March 04, 2021 3 min read

What happens when you need to pull a fence post out of the ground?

Well, we're in the business of helping people complete the process safely and securely.  In fact, we've provided 13,000 active post pullers to people all over the world.  

If you're wondering whether you even need a pole puller, you can also compare your other options and the reasons why it could be your best for removing poles.  Here are some tips on the process and the tools involved.  

1. Common Pole Removal Tools and Methods

You may have heard of various ways to remove poles that actually work. A generic piece of equipment like a car jack with significant leverage is usually the go-to option besides a post puller but lacks grip and control.  

You can lift poles out of the ground by placing the jack underneath the pole. Here are some tools you may need for the process:

  • A 2x4 or 4x4 
  • Heavy-duty bolts 
  • Ratchet straps 

You can also get underneath the post by drilling holes and attach the straps to lift it out.  In order to drill through solid ground, you'll need these tools:

While these methods can work, they're not always the safest or the most efficient.  Take a look at some of your other options to see what fits your needs the best. 

2. Should You Dig Out Your Poles?   

To remove a post from the ground, it's sometimes easier to first remove the soil from around the post.  This is especially true for looser ground.  If you can dig around the post with a regular shovel or spade, you can loosen the post's foundation.  

The trick is to dig out soil from one side of the fence.  To get maximum leverage, you'll need to dig further than the base of the post.  This will allow you to tip the post and extract it by lifting. 

You may also need to dig out your posts before pulling them if the posts themselves are broken.  Sometimes the situation requires digging out the soil because the posts themselves have rotted at the base. 

Pulling out rotten posts can be tricky and dangerous since you may need to extract large pieces at a time, so always use caution.  

3. What Is the Best Method for Removing Poles...? 

What if you need to pry poles out of the cold, hard ground?  

If your posts are stuck in hard material like concrete, you likely need to use a specialty post puller.  True to their name, these tools are specifically designed for safe extraction from any type of ground, including stiff material like concrete. 

You can find pullers for both metal and wooden posts.  They have teeth designed to clamp onto the post and the safest models should allow you to pull the post in the same direction it was installed in. 

Extracting the post in the same direction helps you maintain control and ultimately saves you from sustaining any potential injury during the process.

Removing Poles Can Be a Safe and Simple Process

Our JackJaw pullers are designed to simplify extracting stubborn posts from the ground in the safest way possible. 

With heavy-gauge steel plating and tubing, the JackJaw mechanism lets you extract safely without whiplash or shoulder and back strain.      

If you need to extract a post, you can get started with one of our specialty pullers.  We have over 40 models that provide various widths and lengths for optimal leverage. 

It doesn't have to a back-breaking process!  Contact us today to get started.

JackJaw Construction Accessories Admin
JackJaw Construction Accessories Admin



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