People built stuff to last in our past,

[Mr.Glock]

I spent the last 3 mornings hand digging this out of the ground and a Hi-Lyft Jack. 3 mornings was easier than hauling a backhoe for just this. But had I known how ****ing they not only built it but buried so deep and concreted big time. They had the rod that spaced it out correctly underground concreted in as well. Photo with black circle shows they had concrete between the in ground poles too.

It is a 4ft walk through that was in a fence line behind the feed barn that is made out of 2-3/8 drill stem. People built some lifetime lasting fence and gates back in the day. It was built in 1950 and was still straight and level with no sagging. As well as the pen gates that are 6 to 10ft wide and I guess to weigh in excess of 400lbs or more.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

2-3/8 drill stem. People built some lifetime lasting fence and gates back in the day. It was built in 1950 and was still straight and level with no sagging



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Reading the selected part of your post, I would have taken the tractor or backhoe from the beginning.

 

[Mr.Glock]

Reading the selected part of your post, I would have taken the tractor or backhoe from the beginning.

4 hours to go get, load and haul, the take back to farm. I have been using the early mornings for workout hours. When it did not budge after getting the dirt off the top a little, I thought same thing.

Then when I discovered the concrete between the holes the width of the legs on the spacer 1” Rod between the poles, I thought same thing.

Then when I hit dark red clay and had to let water stand over night to dig, I thought the same thing.

Then it became a challenge for me and Mr. Hi-Lyft Jack to conquer!

 

[swampratt]

You are lucky I did not have to dig the holes for that.
My dad made me dig corner post holes about 18" wide at the top 3 foot deep and 3 foot wide at the bottom.
Bell shaped.
Kudos for those guys concreting the strut rod I would not have thought to do that
No need to bell with that clay and 2 poles so close together.

They did good.

 

[swampratt]

I stuck rocks bricks and 800 lbs of mixed concrete into this hole to keep my gate poles from moving.
I live in a cul-de-sac and built the same big gates for 3 other neighbors.
You are going to need to cut them off at ground level and start over with these.
This one I built 24 years ago no sag yet and i have had people swing on the end of it.
Little overkill.

 

[Mr.Glock]

I stuck rocks bricks and 800 lbs of mixed concrete into this hole to keep my gate poles from moving.
I live in a cul-de-sac and built the same big gates for 3 other neighbors.
You are going to need to cut them off at ground level and start over with these.
This one I built 24 years ago no sag yet and i have had people swing on the end of it.
Little overkill.


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I noticed you had good fence around your collection!!

 

[Shadowrider]

Damn! I'd have ran out of curse words tackling that with a Hy-Lift.

 

[swampratt]

I got a HY-Lift from RickN i think and tried to pull some bushes out of the front yard with it.
Pinched the crap out of my finger and decided my old go to would be better and so the tow chains came out and the 57 Chevy got a work out.

Couple years later my son got a 4x4 and told me all he needed now was to find a Hi-Lift jack.

I promptly got rid of that thing.
He is happy.

 

[Mr.Glock]

I have used Hi-Lyft Jacks my whole life. They can put serious hurt/pain on a user if not respected.

 

[hunter966]

I have used Hi-Lyft Jacks my whole life. They can put serious hurt/pain on a user if not respected.

Amen brother!! Those son of a bucks will teach you a whole new level of pain on many body parts.