Shiftless
Well-known member
After my mailbox was knocked over twice, I sunk one of these in a 10” sonotube buried 2 feet deep and filled with concrete. Then used a scrap of 4x6 a some 2x6 to support the steel plate locking mailbox.
Help me reinforce my mailbox post
- Thread starter bedn0009
- Start date
When I was a kid on the farm our mail box was a pipe, maybe 1-1/2" diameter. What made it unusual is the post was dug in well off the road. The post came up, made a 45 degree angle for maybe a foot, and then another 45 degree angle and a horizontal run to the road, maybe 3-4 feet long. The interesting part is the angled section was two relatively tight fitting pipes that would turn inside of each other. I could go out there and give the mail box a good push and it would just pivot away and up. Gravity would pull it back down the the normal position. One year a county snow plow whacked it hard enough to destroy the galvanized mail box, but did nothing to the post.
Attachments
Crowbarman55
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 22, 2021
- Messages
- 1,080
The best way is what I did. Remove mailbox and post, get a PO box at the post office and just add the PO number to your current address. Get the app from the USPS that tells you what mail is in your box and only go pick it up when needed.
Yes you have to pay once a year for the box but it's less than a new post and mailbox.
Todd
Yes you have to pay once a year for the box but it's less than a new post and mailbox.
Todd
As others had mentioned, just get a swing-a-way post.
Building a mailbox that can withstand WWIII, then situating it right next to a street, is just inviting trouble. Are the odds high you'd get sued over your mailbox? Probably not. Can you get sued if it causes damage or injury? Absolutely. Even replacing your mailbox and post ten times a year for life is cheaper than an attorney.
Building a mailbox that can withstand WWIII, then situating it right next to a street, is just inviting trouble. Are the odds high you'd get sued over your mailbox? Probably not. Can you get sued if it causes damage or injury? Absolutely. Even replacing your mailbox and post ten times a year for life is cheaper than an attorney.
you can get sued for any reason in the USA, even if you don't cause damage or injury. if lawyers actually had to do a legal duty by their clients of advising whether to sue or not, we'd have a lot less **** like this clogging up the courts. all these lawyers are doing is looking at the big payout
Hooked
Well-known member
Back in the early 80s the local high school kids would make the rounds on Friday night after football games smacking mail boxes with (I presume) baseball bats. During football season I would generally get hit 2-3 times. Most times I could clean them up well enough for use but not always. Finally, I built a wooden mail box out of full 2" rough cut cypress kinda in the shape of a house including a shingled 'roof'. After that I noticed a few dings in the roof but no real damage to the 'box'. I think the kids must have gotten quite a jolt when they hit it because even the dings stopped after a couple weeks. 
cherokee
Well-known member
First off.....
Story time:
My uncle had a real issue with this when I was growing up. It was almost weekly. What he did was burry an entire RR tie in the ground and stick his mailbox on top at the normal height. I am told a few days later there was a large pickup truck in the road, his mailbox ripped from the ground, and the rear axel laying about 10ft behind the truck.
Personally I have lost a few, around here they come up with some interesting ways of holding up a mailbox. One is on a good sized section of I beam, another is on an old two bottom plow, mine is in the ground with concrete with concrete blocks around the box filled with gravel and concrete again. Another guy built a "cage" around his entire mailbox with rebar and mild steel "armor plate". Another guy got a real big mail box, put a smaller one inside of that and filled the space with concrete.
If you live in the country it will happen, last time mine got hit hard enough to knock it over road and bridge did it. Some neighbors get together and talk about it from time to time, we have not had anything in a long time. I think the idiots figure out where the "good" and "bad" mailboxes are at.
Story time:
My uncle had a real issue with this when I was growing up. It was almost weekly. What he did was burry an entire RR tie in the ground and stick his mailbox on top at the normal height. I am told a few days later there was a large pickup truck in the road, his mailbox ripped from the ground, and the rear axel laying about 10ft behind the truck.
Personally I have lost a few, around here they come up with some interesting ways of holding up a mailbox. One is on a good sized section of I beam, another is on an old two bottom plow, mine is in the ground with concrete with concrete blocks around the box filled with gravel and concrete again. Another guy built a "cage" around his entire mailbox with rebar and mild steel "armor plate". Another guy got a real big mail box, put a smaller one inside of that and filled the space with concrete.
If you live in the country it will happen, last time mine got hit hard enough to knock it over road and bridge did it. Some neighbors get together and talk about it from time to time, we have not had anything in a long time. I think the idiots figure out where the "good" and "bad" mailboxes are at.
jives
Well-known member
Mine is attached to the swivel mechanism of an old outdoor cloths drying stand (like a large umbrella skeleton). When the box is hit it rotates. If the pole is hit it will be destroyed, but the mailbox reaches out far enough that that should not be a problem -- if someone hits it they will surely end up in the roadside ditch. Mailbox does follow county guidelines.
whateg01
Well-known member
Doubt they would. We had to put up curbside boxes because of a neighbor down the street harassing the mail man. If you chose not to put up a box, you had to get a PO box or not get any mail.
That's what I did. Also makes it easy to switch it out for a different style or to repaint it.
Our post office opens at 9 and closes at 5 during the week and is open 9-12 on Saturday. The lobby gets locked too. So if you work a 9-5 it's worthless.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
We had a swing away mailbox with a counterweight to return it to position. For some reason one night someone hit it with their cars A pillar taking out the windshield as well. The velocity was just right and it swung around and broke out thier back window as well!
onewheat
Well-known member
I had a friend in high school whose parents built a post-frame house (circa 1988 or so) on a road known for hill-hopping and mailbox baseball by LOTS of different schools. He used a leftover post from the house that was HUGE 8x8 or 10x10 and buried it in the ground about 4' and welded up a mailbox made out of 1" boilerplate with a 1/4" door on it. I don't know if anyone ever tried that one with a bat, but I would have liked to see it. I passed by there recently, and that mailbox and post are gone. I have no idea if his parents are still there or not - but it's a normal post & mailbox now.
Metal-Marc
Well-known member
Use email instead.
rdoty
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Here in New England granite mailbox posts are popular. They come in 4x4, 6x6, and 7x7 sizes. Typically rough cut, often rough cut with one smooth side.
We also have trees and telephone poles within 12"-18" of the road. Compared to a two foot diameter pine or oak tree, no one is going to worry about a sturdy mailbox post. In fact, a fair number of people mount their mail boxes on these trees!
Steve Lehto did a video on "Fortified" Mailbox Owner NOT Liable for Driver's Injuries.
We also have trees and telephone poles within 12"-18" of the road. Compared to a two foot diameter pine or oak tree, no one is going to worry about a sturdy mailbox post. In fact, a fair number of people mount their mail boxes on these trees!
Steve Lehto did a video on "Fortified" Mailbox Owner NOT Liable for Driver's Injuries.
LostCauseRanch
Well-known member
My main problem is the snow plow during wet snows, although it does get hit sometimes. I used to have a regular box on top of a 4x4 cedar post. I'd have to replace/repair it 6-7 times a year.
I built this one 2-3 years ago. Just some eyelets through the top of the box and hooks. It is the original mailbox and post so my replacement has gone down dramatically with the box being able to swing. The box has taken some hit and I've had to straighten it out a few times so the door would close. Sure beats replacing it all the time though.
I built this one 2-3 years ago. Just some eyelets through the top of the box and hooks. It is the original mailbox and post so my replacement has gone down dramatically with the box being able to swing. The box has taken some hit and I've had to straighten it out a few times so the door would close. Sure beats replacing it all the time though.
hmbemis
Well-known member
We're on a busy road in the northeast, plows will pass us at 40-50MPH and that snow wave has a kick.
Both my and my neighbors mailboxes were just posts in dirt so they'd get tilted over -- just the typical ~5' long premade 4x4 mailbox posts that maybe sit ~2' in the ground.
Over the winter the neighbor had hers taken out by a driver who "fell asleep" ... she asked for help to replace it and I decided it was a good opportunity to try to make her new post "tilt proof"
Screwed half a dozen 4" coated screws into all 4 sides of first 2-3' of an 8' long 4x4 post such that they were sticking out at various angles by ~2", dug an ~8" diameter by 4' deep hole, dropped the post in, added 2-3 50lb bags of concrete and watered... dropped one of those vinyl mailboxes that slips over a 4x4 on it, then dressed up the base w/ some peagravel.
My mailbox did the usual tilt over, but hers has been straight as an arrow.
Anyone hitting it will have to shear off a 4x4 post -- not enough to seriously injure someone in a car that does it, but certainly enough to where that car will not be happy.
Both my and my neighbors mailboxes were just posts in dirt so they'd get tilted over -- just the typical ~5' long premade 4x4 mailbox posts that maybe sit ~2' in the ground.
Over the winter the neighbor had hers taken out by a driver who "fell asleep" ... she asked for help to replace it and I decided it was a good opportunity to try to make her new post "tilt proof"
Screwed half a dozen 4" coated screws into all 4 sides of first 2-3' of an 8' long 4x4 post such that they were sticking out at various angles by ~2", dug an ~8" diameter by 4' deep hole, dropped the post in, added 2-3 50lb bags of concrete and watered... dropped one of those vinyl mailboxes that slips over a 4x4 on it, then dressed up the base w/ some peagravel.
My mailbox did the usual tilt over, but hers has been straight as an arrow.
Anyone hitting it will have to shear off a 4x4 post -- not enough to seriously injure someone in a car that does it, but certainly enough to where that car will not be happy.
Viper98912
Well-known member
And here I thought I was going to see a bunch of recommendations to sink large a large I-beam into the ground...
Hooked
Well-known member
Had a neighbor (same timeframe as I had problems with HS kids) who got tired of the kids running over his mailbox with their trucks. He made his post out of 4" thick walled steel pipe concreted in the ground about 4'. He considered adding a cross piece about 2' underground but nixed that idea due to possible liabilities. He never had another problem with the box being run over.
Burl
Well-known member
I'm retired, but worked for the DOT for 30 years in a number of positions, one being a county maintenance supervisor. In my state, WV, on state maintained roads, the rules are maximum of 4X4 wooden post or a 2" diameter steel pipe. I've seen it happen where a beautiful 16 year old girl blows a tire in a Cavalier and runs off the road, strikes a brick enclosure made with a mailbox inside, and the damage to her appearance was terrible and permanent.
welder4956
Well-known member
I'm not a fan of mailbox posts in the center of the box, too easy for the postman to bump the post with the front bumper while trying to get close. I would get a post that is on the back edge of the box to give more room and allow the post to be a little further from the edge of the road. Then perhaps a short a curb even with the front edge to give folks more incentive not to get too close. Maybe use some 6" tall landscape stones or railroad tie.Hi. My mailbox has been hit 4 times in the past 10 years. Twice by USPS - and 3 of the 4 were "hit and run" situations. I'd like to reinforce this post so that the next time it's hit, the damage goes to the vehicle rather than my post. Any ideas?
Last edited:
finn
Well-known member
Bad idea. Why not just set the mailbox back from the road a little more? Why go through all the effort to make something that will stop a 15000 lb UPS truck moving at five mph, when you could spent fifteen minutes moving the mailbox back a foot.
FYI, we, along with many of the neighbors, simply planted the mailbox post in an old fashioned milk can, weighted with sand. We’re gone all winter so ten minutes with a hand truck moves the box into the wood shed for the winter, well out of the way of the county snowplow.
FYI, we, along with many of the neighbors, simply planted the mailbox post in an old fashioned milk can, weighted with sand. We’re gone all winter so ten minutes with a hand truck moves the box into the wood shed for the winter, well out of the way of the county snowplow.
NDJ
Well-known member
Back in the early 80s the local high school kids would make the rounds on Friday night after football games smacking mail boxes with (I presume) baseball bats. During football season I would generally get hit 2-3 times. Most times I could clean them up well enough for use but not always. Finally, I built a wooden mail box out of full 2" rough cut cypress kinda in the shape of a house including a shingled 'roof'. After that I noticed a few dings in the roof but no real damage to the 'box'. I think the kids must have gotten quite a jolt when they hit it because even the dings stopped after a couple weeks.
NDJ
Well-known member
FIFY
jbfsr
Well-known member
If I have to replace mine, next time I'm going to cement in one of those PVC post covers. Future replacements would be easy. Just slide in a new post.
finn
Well-known member
That happened to our mailbox in Illinois.Back in the early 80s the local high school kids would make the rounds on Friday night after football games smacking mail boxes with (I presume) baseball bats. During football season I would generally get hit 2-3 times. Most times I could clean them up well enough for use but not always. Finally, I built a wooden mail box out of full 2" rough cut cypress kinda in the shape of a house including a shingled 'roof'. After that I noticed a few dings in the roof but no real damage to the 'box'. I think the kids must have gotten quite a jolt when they hit it because even the dings stopped after a couple weeks.
The kids got caught, though. We got a letter from the police asking us to submit a replacement cost estimate, which we did. Took a while, but eventually was got a check in the mail in the amount I submitted.
Dakotadadv8
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 30, 2021
- Messages
- 1,483
Dig a hole, fill it with concrete, set a 4x4 post, put reflectors on it.
jonesg
Well-known member
up here on the redneck riviera (Maine) we set the post back and run a 10 foot horizontal arm to the roadside, make it 6 feet off the ground to allow for the snowplow mound , hang the mailbox from the horiz pole with chain to keep the box from blowin around in the wind. Or try land mines.
welder4956
Well-known member
LOL! I don't think UPS would deliver to the mailbox, and the truck would certainly not be damaged by bumping a 6" high movable curb. The illustration in the post office guidelines shows the box should be 6-8" back from the curb, but that just makes it harder to reach. Moving the mailbox back a foot doesn't help, the mailman still has to get close to open it and the photo shows there is plenty of room between the edge of the road and the box.
Mike65
Well-known member
Yesterday my wife was in the living room having her coffee & reading a book when she calls out to me, someone just decided what we are going to do today. A guy in a PU truck with a trailer hit our & our neighbors mailbox's which are right next to each other. Our mailbox was just a metal post with a bracket on top to hold the mailbox. We had purchased a mailbox, post, & post anchor about 1 month ago & had not replaced the old one since we had more important chores to do. If you look closely at the pic you can see the post anchor just at ground level.
New post & mailbox.
Oz-Post 24 in. Bulk Galvanized Steel Mailbox Post Anchor 30700 - The Home Depot
The Oz-Post 24in. Galvanized steel mailbox post anchor is black powder coated which wont rust over time. It includes easy to follow instructions which allow for a easy installation. This post anchor can
www.homedepot.com
Chipmunk Creations 4 in.x 4 in. x 72 in. Slope Top Pressure Treated Mailbox Post 533923 - The Home Depot
This 4 in. x 4 in. x 6 ft. Pressure-Treated Slope Top Mailbox Post features a smooth surface texture. The treated post can be painted or stained. Pressure Treated for contact with the ground, won't rot
www.homedepot.com
Architectural Mailboxes Sequoia Black, Large, Steel, Heavy Duty Post Mount Mailbox 5560B-R-10 - The Home Depot
The Sequoia with its durable construction is built to withstand abuse. The Sequoia design element is classic with a durable black powder coat and red flag. If you are looking for a mailbox to withstand
www.homedepot.com
finn
Well-known member
Didn’t say UPS will deliver to a mailbox. They don’t . The op said a UPS truck hit his mailbox.
There isn’t a curb in the picture, but rather a wide open level space behind the mailbox. No reason the mailbox number 249 couldn’t be moved farther back A foot or so. The mailman isn’t inconvenienced at all by driving a foot farther onto the shoulder, and moving it back gets it away at least a little bit from traffic and people making u turns in the roadway.
I always wonder why people seem to put their boxes as close to the paved roadway as they can, and then ***** when a car or snowplow hits it.
In areas with sidewalks and curbs, there are published postal regulations as to box placement. You obviously don’t want the carrier driving over the curb or having to exit the vehicle to reach the box.
rancherbill
Well-known member
Under common law you are responsible if you make something in a public way that hurts someone. You are doing it purposefully reinforcing to do damage to the car.
Make it break-away. Put the post in the ground. Cut it off about 4-5 inches above the ground. Screw the top back on using angle iron. The county here is doing this to wood signs in the ditch.
TomC750
Well-known member
Hmmm... I wonder what the difference is when the state installs a guardrail termination with a heavy square plate on the end? Hit one of these at speed and you are a goner. Some are quite close to the road. Dangerous indeed.
I do have a funny story however. Received $35 in the mail once and an apology for damage to my mailbox. Funny thing was, it was not my mailbox that was hit, it was my son's, who live 2 doors down. So next time my son came to visit I showed him the note and money and slid both back into my pocket. The look on his face was priceless. After a minute or so I gave it to him, we both got a laugh!
I do have a funny story however. Received $35 in the mail once and an apology for damage to my mailbox. Funny thing was, it was not my mailbox that was hit, it was my son's, who live 2 doors down. So next time my son came to visit I showed him the note and money and slid both back into my pocket. The look on his face was priceless. After a minute or so I gave it to him, we both got a laugh!
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
You can take some solace in the fact they messed up the wheels and/or suspension on their car when they hit the driveway.
whateg01
Well-known member
You mean the ones that roll the guardrail up as it collapses so it can't go through a windshield?
Burl
Well-known member
1974 Vega GT was my first new car and only new one until 2008. They didn't crack or warp, the honing process to expose the silicon in the aluminum alloy was not done properly and the piston would wear the cylinder walls very easily.
Pistons in high silicon content aluminum blocks is a tried & true process now. 911 Porsches used it, might still for all I know, many Japanese cars. And of course Vega's had a tendency to rust but then so did a lot of cars in those days before galvanized body panels and better drainage design.
I LOVED my Vega, drove the piss out of it and mechanically it held up just fine. But I absolutely doted on it like only a car minded 17 year old could do. The only picture I have of it that has survived:
finn
Well-known member
They’re collapsible, energy absorbing devices. At least the new ones are. Take a look at them. They’re safer than the older ones that act like a ramp to tip over your car.
LostCauseRanch
Well-known member
TomC750
Well-known member
I saw one that was destroyed, looks like a heavy truck hit it and was destroyed as well. I cannot envision some of those i have seen "rolling up". I know of at least one young woman who was killed. Her father has been on a campaign to eliminate them.You mean the ones that roll the guardrail up as it collapses so it can't go through a windshield?