Removing old metpost spikes

Blue_Doggy

Is it possible to remove old metpost spikes from soil - specifically clay soil - after the posts have rotted out? I have several such which I put in in my garden thirty-odd years ago. I’d like to take the opportunity to change the garden lay-out, and these old metal sockets are now a trip hazard.
 

I’m thinking perhaps there’s some sort of lifting device one could hire, attach to the metpost spike, and by working a geared handle draw it up from the ground. Does such a thing exist?
 

The fall back plan, of course, is to put another wooden post in and put a climbing plant up it. 

tacpot12

You have two options to remove them. 1) Insert a fresh fencepost and wiggle it from side to side and front to back. Then the Metpost should lift out. 2) Find a strong a chain with a hook on it and attach one end of the chain to the a bolt on the Metpost and pull upwards on the chain. If you are struggling for strength to do this, there are videos on the internet of people pulling out tree stumps by routing the chain over a strong round object like a car tyre and pulling the chain horizontally. The car tyre converts the horizontal pull to a vertical pull. You can probably fix the chain to a distant point and then stand on it so that your weight is passed through the chain, over the tyre and hence the Metpost is lifted out of the ground since a Metpost has a lot less grip than a tree stump. 

Dustyevsky

Perhaps a long M10 nut and bolt put across holes drilled in the Metpost socket and levered with a brick (or similar) as a fulcrum? Depends if you have something to act as a lever, like a scaffold pole with flattened end etc.

Or ow about a manual car jack, attached to the underside of a wooden bridge-over structure and used in reverse to lifting, acting on the same nut & bolt?

Couple of ideas. I'm not usually one to see the most obvious solution though! Maybe that's either dig them out, or bash them down with a blimmin' great sledgehammer!

Blue_Doggy

Thank you for these suggestions, tacpot12 and Dustyevsky. I haven’t any old tyres to hand, nor scaffold poles, but I’ll have a think about those ideas and see what I’ve got which may do. Probably try the wiggling suggestion first …. 

FreeBear

A crowbar under the square, and a lump of wood or concrete block to act as a fulcrum point may do it. The spike on these things are quite long, so it may not come out very easily. But if the neighbour's spikes are anything to go by, they rust away after 20 years or so of being in the ground.

Eldi_Dos

@Blue_Doggy

Do you have access to two fencing posts and a bolt of 250mm length?

Blue_Doggy

@Eldi_Dos yes, I have fencing posts, of varying lengths from 6’ to the unrotted tops of the ones which rotted out. No bolts that size, although the local hardware shop probably sells them.

Blue_Doggy

@FreeBear, well, if the long spikes have rusted away that’ll make life much easier! If only the clay subsoil will release its embrace….

Eldi_Dos

@Blue_Doggy

If you cut two of the offcut posts to approx 1.5 meter and drill a hole say 200 mm from end.Then drill a hole through long fencepost and use a long bolt to hold them loosely together.
Place the two feet so that end of fulcrum is above metapost and will pull directly upwards.
Wrap a chain around base of metapost and fence post and try and lever upwards.
If not successful straight away hang a couple of buckets full of sand or soil at opposite end of fence post and leave.Hopefully this steady pressure with help break soils grip.

I feel wet soil would release quicker so put a few watering cans of water around metapost see it that helps.

If they have been concreted in doubt if above will work and probably need digging out.

Blue_Doggy

Thank you, @Eldi_Dos, that’s the sort of contraption I had in mind, but made of steel and with geared wheels to do the donkey work, and hireable from a tool hire company. Posts definitely not concreted in though, but hammered in when I was thirty-odd years younger.
 

Anyway, thanks to all contributors I now have a number of possible solutions to try. Thank you, people! 😀