Ripping a metal post out of the ground...

barra265t · 13-10-2009, 12:51 AM

Is it alright to use a car to rip a metal post out of the ground? Contemplating tying a chain to the towbar of an xr6t and using it to rip out a large metal post set in concrete that used to be a gate. Will this cause any damage to the car.. pretty sure a 1700 odd kg car would win 100 times over a 10 odd kg metal post.

Racecraft · 13-10-2009, 01:09 AM

sedan or ute? how deep into the ground and how much concrete in the hole?

Unco · 13-10-2009, 01:14 AM

angle grinder?

try it by all means, but i don't think your 1700kg car will have much of a chance against a metal post buried in concrete...

388cube_edxr8 · 13-10-2009, 01:16 AM

It depends on how much traction you have, how you want to do it, and how stubborn the post is. I have heard success, and horror stories.

If the car is an auto and you have a lot of traction, you risk bending the rear axle if you floor it. If its a manual, you risk burning out the clutch.

Either way, if there is no traction, you will just burn rubber, which will be cool, but not really achieve anything.

If you do rip it out with the car, keep driving, and slow down gently. Drive in a circle if you must. If you pull it out and then slam on the brakes, the fencepost, concrete and all will likely hit the back of your nice XR6.

Whatever you do, don't tie the cable on loose and take a run up with the car to tighten the slack. That will more than certainly bend the chassis or something expensive.

Yes the car will win 100 times over a 10kg post, but the planet Earth is a bit bigger than your car, and attaching the post to it opens up a whole new playing field.

If you do try it, let us know how it goes.

atec77 · 13-10-2009, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barra265t

Is it alright to use a car to rip a metal post out of the ground? Contemplating tying a chain to the towbar of an xr6t and using it to rip out a large metal post set in concrete that used to be a gate. Will this cause any damage to the car.. pretty sure a 1700 odd kg car would win 100 times over a 10 odd kg metal post.

if you can afford the damage
best to use some chain and a long strong lever to lift it from the ground you have soaked and dug some
A certain Italian said " Give a lever and a fulcrum and I will move worlds"

Swordsman88 · 13-10-2009, 01:40 AM

While it may be cool to try it, frankly i'm not a fan. For starters its alot harder to 'pull' these sorts of things out of the ground then it is to dig them out. Soften the soil around it at the very least...and follow the advise of the earlier posters.

However, i truly doubt it will work. Traction will be the big issue...the car (esp if manual) will go into wheelspin pretty easilly, particulary if you are on grass/dirt. and yes, a run up is a bad idea.

I remember years ago (when i was living in FNQld) a farmer brought what one would call a 'small' tractor from his farm to the front yard of his house to rip out some things because he was landcaping the yard. He pulled a pre loosened mailbox out withouth too much trouble (low gear, high torque 4 tonne tractor will do that) but funny enough, because it was a 2wd tractor he couldn't pull out a pretty small tree stump. It would have been a tree nothing more than 6 metre high when it was growing and a trunk of 5-6 inches. He softened the soil, used low gear, gunned it repeatedly and all he did was succeed in digging in the rear wheels. And yes he did try to remove the trea earlier with his SS ute....it didnt' work just lots of wheelspin on his driveway. Eventually he had to come back with a much larger 4wd plough pulling tractor to get the tree out, and it fought him all the way LOL! From memory his (70 year old) father ended up being the one to succeed....watching that from the from porch was great entertainment of an afternoon....

XR Martin · 13-10-2009, 07:03 AM

If its a 10kg post then you should be able to lift it out...

This sounds like a whole lot of fail. Please get video of this so we can see the result.

4Vman · 13-10-2009, 07:28 AM

Use a long chain and get a run at it..........

:

Sam · 13-10-2009, 07:33 AM

shake it a bit, dig around it a little bit, stick a hose down it and flood the sucker, you need leverage to get it out. If you do use your car, video it please

**Charliewool** · 13-10-2009, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Use a long chain and get a run at it..........

:

Reverse being the lowest gear... I'd also suggest tying on to the front bar and doing it backwards combined with the above suggested "run-up"

Ohhh.. And be sure your seatbelt is firmly fastened!!

duaned · 13-10-2009, 08:26 AM

I once pulled a tree stump out with an AU wagon ( company car.) After a lot of wheelspin the mongrel came out, however the rope snapped back and hit my brother in the knee! At the time he was very sick, and the knee part furthur compounded the problem! So if you do try it, make sure there is no person around the attempted extraction site!

AzuR · 13-10-2009, 08:52 AM

I pulled about 10 of my mates tree stumps out from his front yard, using my old xr8 ute, just used some crane slings tied together, slowly dipped the power on and they just popped out, although we had a close call when one of the slings slipped off and took a large chunk of wood with it, missing my car just haha.

Allen · 13-10-2009, 09:03 AM

Why does this thread remind me so much of that Mythbusters episode where they loop a cable around the diff of the RC Cop car to recreate the American Graffiti scene?

In all seriousness, just dig the post out.

sgt_doofey · 13-10-2009, 09:52 AM

Having just pulled two posts out of the ground recently, I would also advise just digging them out. There is a lot less potential for damage if you don't use the car. Think about what would happen with a tightened rope/chain/whatever once that post finally gives out?
It took me about an hour with a jack hammer, spade and crowbar to get the two posts out.

**GasoLane** · 13-10-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Use a long chain and get a run at it..........

:

Definitely the way to go.... 50 metres should be long enough.

Make sure that you're doing at least 100kmh when the chain tightens.

If this fails a couple of sticks of gelignite should do it.

Oh, and don't forget to ask your parents permission before doing either.

NC_Lane · 13-10-2009, 01:34 PM

hmm maybe stap a few blocks of c4 and blow the sucker sky high :P

**PHATAL** · 13-10-2009, 01:46 PM

Mate make us a video . . . . FAIL FTW LOL

LANKY 1 · 13-10-2009, 02:21 PM

Is it just a post with a bit of concrete down the bottom or a post in a full slab of concrete?

I would suggest like whinching someone out with a 4WD, u should put a bag filled with sand or something on the cable so if it does break it will fall to the ground and not hit anyone(or knee!)

Springfield_Johny · 13-10-2009, 02:35 PM

Your forgetting that ataching it to a car and pulling it, is not lifting it but rather drying to drag the whole thing through the earth like a big plough so the 10 kilo post suddenly has resistance applied to it, the resistance could be equivelent to anywhere from 12kg to 2000kg. Where on the car are you going to atach the rope to & will that be strong enough to take the load

Rubidium · 13-10-2009, 02:44 PM

so what you are really trying to do is rip the concrete block out of the ground, you really need to consider its dimensions and weight.

assuming the pole is strong, you may want to consider attaching your rope to the top of the pole for better leverage

The Yeti · 13-10-2009, 03:03 PM

and when it comes out with a bang, how are you going to stop it before it comes through your back window?

If you do it be sure to video it

FreddyDUZ747 · 13-10-2009, 03:11 PM

Is anyone taking bets?

burnz · 13-10-2009, 03:16 PM

use a snatch strapp, that way the shock wont hurt your car.
and when it comes out and lands on your roof you wont have to carry it..

tickford2001 · 13-10-2009, 03:19 PM

please please please let there be video!

jamesson1980 · 13-10-2009, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tickford2001

please please please let there be video!

...then after it's done, film the remaining half of the car doing donuts in triumph!

Airmon · 13-10-2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atec77

if you can afford the damage
best to use some chain and a long strong lever to lift it from the ground you have soaked and dug some
A certain Italian said " Give a lever and a fulcrum and I will move worlds"

He managed to move a warship on that principle, Im sure you will be able to manage a post.

The Yeti · 13-10-2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tickford2001

please please please let there be video!

Staring bugs bunny and daffy duck

phantomxr6t · 13-10-2009, 06:04 PM

Do not attach chain to tow ball if you are going to tow it out with your car, there is a 50% chance ball will snap and then it will be firmly lodged in the back of your head. I have seen them snap by d/heads using snatch straps on there 4wd.

frd906 · 13-10-2009, 06:31 PM

should use a bungy cord

XDV800 · 13-10-2009, 06:41 PM

I highly recommend that you pop the post out with a small chemical reaction.
Simply purchase a bottle of pwdered pool chlorine, pour this down the post until it is just about 10 cm from the top. The open a bottle of brake fluid, tip it into the top of the post and let it sit ontop, IMMEDIATLY STEP BACK 20 PACES, then marvel as your post suddenly becomes a faraway neighbours problem.

Seriously you will probably do LESS damage to your car if you ram into it with the front of your xr6t...
Use a Landcruiser.