Pulling 4X4 post

[KansasArt]

I’m the process of removing a section of wooden deck. I’ll have some 4X4 post to pull up. They are approximately 30” deep, set in concrete. Clay soil below the surface. Been in the ground at least 15 years. All solid, no rotting. My plan is to drill a hole about 1’ above grade and place a 10” lag bolt. Then wrap a chain around the post below the bolt and use a skid steer to pull it out. Does this sound reasonable? I would greatly prefer not to have to dig them partially out. 90*+ temps & 60yo! But since I’m going to be renting the machine I don’t want it find out this won’t work when the clock is ticking away on rental time.

Thanks!

 

[jrsavoie]

Might want to have a wheel to run the chain over as well

 

[usa#1]

Rent the skid steer with a 4 in 1 bucket and just pinch the post with the bucket. Should be able to pull the posts out with no problem assuming you can get to the posts with the skid steer bucket.

 

[Prospecter]

It will likely help to "Wiggle the tooth" first. Just be careful not to snap off the post.

 

[Pen & Wrench]

If you wrap the chain around the post a few times and tie it off with the hook, you should be able to pull the post out without putting in a lag screw. The chain tightens against the post to the point where it won't slip. There's nothing wrong with putting in a lag screw, but you don't really need to do that. You can watch youtube videos if you want. I pull posts like that all the time and it works fine. You can use a jack or a loader if you have one available.

 

[jack stand]

^^ the drilled hole is where it will break.
Like pen said, try just wrapping it first

 

[CombatNinja]

x10 if you have any doubts, DON'T drill. What kind of soil do you have? 30" deep in concrete might be a challenge.

 

[65Goat]

^^^

 

[KansasArt]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll give it a shot without the lag bolts. Too many to remove to use a high lift jack. Plus I have to rent the machine anyways to move some dirt around.

 

[derek_m]

I just pulled out ~75 ft of fence with a similar method. Drilled a 3/4" hole through the 4x4 post, steel rod through the hole with a strap hooked to the bucket on my tractor and each loop over either side of the rod. Pulled every single one out without breaking. Concrete came with on all of them except for one, where the post came out but concrete stayed in the ground. If there was a lot of cracking in the post I drilled the hole perpendicular to where those cracks were. None of the posts broke.

 

[65Goat]

^^^^

 

[engineer2]

I've pulled posts with an engine hoist and a length of chain. If the post is not rotted the concrete will usually come out with it.
If the post is rotted, it will likely break off at ground level.

Replaced a rotted fence post this year broken off at ground level. Lagged into the old post with a 6" and the wood was too soft. Got a 10" long bolt and pulled the old wood right out of the concrete. The concrete did not budge.
I coated the new post with roofing cement and slipped it into the existing square hole.

 

[nadogail]

A chocker cable usually will grab wooden posts well enough to eliminate the need to drill them.

 

[DXN1EL]

A tow strap, if you wrap the post a few times it'll get enough grip to pull the post out

 

[gahrajmahal]

I had three 6 x 6 posts with concrete to pull out. Two came out sort of easy with a floor jack the third had to have the concrete broken off with an electric jack hammer.

 

[Jeff C]

Rent the skid steer with a 4 in 1 bucket and just pinch the post with the bucket. Should be able to pull the posts out with no problem assuming you can get to the posts with the skid steer bucket.

This is the ticket right here. Especially since you’re having to rent the machine already. Makes grading work much easier too.

 

[Bert_]

A chain works fine, usually don't even need to hook it. Wrap it around the post about 3 times so it pinches when you lift. Pulled hundred of fence posts this way.

 

[PCustoms]

I would use a chain with a grab hook.

Once around and put the hook tight, as soon as you lift it will tighten and pull on the post.

As long as you pull straight up it should work. If the post snaps it was going to snap anyway.

 

[finn]

You don’t need the hole and lag.

Wrap the chain around the post and lift with the skid steer. Pops right out.

Normally I wrap the chain around a bucket tooth or a hook welded to the bucket.
Last two I did the forks were on the quick attach, so I just yeas them to lift the chain.

 

[mike93lx]

A tow strap, if you wrap the post a few times it'll get enough grip to pull the post out

This is a good way to ruin a strap too. Hard edges on the 4x4 can cause damage plus overlapping the strap can cause it to melt from friction. A chain is much better and will bite into the post

 

[LS1-IROC]

If your skid steer's bucket has a sharp enough cutting edge all you need to do is drive into the post with the bucket tilted slightly up and let the edge dig into the wood. Once you have enough bite on the post, lift up the bucket and the post will come right out of the ground. I did this for about 20 posts when I took an old pool deck out.

 

[jack stand]

Whatever you end up doing, start as gentle as possible with the wood posts to preserve this "handle".
As you go along this will become obvious how tender they are. All you need is a few inches vertically and you can re connect to the concrete itself. Then you can rip and tear all you want.

 

[finn]

Depending on the geometry of the concrete around the post, you may want to try a common HiLift / farm lack and a chain before you commit to renting a skid steer.

I have used the HiLift jack and chain method for fence posts set in concrete. Pops them right out as long as the jack base can be positioned so it’s not directly over the concrete.

Renting a skid steer would be more fun, though.

 

[KansasArt]

Thanks again for the tips. It’s been many moons since I last operated a skid steer, so the methods suggest that require finesse at the controls are out of the question. This deck wrapped partially around a above ground pool, except part of it was 6’ deep. So that’s getting filled too. Keep the bucket low & go slow, right! I’ll update this thread with hopefully good results when done!

 

[jar944]

This works..

 

[jimkinney]

I dig down a little around the concrete and run the choker chain around it instead of the post.

Even with the sand here in FL, the posts usually broke off first, or pulled out of the concrete.

Good luck,

Jim

 

[Poolshark314]

I have done it with the lag bolt but instead of hooking a chain up to it, I also put a long (16 ft) 2x6 or 2x8 on it and used it as a giant lever to lift the post out of the ground. As your lag bolt raises the post, you add more bricks or scrap wood under end of the lever to push off of

 

[kngelv]

I hope your deck posts are easier too get out then mine. I recently tried to remove some old deck posts with a Hy-Lift farm jack. There were three pairs of posts about six feet apart. The pair were about 18 inches apart. Tried to remove one post and snapped the 2x4 bracing for leveling the jack. I could not physically raise the jack any higher and they snapped after being driven into the ground about 6 inches. It turns out that when the previous owners had the posts put in they went ahead and put a trench 24 inches long and set two posts in the trench 18 inches apart. They then filled the whole trench with concrete.

James

 

[finn]

If you’re renting a skid steer, ask them to slow the control system response. My CTL and mini ex have provisions to run different response rates, which helps novice operators to control the bucket and boom.without jerking.

 

[firebirdparts]

You won't actually need a hole, I don't think. I believe a chain may well pull them. Try that anyway. In logging of course the chain by itself never fails, but that's a little different. You may find that you can put a notch in one corner with a little hatchet and it'll suffice. If I'm wrong, no problem.

Pros use a little tripod. Loaders make everything easy, don't they? With the loader you can wiggle the posts a little bit to damage their pride, and it's no effort on your part.

I wanted to laugh at all the suggestions on how to do it 100 times harder than the original suggestion, but I understand you don't own the skid steer.

 

[ATC]

If your skid steer's bucket has a sharp enough cutting edge all you need to do is drive into the post with the bucket tilted slightly up and let the edge dig into the wood. Once you have enough bite on the post, lift up the bucket and the post will come right out of the ground. I did this for about 20 posts when I took an old pool deck out.

Yup, I was gonna suggest this too. Easier if you have a tooth bucket, as you can just stab a tooth in the post...

 

[mike93lx]

Is the concrete all below grade? If so, can you just cut the post off and leave them?

 

[Dakotadadv8]

Not yet 60 but if you are still in good shape pull it up manually digging it out. Good exercise may want to wait for cooler weather.

 

[finn]

Yup, I was gonna suggest this too. Easier if you have a tooth bucket, as you can just stab a tooth in the post...so breaking the post off if it’s not structurally sound.

I’ve successfully done that, but, not knowing the condition of the posts, I wouldn’t recommend that to someone asking for advice.

You risk breaking off an unsound post

 

[mmb617]

I'm in the process of pulling posts from a deck I'm tearing out right now, and I'm using my cherry picker with good results.








I didn't think of this method having the cherry picker on the bed of my truck, but I'll have to try that on the ones I still need to pull. It should be easier than moving the picker around in the dirt and will avoid the front wheels digging into the dirt problem.

Thanks for posting that pic!

This works..

 

[steel 35]

Chain double Wrap.
Did it for years with oxy / act, tank’s & A winch about 40’ up, Puck factor 9 The first dozen time’s.
Pulled post, Tractor, Excavator, Cherry picker, using double wrap.
And a live Bull from a well with a sling by the Horns, Excavator. Pre good pocket cam.

 

[ATC]

This works..

Looks like that puts A LOT of pressure on the tailgate & gate cables...

 

[Dakotadadv8]

I have a few posts to pull out will use a floor jack and wooden blocks.