, then nail to outside posts top where crosspiece is.
When I bury posts I put in a few inches dirt red clay, tamp heavy tamper, so on to top, making sure level as I go.
Now the problem...as I tighten ratchets it was pulling center post up! What was I doing wrong? All's well in the end because I used tractor loader bucket (actually lifted tractor off ground) then pulled back. I loosened ratchets first. Everything plumb I tamped with bar and sledgehammer.
Now everything is tight and level, curious what I did wrong at first?
Opening there I'm putting in a 12 ft. gate.

 

[ovrszd]

In a turn like that I make an "x" with the wire. Actually two "Xs". The additional two wires prevents the probem you are experiencing.

In your case, don't overtighten the wires.

Best way to do the wires is hand tighten, twist the ends together, then using a stick twist them until they are tight. Leave the stick in there with the long end wedged against your braces.

 

[bcp]

Yep. The tension from both directions is using the V arrangement of wires to lift the center post. Add wires to make two X patterns.

Bruce

 

[Fuddy1952]

Thanks. I was thinking about an X, I like the ratchets, they're not exensive, so should each side of the X have a ratchet? I assume so.
I did learn one thing the hard way which is drive the big staples in part way in, tighten, then drive then fully in after tightening.
I'm finding out fencing is a real art and finding easier ways to do things.

 

[Timm250]

I put the braces about halfway of the post height & put the wire in an x on both posts.

The braces at the top is what pulls the post over.

I also use rebar to pin the braces to the post. It is a lot cheaper than buying the galvanized pins.

 

[ovrszd]

I put the braces about halfway of the post height & put the wire in an x on both posts.

The braces at the top is what pulls the post over.

I also use rebar to pin the braces to the post. It is a lot cheaper than buying the galvanized pins.

Yep. Good stuff right there.

 

[Timm250]

I have also tried this with the wires at the top & tightening them with a ratchet. There's a 1/2 x 18" rebar drove through the post & into the brace.

I put this up in 2012 & it is still tight. The field floods & the water will completely cover the posts.

 

[bruceha2000]

What kind of critters are you trying to keep in such that you put wood posts every 50'?

• Cross piece should be at 3/4 the height of the posts above ground. That is part of your problem, the angle of the pull.
• Don't hammer the staples after tightening, they are there to hold the brace wire down and let it slip around the post as you tighten. The ratchet strainers keep the wire tight. You might need to adjust the tension at some point. Especially if the fence is new, might get some post shifting as the clay settles after a good rain. Kinda hard to adjust the tension if the staples are in tight. Oh yeah, you found that out already
• Yes, run brace wires both directions and yes put a ratchet strainer in each one in your example. What you have for brace wire SHOULD be OK IF the brace post were lower and the brace wire had a proper angle.
• If you are going to hinge a gate on an H brace with fence running to the other side, you need to X wire the H brace. The gate will try to pull one post away from the H and the tensioned wire will try to pull the other post the other way. Thus the top of each post needs to be anchored down to the base of the other post.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Horses.
My across the road friend has beef cows, 5" post every 60ft. For whatever reason for the few dollars more I like the large posts every 50ft.
The new neighbors have horses, going to get goats, cows, chickens, Lord knows what else. Their fence they had 'professionally' installed just 6ft steel T posts every 10ft, no posts. Fence already had a huge hole in it a couple weeks ago from running a bush hog through it to avoid a rabbit.
He's a dentist.

 

[oosik]

That middle picture tells the story. The wire bracing must be in an X pattern. As they are now - they are pulling that center post right out of the ground.

For any corner or change of direction I always use a rock filled gabion. Its about four tons of rock - stacked in a 4' x 4' x4' cube. I use old rejected industrial shelving. It is in 4'x16' chunks with expanded metal as the decking of the shelf. Cut & fold and you have a four sided cube. Locate where needed and fill with rock.