# How to remove metal fence posts?



## sk8z

A few years ago I had a landscape company install two large trees that were spaded in. They drove in three metal t-bar fence posts around each tree at an angle and anchored the trees into these with Arbor-Tie. I have long since cut the Arbor-Tie from the trees, but am left with these fence posts sticking out of my yard. These things were driven deep and my yard is clay heavy. I cannot get these things to budge by hand, even after a hard rain when the ground is soft. The landscape company I hired has changed owners & names since then so they don't want to deal with it. They suggested cutting them at ground level with a sawzall. Just what I want...cut metal posts just beneath or at ground level with kids running around. I'm sure if I had a backhoe I could tie a chain to them and rip them out, but i'm just your typical homeowner with no heavy duty equipment like this.


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## DangerMouse

tow chain on yer pickup trailer hitch? you know anyone with a winch on their truck? or dig a foot down then sawzall and recover?

DM


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## rabih_00

I guess your only bet is to dig around the posts and see if they budge. I had that between me and my neighbor, kids were going back and forth so I had to remove it. I dug maybe a foot or a little bit more and I was able to remove it by hand (after some wiggles).
I am not sure how deep your is going, but it would not hurt to try.

good luck.


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## Kap

http://www.gemplers.com/list.aspx?SKW=post+puller&src=25GLTOL&s_kwcid=post puller|974864725


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## Kap

This may be the most economical, and you could easily get a bumper jack from a salvage yard.

http://www.gemplers.com/product/M1195/Metal-T-Post-Puller


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## jackpine

levers are the key.


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## downunder

Check with your local tool rental company. I was going to suggest the jack until I read down and saw that Kap beat me to it. :thumbup:

Or, get two shovels, you and a helper get one on each side, wedge the post between you and lift up together. When you try to pry up by yourself, the post just pushes away; when two of you push together, against each other, you can work up the post inch by inch until it works loose. Don't try to get too deep of a bite, just enough to bite against the post and move it just a little. As a parks department landscaper, I find that this works quicker than going back to the shop for a tractor. Just my experience that proves "old age and treachery" beats "youth and vigor."


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## Kap

And then there's the old age & wisdom method: give 20 bucks to youth & vigor and have them do it.


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## downunder

:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## BigJim

One way to get the posts up would be to take an old car tire and rim and chain. Hook the chain around the post at the ground, stand the tire and rim as close as you can to the post, put the chain over the tire and hook the chain to your truck and pull slowly. This will pull the post up and without much effort.


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## skipjack

I was going to suggest using a car jack from your trunk. If you can rig up a board or something and attach it to the post solidly for the jack to get under and push.. and maybe a plank for it to sit on top of so it doesn't sink in the grass while you're cranking.


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## Billy_Bob

Use a long metal bar, pipe, or sturdy piece of wood.

Set the bar on the ground next to the post. If the bar is 8 ft. long, then at the 7 ft. part of the bar, use bailing wire wrapped many times (10) around both the fence post and the bar.

Then lift the end of the bar and the post will come right out. The bailing wire keeps the bar attached to the post and you get a lot of leverage.


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## Leah Frances

Get a 8 foot length of PVC pipe wide enough to cover the metal stake and grab your hose. Put the PVC pipe over the stake. Put one of those 'firehose' type nozzels on the hose. Push it down the pipe until it hits the ground right next to the stake. Turn the water on and let it go to town. Now-and-then push down on the pipe/hose/stake so the hose can work down a little deeper, and wobble the stakes as much as you can.

Or, if you don't love the potential for getting wet and muddy. Pay someone else to do it.


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## urbanfarmerdude

Just pulled 5 6foot posts with a bumper jack and 2 feet of chain


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## MadeleineLB

I had the same issue with getting t-posts out and what ended up working was a comalong. You can get one for like 30 bucks.


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## RichPhillips

I know this is an old thread but wanted to share my experience.

Tried the jack, but could not get it to work because of unlevel ground. Tried a long 1 inch iron pipe as a lever, that just bent.

Used the pressure washer with the narrowest setting nozzle. Boring with the water on three sides of the post. About 5 minutes per post and out they came. All were about 18 inches deep in Georgia clay.

Thanks for the tip on using water pressure.


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## PaliBob

The HFT solution is to use a 3-1/2 Ton Farm Jack:
http://www.harborfreight.com/48-inch-3-1-2-half-ton-farm-jack-6530.html


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## Double

I pulled out 3 this weekend in about 15 minutes with a spade shovel. SO you may jsut dry digging down to see how really "sunk" they are. Mine were about 2 feet deep and one foot wide footings. I guess I may have just gotten lucky, but a little digging and rocking the posts back and forth had them out fast.


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