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Sign post remover?

CES020

CES020

New Member
Anyone seen or used any of the tools to pull u-channel posts out of the ground? The one's used for no-parking and handicap signs? I have 50 or so of them to remove and replace with a different style. Most of them are just driven into the ground.

I thought I had seen a tool for that some time ago, but I can't locate it.

Anyone? I really don't want to have to pull them all out with my back and muscle, I'd like to work smarter, not harder :)
 
bob

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
CES020 said:
Anyone seen or used any of the tools to pull u-channel posts out of the ground? The one's used for no-parking and handicap signs? I have 50 or so of them to remove and replace with a different style. Most of them are just driven into the ground.

I thought I had seen a tool for that some time ago, but I can't locate it.

Anyone? I really don't want to have to pull them all out with my back and muscle, I'd like to work smarter, not harder :)
Click to expand...

City boys. You all need to spend some time with your country cousins who all know that the sovereign remedy for this problem is a hi-lift jack [available at Harbor Freight or any farm supply house] and a couple of feet of chain.

Just feed the chain through the hole conveniently provided in in the jack lip, wrap it around the post a couple of times, and tie it into a knot. Jack the post, any post be it u channel, t-post, 4x4, 4x6, whatever, right out of the ground.

The hi-lift jack is far handier and more effective than a special purpose tool for some specific post configuration.

The only thing better than a a hi-lift jack is a tractor/bobcat/whatever, with a front bucket and a length of chain. Just tie the chain to the bucket, wrap the chain around the post, raise the bucket. The post magically comes out of the ground. Even if it was set in concrete, which will come out with the post.
 
Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
Farm jack like Bob said will be well worth the $50. We were using the "t-post" puller kind for a while but we were destroying them in no time, they just weren't built heavy enough for pulling out deep set sign posts. The jack has lasted 3 years. http://www.harborfreight.com/48-inch-3-1-2-half-ton-farm-jack-6530.html

But....the bobcat/backhoe method is gonna be much, much easier. A half day rental or hiring somebody with one for a couple of hours would be worth the money.

Are they letting you keep the old posts?
 
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Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
If you don't need the post back, these little hand grenades remove the old post and make a hole for the new one going in..... all in one quick step.

throwing grenade.jpg​
 
signgal

signgal

New Member
Pat Whatley said:
Farm jack like Bob said will be well worth the $50. We were using the "t-post" puller kind for a while but we were destroying them in no time, they just weren't built heavy enough for pulling out deep set sign posts. The jack has lasted 3 years. http://www.harborfreight.com/48-inch-3-1-2-half-ton-farm-jack-6530.html

But....the bobcat/backhoe method is gonna be much, much easier. A half day rental or hiring somebody with one for a couple of hours would be worth the money.

Are they letting you keep the old posts?
Click to expand...

I can't believe that thing's only $50!!!! It really works on all U channel posts?! 10 footers? All bets are off with cement footers though, right?
 
bob

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
signgal said:
I can't believe that thing's only $50!!!! It really works on all U channel posts?! 10 footers? All bets are off with cement footers though, right?
Click to expand...

It'll work on anything you can wrap a chain around. Length doesn't matter, just jack it out as far as it will go then release the chain, drop the lip, and start jacking some more.

It will pull cement footers as well, the problem is getting the base of the jack close enough to the post and not setting on top of the footer. There's not much it won't jack out of the ground. But for a bunch of concrete set posts I'd opt for the tractor. One or two you can probably deal with.
 
signgal

signgal

New Member
That's wonderful! Thank you OP and contributors... I'm ordering it without even mentioning it to hubby. It's his birthday next month LOL
 
Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
signgal said:
I can't believe that thing's only $50!!!! It really works on all U channel posts?! 10 footers? All bets are off with cement footers though, right?
Click to expand...
If you've got cement footers take a couple of foot long pieces of a railroad cross tie and lag bolt a couple of 24" long 4x4 post pieces across them. You can put the jack on that, it will act as a bridge over the concrete, and you can at least get them broken free of the ground.
 
CES020

CES020

New Member
Thanks all, I'll go the Bob route, without the tractor. It's in a commercial setting, landscapes grass, and cars in front of all the signs, so no way to get a bobcat in without moving cars or trashing the landscaping, so I'll go the old school route of manual labor :(
 
S

Stealth Ryder

New Member
During my tenure as a soldier I always found a small amount of well placed C4 would remove/relocate any obstacle I needed to "go way"... Other than that I would recommend the Skid Loader as described above...
 
B

Barry Jenicek

New Member
A Car Jack works well also. Got the Jack, the base, and bar at a flea market for $5.00.

Just a few suggestions…

Take a 2”x8”x12” board with you. Place the board on the ground next to the post and then place your jack on top of the board. Makes for a solid base and distributes the load. Without the board, your jack will want to sink into the ground as you begin to jack it up.

Take a 4" Hex nut and bolt that will fit in the holes in the post. Put it through the hole about 5 inches from grade and then wrap your chain around the post below the bolt. Sometimes the chain will slip upward without a positive stop in place, thus the bolt. (As me how I know)

Have fun

Barry
 
G-Artist

G-Artist

New Member
Barry beat me to it....I was going to say cannibalize some shipping skids made of oak.
You'll need the (free) lumber to keep from sinking in the ground and to add leverage.

Also check your local U-Rent-It places. Some have pullers with an easy to use hydraulic
jack. Saves wear and tear on your back.

Next trip to the fla market, pick up a few machinists / mechanics drifts. You place one
in the holes in the channel to give the chain some purchase and make it non-slip.

BTW, this sounds like a job to do on a weekend if there are lots of cars coming and going
during the work week. You'll be glad you did.
 
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