7 Hacks to Remove Fence Post Spikes

Besides making your fence posts removable, the benefit of fence post spikes is that they can also be removed from the ground without digging & can be reused later. To remove fence post spikes from the ground, any tool/set of tools & methods can be used by which you can apply leverage & pull the spikes out of the ground. In terms of physics, a lever/leverage is the mechanism based on a fulcrum or pivot/center point, where force is applied on one end to lift or move the object on the other end.

A hi-lift jack (farm jack) or car jack(hydraulic jack) is the most commonly used to remove fence posts & post spikes from the ground effortlessly. While a crowbar or pickaxe is easily accessible to everyone, however they require more effort.

In this post, you’ll discover all the DIY methods to remove post spikes using handy tools.

All DIY methods and tools to remove fence post spikes:

You can use any of the following tools & methods to remove post spikes from the ground.

1. Stick a crowbar or pickaxe under the post spike’s bracket. Then, stick a hard material, i.e., a wood block, at the base as a pivot point & press the handle downward.
2. Fasten a pipe wrench on the post spike’s head & lift with the hi-lift or car jack.
3. Mount the C/G clamp to the post spike & push it from bottom to upward using a hi-lift or car jack.
4. Mount a bench vice on the post spike’s head & lift it with the hi-lift(farm jack) or car jack.
5. Fasten a wood block to the post spike head using a ratchet strap or chain, & lift the block of wood using a hi-lift or car jack.
6. Fasten a wood post or wood block inside the post spike’s bracket. Then screw a wood block at the bottom of the post near the post spike bracket. Then, lift the wood block using a hi-lift or car jack.

Tip: If the ground is quite hard, water the spot all around the spike to loosen the hard-packed soil.

Below, we’ll discuss all the methods in complete detail with a visual explanation.

Method 1: Remove post spikes using a Crowbar

A crowbar is the most handy tool available in almost every home. Make sure to pay attention to safety while applying force on a prybar or pickaxe.

Tools required:

• A crowbar
• A wood block or any hard material as a pivot point to apply leverage to the spikes from the bottom.

Steps:

1. Stick the sharp edge of the crowbar under the post-spike’s bracket(head).
2. Then, fix the wood/metal block under the crowbar such that the crowbar makes a 45% angle to the ground.
3. Press the crowbar downward with the whole body weight & the post-spike will start to get out of the ground.

Note: Although this method doesn’t require any costly tool, a crowbar is commonly available. It requires a lot of force, especially if the ground is quite hard & if you’ve to remove a large number of spikes. So you must be physically fit & this method is recommended to remove a few fence posts.

Remove post spikes with a Pickaxe:

In the same way as a crowbar, a pickaxe can also help you remove the fence spikes from the ground. A heavy-duty curved pickaxe with a metal or fiberglass handle is preferable, as the wood handle may break.

Steps:

1. Dig a little around the post-spike bracket and fix a sharp end of the pickaxe under the post-spike bracket.
2. Bend the pickaxe & fix a small wood or metal block under it for leverage.
3. Then, pull the pickaxe in the opposite direction with the whole body weight.

Caution: If the ground is extremely hard, removing post spikes using a pickaxe or crowbar will take a lot of force. So, it’s better to adequately water the soil around the post spikes to loosen the ground layers.

Method 2: Using a large Pipe Wrench and Hi-lift or Car Jack

Take a large pipe wrench that can fit your post spike’s bracket size. Such as a 48-inch pipe wrench can open a maximum of up to 6 in.

Required Tools:

• Pipe wrench
• Hi-lift or car jack

Steps:

1. Fasten the pipe wrench over the post spike’s bracket.
2. Then, fix the hi-lift/car jack under the wrench handle.
3. At last, press the jack’s handle up & down. Jack will start moving up & pushing the pipe wrench upward & ultimately. The post-spike will start pulling it out of the ground.

Method 3: Using a C/G Clamp & a Hi-lift or Car Jack

A C-clamp, also known as a G clamp, is a type of clamp that functions the same as a bench vice. It is shaped like the letter “C or G” and holds objects in woodworking, metalworking, welding, and various construction applications. We can use it along a farm(hi-lift) or car jack to remove fence post spikes from the ground.

Tools Required:

• C or G clamp
• A Hi-lift or farm jack

Steps:

1. Open the adjustable jaw of the clamp by rotating the handle anticlock wise.
2. Vertically or horizontally, fasten the jaws of the clamp around the post spike’s bracket(header)by rotating the handle clockwise.
3. Then, adjust the nose(saddle) of the hi-lift jack or car jack under the clamp &. At last, press the handle of the jack up & down.
4. The lifter(nose) of the jack will move upward, pushing the clamp upward & ultimately removing the spike from the ground.

Method 4: Using a Bench Vice and & a Hi-lift or Car Jack

A bench vice grips the head of the post spike while the hi-lift(car jack) pushes it upward, pulling it out of the ground.

Tools Required:

• A bench vice
• A hi-lift(farm jack) or car jack

Steps to follow:

1. Open the jaws of the bench vice by rotating its handle anticlockwise.
2. Adjust the jaws of the bench vice over the post-spike’s head & rotate the handle clockwise to fasten the jaws.
3.  
4. Then, adjust the nose of the hi-lift jack under the bench vice & switch the reversing lever up to allow the jack to move upward & prevent sliding down.
5. Firmly hold the handle of the jack & press it downward by applying your whole body weight.
6. After it’s completely down, pull the handle up & and again press it down & repeat.
7. This way, the hi-lift jack will push the vice mounted to the post spike’s holder upward. Ultimately, the post-spike will start moving out of the ground.

Note: You can use a Hi-lift (farm jack) or a car jack to remove the post spike, as they function similarly.

Method 5: Using a Ratchet Strap & a Hi-lift or Car Jack

If you want to remove post spikes while the post is still in or stuck in the spike. An easy way is to attach the post to a wood block with a ratchet strap or chain, then use a hi-lift or car jack to leverage the post out of the ground. A ratchet strap is a tool to tighten and securely hold items.

Tools Required:

• Hi-lift or car jack
• A ratchet strap or a chain
• A wood block

Steps:

1. First of all, dig a few inches on any side of the post spike to place the hi-lift jack a little lower than the post spike.
2. Then, take a wood block & tie it to the post spike a few inches above the ground using the ratchet strap.
3. Place the hi-lift jack at the low ground level & fix its nose(runner) under the wood block tied to the post spike.
4. Now press the handle down, pull it up, press down again & repeat.
5. This way, the hi-lift jack will push the wood block tied to the post spike upward & ultimately, the post spike will be pushed upward & will move out of the ground.

Method 6: Using Screw Drill and Hi-lift or Car jack

Tools Required:

• Hi-lift or Car Jack
• Screw drill & long screw or a simple masonry drill
• A wood block

Steps:

1. In this method, we’ll fasten a wood post into the post spike.
2. Then take a wood block & attach it to the fence post using long screws & screwdrill a few inches above the ground.
3. In another way, use a masonry drill bit to drill two large holes up & down through the wood block into the wood post. Then, pass a large bolt into the holes to keep the wood block hooked to the post.
4. Now take your hi-lift or a carjack & fix it under the wood block attached to the post.
5. At last, press the handle down, pull it up & repeat.
6. The jack will push the wood block upward & the post will start to push out of the ground.

How to operate a Hi-lift & Car Jack?

Most of the methods used to remove fence post spikes require a hi-lift(farm jack) or a car jack, so you must know how to operate them.

How to operate a hi-lift jack(farm jack)?

1. Take your hi-lift jack. There is a curved pin at the left bottom, also known as the reversing latch. It allows you to slide the lifter(nose) down & lock it in place.
2. To take the lifter(nose or large runner) up or down, switch the reversing latch(pin) downward.
3. After taking the lifter to the desired spot, lock it in place by switching the reversing latch upward.

How to operate a car jack(floor jack)?

To use a car jack (hydraulic jack), simply rotate the handle clockwise to start the lifting function. Then, fix the lifter(large saddle) under the object you want to lift.

Press the handle downward, pull it up, press down & repeat & the lifter will start moving upward. To move the lifter after the work is done, simply rotate the handle downward.

Conclusion

As per my experience, all these methods work pretty well. You can use any tool from the list of tools discussed above. Crowbar & a pickaxe are commonly available in all homes, however, they require a little more effort. While a Hi-lift jack is most commonly used to remove fence posts & spikes.

If you know any other better DIY method to remove fence post spikes, share it with us.

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