If you're currently staring at your backyard and realizing that pulling out chain link fence posts is a much bigger job than you anticipated, you aren't alone. Most of us go into a project like this thinking we'll just give the post a good yank or maybe a few hits with a sledgehammer and it'll pop right out. Then reality sets in. You realize that whoever installed the fence thirty years ago decided that every single post needed to be anchored in a three-foot-deep "mushroom" of solid concrete.
Suddenly, what felt like a quick Saturday morning chore turns into a multi-day battle against the earth itself. But don't worry—you don't need a backhoe or a professional crew to get the job done. You just need a bit of physics on your side and the right strategy.
Why These Posts Are Such a Pain
Before you go out there and start straining your back, it helps to understand what you're actually fighting. Usually, it's not just the metal post itself. It's the concrete footing. Over time, that concrete can settle and "bond" with the surrounding soil, especially if you have heavy clay. The soil creates a kind of suction or friction that holds onto the rough surface of the concrete like glue.
If you just try to pull straight up with your arms, you're basically trying to lift a hundred-pound weight that's being held down by the planet. It's a losing game. The goal of pulling out chain link fence posts efficiently is to break that suction and use leverage rather than raw strength.
The Hi-Lift Jack Method (The Easiest Way)
If you have access to a Hi-Lift jack (often called a farm jack), you're in luck. This is arguably the most effective way to get those stubborn posts out without needing a chiropractor afterward. These jacks are tall, heavy-duty, and designed to lift several tons.
Here's how you do it. You'll need a heavy-duty chain—something that can handle some serious tension. Wrap the chain tightly around the base of the post, right where it meets the ground. Use a "choker" style loop so that the harder you pull, the tighter the chain grips the metal. Then, hook the other end of the chain onto the "nose" of the jack.
As you pump the handle, the jack does all the work. You'll probably hear some groaning and popping—that's the concrete finally giving up its grip on the dirt. The best part? Once the post starts moving, the rest of the lift is usually a breeze. Just watch out for your feet; once that concrete plug clears the hole, the whole thing can be pretty top-heavy.
Using a Spare Tire for Leverage
Maybe you don't have a farm jack and you don't want to go buy one. There's an old-school trick using a spare tire (or a sturdy rim) and a vehicle. Now, a word of caution: be careful with your truck. You don't want to just tie a rope to your bumper and floor it. You'll either snap the rope or rip your bumper off.
Instead, place a spare tire (standing upright) a couple of feet away from the post. Run a chain from the base of the fence post, over the top of the tire, and then to the trailer hitch of your truck. By running the chain over the tire, you're changing the direction of the force. Instead of the truck pulling the post sideways (which just bends the post), it converts that horizontal pull into a vertical lift.
When you slowly—and I mean slowly—pull forward in the truck, the post should slide straight up out of the ground. It's a clever little bit of backyard physics that saves a lot of digging.
The Wet and Wiggle Technique
If your posts aren't set in massive amounts of concrete, or if you're dealing with sandier soil, you might be able to get away with the "wet and wiggle" method. This is exactly what it sounds like, but it requires some patience.
Start by digging out just a little bit of dirt around the base of the post. Stick a garden hose in that gap and let the water run on a slow trickle. You want to saturate the soil all the way down the length of the post. While the water is running, grab the top of the post and start rocking it back and forth.
As the water seeps down, it lubricates the sides of the concrete and softens the soil. After a few minutes of wiggling, you'll notice the "play" in the post getting bigger. Eventually, the suction will break, and you might be able to lift it out by hand or with a simple pry bar. It's messy, and you'll end up with muddy boots, but it's a lot cheaper than renting equipment.
What to Do When the Post Snaps
It happens to the best of us. You're pulling out chain link fence posts that have been in the ground since the Nixon administration, and the rust has finally won. You apply a little pressure, and snap—the metal post breaks off right at the ground level, leaving the massive hunk of concrete buried in the dirt.
Now you have a real problem. You can't wrap a chain around something that isn't there. At this point, you have two choices. You can either dig the whole thing out by hand, which is a miserable way to spend an afternoon, or you can try to "drill and pin" it.
If you have a heavy-duty drill, you can try to drill a hole into the remaining stump of the post (if there's enough left) and slide a heavy bolt through it to give your chain something to catch. If it's snapped completely flush, you're basically stuck with the shovel. Dig a circle around the concrete until you can get a chain underneath the "bell" of the footing. It's a workout, but it's the only way.
Safety Things to Keep in Mind
I know it sounds like a simple job, but things can go sideways quickly when you're dealing with high-tension chains and heavy concrete.
- Watch the snap: If a chain or a strap breaks under tension, it can whip back with enough force to cause a serious injury. Always use chains or straps rated for the weight, and try to keep people standing well back while you're pulling.
- Mind your back: Even if you use a jack, you eventually have to move that concrete-weighted post once it's out of the hole. Don't try to manhandle it alone. Those concrete "plugs" can weigh 80 to 100 pounds easily.
- Call before you dig: It's a cliché for a reason. You really don't want to find out where your main water line or your neighbor's fiber-optic cable is by hitting it with a fence post or a shovel.
Filling the Holes
Once you've successfully finished pulling out chain link fence posts, you're going to be left with a series of deep, narrow holes across your yard. Don't just leave them there. Aside from being a great way to twist an ankle, they'll eventually cave in and leave divots in your lawn.
Fill them with a mixture of dirt and gravel, tamping it down every few inches as you go. If you just pour loose dirt in, the first big rainstorm will wash it down and you'll have a hole again. A little bit of extra effort now means a smooth, level yard later.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, pulling out chain link fence posts is mostly about persistence. It's one of those jobs that looks impossible for the first twenty minutes, and then suddenly, the ground gives way and the post pops out. Whether you're using a fancy farm jack, a spare tire and a truck, or just a hose and some elbow grease, the key is to work smarter, not harder. Once that last post is out, you can finally move on to the fun part—putting up something new that actually looks good. Just maybe think twice before you use quite so much concrete on the next one!