Quick verdict
A snare made of 7/32 inch galvanized aircraft cable with a 5,600 pound breaking strength and a length of 1/4 inch Grade 43 chain rated to 7,800 pounds, that loops low around a fence post, tightens on itself as it is lifted and hooks to a farm jack or a 4 by 4 lever so the post comes straight up out of the ground, concrete and all. It pulls rotted, broken and buried posts that a spade cannot reach, and it leaves the hole clean for the new post. The jack or lever is not included.
Strengths
- Snare tightens on the post as it lifts; no clamping
- Pulls broken, rotted and buried posts with concrete attached
- Aircraft cable rated 5,600 lb and chain 7,800 lb
- Works with a farm jack or a 4x4 lever over a fulcrum
- Leaves a clean hole for the replacement
Weaknesses
- Jack or lever and fulcrum are needed and not included
- A post with a large concrete footing needs the jack, not the lever
- Cable snare can slip on a very smooth round post without a bite
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
The Post Comes Up, Not the Gardener’s Back
Digging out a fence post set in concrete is a half day with a spade and a bar, and a broken post with nothing to grab is worse. A snare and a jack lift it in minutes. F&P’s tool is a 7/32 inch galvanized aircraft cable loop that tightens on the post as it loads, joined to Grade 43 chain that hooks to a farm jack or a 4 by 4 lever. Lift, reset, lift, and the post rises with its footing attached.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how cable snare post pullers are used with jacks and levers generally. We have not used this tool ourselves.
Using It
Clear the soil a few inches around the post base. Pass the cable around the post as low as possible and through its own eye so it snares. Hook the chain to the jack lip with the jack standing on a wide board beside the post, or over a 4 by 4 lever resting on a block close to the post. Lift. The snare bites, the post moves, and after a few strokes it is out with the concrete on it and the hole clean.
Broken and Rotted Posts
A post snapped at ground level leaves a stub nothing can grip. Dig a few inches, snare the stub and lift; the cable tightens on whatever is there. A rotted post that would crumble in a clamp comes up because the snare loads the whole circumference.
Ratings
Cable rated to 5,600 pounds and chain to 7,800. A post in a concrete footing can take a tonne or more of pull to break free, so the margin is there. Stand to the side when the load is on; a snapping snare is the thing the ratings are preventing.
What Is Not in the Box
The jack or the lever and a fulcrum block. A farm jack is the right tool for concreted posts; a 4 by 4 over a block works for T-posts and shallow wood.
Care
Rinse the mud off, let it dry and hang it. Galvanized cable does not rust through but the crimp sleeve wants checking for fraying before each heavy pull.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone replacing a run of fence posts.
- Homeowners with a post snapped at the ground.
- Farm and ranch owners with a jack in the truck.
Common Owner Complaints
Needing a jack. It is the lever; the snare is the grip.
Alternatives to Consider
A dedicated T-post puller for steel posts only. A chain and a tractor loader for a long fence line. A spade and a bar, which is what this replaces.
Verdict
For stubborn, concreted or broken posts, a snare on a farm jack is the method that works, and this cable and chain are rated for it. Snare low, stand clear and reset the jack as it rises.
Full specifications
F&P Products Fence Post Removal Tool with Galvanized Cable and Grade 43 Chain for Jack or 4x4 Lever FAQs
Loop the cable low around the post, hook the chain to the jack lip or over a lever, and lift. The snare tightens as it loads and the post rises straight up. Lift, reset the jack, lift again.
A farm jack, often called a high-lift, on a wide base plate so it does not sink. Or a 4 by 4 lever over a block as a fulcrum for lighter posts.
Yes, with the jack. The post and its footing come up together. Dig a few inches around the footing first to break the suction.
Dig down a few inches, loop the cable around the stub and lift. The snare grips where a clamp cannot.
