how to remove concret remnant from post hole when post has broken off?

[Jeff Ivers]

I am in the process of unfencing. The kubota is doing a nice job of pulling posts with the concrete attached to the bottom. Unfortunately, I have a few posts that rotted or broke off leaving nothing to wrap a chain around. What is the best way to get the concrete remnant out of the ground? Bottom of the concrete is about 28 inches deep on most of these holes. Drill the concrete and insert a couple of tapcons through a length of chain to provide a "handle"?

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Dig around it a few inches deep (enough to get a chain around it).

 

[rustyjames]

I don't see Tapcons working in this situation.

 

[CJDave]

Dig around the concrete a few inches and use a tow strap that will tighten as lift is applied? CJDave.

 

[Terry D]

I have taken some large wedge anchors drilled into the concrete and attached a chain, then you can pull them up. Since you have a Kubota, that's makes it easier.

 

[Ralf11]

Jeez - you got a Kubota? Piece of cake. I had to do it by hand...

 

[dwasifar]

Is the post rotted all the way down? If not, screw a big lag hook into the broken off post and attach a chain.

This is why I typically embed a length of chain in the concrete when I'm setting a post. Gives me something to pull on if I ever need to pull up the concrete later.

 

[Bert_]

A couple anchors might work. Not tapcons thought, need something heavier.

A little late in this situation but this is why you don't cement in posts...

 

[Walkers]

Last time I did it I took a steel plate with some holes in it and welded on an eye (piece of plate with a big hole in it. I just used some 1/4” tapcons as I have boxes of the things. Worked grand.

 

[rburke65]

Why can you not just leave it as is?

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Your unfencing right? So no need for replacement, correct?
Anything 28” down is a rock Fill in the hole and call it a day.
.

 

[Glemon]

A couple anchors might work. Not tapcons thought, need something heavier.

A little late in this situation but this is why you don't cement in posts...

First fence I did a used concrete for the corners and gate posts only. Back then it seemed like everybody started recommending cement in all posts, so I did the next few fences like that.

I never had a problem with the post in my hard Nebraska clay for 20 plus years after I installed it. I ended up replacing the fence once, put posts were still good.

Maybe in dirt is fine.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd assume you are using a FEL on the Kubota. Like a few mentioned, dig around the top few inches of dirt, slip a chain around it and pull it out is the cheap way.

Expensive way, buy a back hoe for the Kubota.

 

[dlwilson]

I do it a different way. I have a 4' spike, that looks like something you would use as a stake on a circus tent. I jam it in the hole, bang it around to break up the rotten wood, and pull all the bits of wood out. Then I stick the new post in the old hole. Done.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Why can you not just leave it as is?

Your unfencing right? So no need for replacement, correct?
Anything 28” down is a rock Fill in the hole and call it a day.

I forgot to mention I built this fence 31 years ago. I have considered just leaving the remnants in the ground, but I am considering hiring someone to build replacement fence and am concerned about damage to their equipment or extra cost to deal with the remnants.

 

[niget2002]

Dad gave me a sledgehammer and told me he'd be back in a few hours...

 

[theoldwizard1]

I qualify myself as somewhat of an "expert" in removing metal/wood post set in concrete. Over a period of about 5 years, my son and I removed probably more than 30 of these !

I only had one that the post broke off deep in the hole (it would have required enlarging the hole at least 18" down and it was locked in by other concrete on 2 sides). In the end, I used a San Angel/Digging bar. Repeatedly dropping it broke the concrete so we could get the wood post out. Then we could get the pieces of concrete out.

About 1/2 way through this adventure, I developed this (patent pending).

The fastest solution : Dig down far enough to get a chain around the concrete lump. Then build one of these.

Watch the video :

Patent Pending Post Puller

That chain is attached to a 1/2 ton pick up. That lump weighed over 200 lb.

 

[rburke65]

I’m sure the contractor can lay out the new posts to miss the old.

 

[Pen & Wrench]

I had the same issue. At the time I used my pallet forks and my Bobcat and dug it out, actually pretty much popped it out. Now that I have a Danuser Intimidator stump bucket / tree puller, I would dig it out with that.

 

[fsae0607]

Dad gave me a sledgehammer and told me he'd be back in a few hours...

This, or rent an electric jackhammer from somewhere and break them up, then dig out the chunks. I did that for some old deck footings in my yard. I rented a Makita electric jackhammer from Homey Depot and busted them. Worked well.

 

[greenskeeper]

build your own IED

 

[nmk_61802]

I only had one that the post broke off deep in the hole (it would have required enlarging the hole at least 18" down and it was locked in by other concrete on 2 sides). In the end, I used a San Angel/Digging bar. Repeatedly dropping it broke the concrete so we could get the wood post out. Then we could get the pieces of concrete out.

I just did something similar at my Mom's house this weekend. Two hits near the corners with the digging bar split the concrete, then pulled the individual pieces. Took less than 5 minutes.

 

[Ralf11]

I forgot to mention I built this fence 31 years ago. I have considered just leaving the remnants in the ground, but I am considering hiring someone to build replacement fence and am concerned about damage to their equipment or extra cost to deal with the remnants.

put in a half-panel at one end to space the new posts so they fall in between the old ones

 

[driftpin]

For the average guy, something like the oldwizard1 ran, seems to be the least-labor intensive way to proceed. This topic has been on-here before, and the same type of tool was demonstrated then, as I recall.

I had a guy come in and pull my at-grade rotted-away post, concrete pours out, along with some 50 year-old shrubs, all of which were in the way of my soon-to-arrive 10' X 20' galvanized steel frame Hardi-Board sided building. I was having a slab poured for the building, and the fence post concrete was left to remove, and the shrubs were going. $ made it happen, I had no-time to do it myself. I made a deal with the excavation contractor: if the removal of the concrete post holes/shrubs took > a half-hour for his equipment, I'd pay full-price. If it took less, he would charge me $100 less. There were < 10 post holes concrete pours to come-out and maybe 6 or 7 strongly-rooted shrubs. He was done with the whole thing in < 1/2 hour, I got my discount, and was ready for the slab/driveway contractor to excavate and form my concrete driveway and building slab.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Jeez - you got a Kubota? Piece of cake. I had to do it by hand...

Yes, the Kubota makes it a lot easier than dragging my engine hoist across the yard!

 

[Jeff Ivers]

I qualify myself as somewhat of an "expert" in removing metal/wood post set in concrete. Over a period of about 5 years, my son and I removed probably more than 30 of these !

I only had one that the post broke off deep in the hole (it would have required enlarging the hole at least 18" down and it was locked in by other concrete on 2 sides). In the end, I used a San Angel/Digging bar. Repeatedly dropping it broke the concrete so we could get the wood post out. Then we could get the pieces of concrete out.

About 1/2 way through this adventure, I developed this (patent pending).

The fastest solution : Dig down far enough to get a chain around the concrete lump. Then build one of these.

Watch the video :

Patent Pending Post Puller

That chain is attached to a 1/2 ton pick up. That lump weighed over 200 lb.

Nice use of leverage!

 

[Firebrick43]

I qualify myself as somewhat of an "expert" in removing metal/wood post set in concrete. Over a period of about 5 years, my son and I removed probably more than 30 of these !

I only had one that the post broke off deep in the hole (it would have required enlarging the hole at least 18" down and it was locked in by other concrete on 2 sides). In the end, I used a San Angel/Digging bar. Repeatedly dropping it broke the concrete so we could get the wood post out. Then we could get the pieces of concrete out.

About 1/2 way through this adventure, I developed this (patent pending).

The fastest solution : Dig down far enough to get a chain around the concrete lump. Then build one of these.

Watch the video :

Patent Pending Post Puller

That chain is attached to a 1/2 ton pick up. That lump weighed over 200 lb.

Patent pending??, Similar devices have been shown in ag publications since the land grant universities came into existence in the 1880s. What is unique to prior art?

Most now just use an old truck rim, I used a 20" split rim. Before buying my 50hp loader tractor I did this with a Belgian draft horse. She was voice trained so no getting on and off a tractor or truck, just tell her to back up, chain and over the rim, and cluck to have her go.

I have pulled 30 post in an hour this way. Less if the concrete is broken. If close to a hose a pressure washer can cut the dirt very quickly around the concrete. If not a spade and spud bar is used, maybe 20 mins of digging.

 

[428PI]

My son had 3=4 posts to pull and we didn't have any Kubota, just a Harbor Freight large hammer drill. We would impact the top concrete and break it up perhaps 6 to 12 inches deep and then get 2 T posts and wedge them into the wooden broken post and start working it back and forth and eventually the post would pull loose from the concrete below. Then we would slip in a galvanized post in the remaining concrete still in the ground and fill in with Quickcrete fast setting concrete. It took perhaps 45 minutes a post though.