Pulling posts

[wroughtn_harv]

I have to pull posts probably a little more often than most folks on this forum. Being a little lazy and really not interested in picking up others and their problems to help me do things I've had to come up with an idea or two.

One of the handiest is my post pulling attachment. It's so simple that when you see it we might have an epidemic of sore foreheads. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

On this job I had forty plus posts to pull. Some were concreted in, most weren't. They were all thirty to thirty six inches deep in our wonderful clay that we affectionately call, "gumbo". I broke off three posts. I had a couple break coming out but didn't come apart until they were free.

I did them all except for three the other day. In a little over an hour I knocked down three rails of two by sixes and pulled all the posts but those attached to the drive gate and it's operator (disconnected of course, another GTO--Little Mule bit the dust).

I kicked myself for not having the camera close when I did it. So today I made a point of taking the pictures.

Here's attachment in place ready to get it on, er, up. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

As you can see it's just a half circle welded to the top of the front loader bucket. I slip the half circle around the pole, curl the bucket to get a grip, and then lift.

Sometimes it takes a little preloosening, sometimes it takes a few grips because of slippage. Too much curl and the post breaks, guaranteed.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Up up up and .......

 

[wroughtn_harv]

It works slick, might call it the WD 40 of post pulling gadgets. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Note the concrete on the gate post on the ground. You'll also see some severe FEL burn, slippage /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Hope this helps.

 

[KiotiJohn]

You have to be one of the most inventive persons I've ever known about. It's so cool that you just continue to come up with great ideas that make life and living easier. I just imagine that you could have done anything in the world you may have chosen. Thanks for another great post (no pun intended). John

 

[IH_4_Me]

At work we just use a snig chain attatched to the fel and wrap it around the post and pull it out, or just 'stab' the post with one of the forks and lift it out, if its small enough. If we still can't get it out we just run it over /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

In the Progressive Farmer magazine awhile back they had something similar for t-posts.

A short piece of pipe or a union was bolted onto the side of the loader bucket. You lower the pipe over the post, tilt the bucket and pull up.

Same thing as yours, except you don't need to go over the post. I like your method better since the height of the post doesn't matter.

 

[SPIKER]

nice I idea harv!

we use a chain and a couple wraps around the post. what also works is to lay the chain over a large tire & rim. tie chain close to a bush base, and run chain over top of tire and pull away, bush will roll up and over the tire slick as can be.

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Soundguy]

I've used a chain around the post and hooked to the 3pt drawbar... Lots of pull and you almost never snap one as it is straight up. Course I don't have a FEL.. so I gotta make do with what I got! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[stephan]

That's exactly what I used to do but if the post was long the 3PL doesn't have the range to pull the post in one go. So when I bought the PHD I got one that comes with a jib so now I pull the post in one go as well as lift loads of heavy things.

 

[Libertine]

wroughtn_harv:
Nice "specialized" tool-although you are welding to the bucket. I've never had to pull 40 at one time, but when I pull posts I use a chocker strap around the post and slip the other end over pallet forks (or bucket hook). That way the pull is straight up and there is no lateral pressure apllied to the post (they never snap-of course they may break if rotten).
I like chocker straps for lots of stuff. Lighter than chain, easy to fasten to whatever (including odd shapes), come in different sizes and strengths, lighter than chain and just as strong (up to a point). For post pulling just wrap it, feed one end through the the eye and the other eye over the pallet fork or bucket hook. True enough, you have to get off the tractor for each one, but the hook up only takes a few seconds.
JEH

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( True enough, you have to get off the tractor for each one, but the hook up only takes a few seconds.)</font>

Ahhhh, now you understand why for I came up with the idea of the arc above the bucket. When you look at knocking down two hundred and seventy feet of three rail fence and then pulling forty posts in a hour or shortly thereafter getting in and out of the tractor becomes an issue.

Heck, at my age getting out to hook up a strap or chain, getting back in, pulling the post, getting out to release the strap or chain, getting back in, moving to the next post, getting out to hook up the strap, it's taking almost an hour to just talk about it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm basically a lazy guy and arc over FEL lets me get more work done with less effort. Love that less effort. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[B7510]

This is what I love about this forum.

Creative people finding ways to get the job done faster, simpler, more effective and occasionally a more fun way.

Great idea. For a professional fence installer like yourself I would almost consider this a Trade Secret.

Thanks for sharing it with us.