Needless destruction

[Gromit]

Supposing I wanted to take down a few concrete block walls.

I had an idea that I could get a chain or wire rope looped through holes in the bottom of the wall, give it a gentle tug with the 110, and pull the bottom out from under the wall and voila; wall in a heap on the ground and me and my truck still in one piece

Is this a good idea? (Famous last words there)

My main concern would be having a non-stretchy rope/chain, so that when the whole lot let go, I wouldn't have large chunks of rope and concrete coming in the back window to say hello.

Comments?

[BogMonster]

Might work, though I would give it a few good smacks with a sledgehammer first to crack the cement.

I'd also check whether anything important or expensive was in the way if the wall keeled over and fell down as a complete slab as you might feel like a pillock if you were collecting the blocks from the inside of where your greenhouse used to be etc

I pulled out concreted in fence posts with a chain and my old red 90 but I wouldn't try it with one with a Td5 chassis. Basically 1st low range drive off with the post short coupled to the tow hitch such that the chain went down at about 45 deg, come off the clutch just before the rear suspension bottomed out and let the vehicle roll back, do it again half a dozen times and the post was out, much easier than digging but needs a strong tow point obviously

[GBMUD]

Very dangerous, I would not suggest that anyone do it.

I would do it.

Chris

[Gromit]

drive off with the post short coupled to the tow hitch such that the chain went down at about 45 deg

Might have a few posts to do too. Is the 45 degrees is to pull up as well as over?

[Les Henson]

I saw a pikey try this with a Transit once - he repeatedly reversed into an old brick wall to try and save himself some time and work with a sledge hammer. The wall stayed up, but the rear of his van was totalled - what an idiot.

Weakening the wall across a cement line as suggested by Bogmonster would a wise thing to do first.

Les.

[BogMonster]

Might have a few posts to do too. Is the 45 degrees is to pull up as well as over?

Partly to pull up and partly to put some weight transfer onto the rear wheels which equals more grip

The key is not to overdo it though. Oh and if it is a long post mind the back window...

[Turbocharger]

On a similar but opposite note, last weekend my dear father had screwed six railway sleepers together and wanted to stand them on end. TroddenMasses winched them to 'nearly upright' but found that the winch hook met the snatch block when they were at 89degrees, so I used the back of my Ninety to 'gently support' them while he sent my brother up a tree re-rigged.

As Chris says, I wouldn't generically advocate LR panels as pushers or bludgeoners, but it does get the job done. If it was a suitable wall I'd be tempted to gently nudge it over with the rear crossmember, but I do mean 'gently' and 'nudge'.

[SteveG]

The wall stayed up, but the rear of his van was totalled - what an idiot.

What, because he had to go to the hassle of stealing another one!

Steve

[BogMonster]

On a similar but opposite note, last weekend my dear father had screwed six railway sleepers together and wanted to stand them on end. TroddenMasses winched them to 'nearly upright' but found that the winch hook met the snatch block when they were at 89degrees, so I used the back of my Ninety to 'gently support' them while he sent my brother up a tree re-rigged.

Does your father make a habit of creating garden sculptures composed of railway sleepers?

[muddy]

If its just a single brick/lock wall i would use a sledge hammer tbh i think by the time you've faffed about with rope ect you could have it down.

[Gromit]

If its just a single brick/lock wall i would use a sledge hammer

That's just too much like hard work.

[Troddenmasses]

Does your father make a habit of creating garden sculptures composed of railway sleepers?

Nope - it was a backstop for the rifle range that we are building in his back garden. There will be a lot of earth packed around them, but they are the starting point. The winch on the landy proved really useful, the whole lot must have weighed in at a couple of tonnes. I was lifting it with the winch, and controlling it with a KERR attached to the bottom. Driving closer / further away made the bottom move, and winching in and out moved the top part. It worked like a dream.

[Turbocharger]

Well, this one's a backstop so next door's cattle don't get too shot, but he also has a stone Bickhenge patio area which aligns with sunrise on the equinox or somesuch.

[gruntus]

I tractor pulled a few leylandi stumps out with my Disco once....

...needed a new UJ on the front propshaft not long after

It was worth it though!

[Paul Wightman]

This is so valuable, it should be in the technical archive.

[Gromit]

This is so valuable, it should be in the technical archive.

Not every single thread on the forum has to be worthy of the tech archive.

[BoatBuoy]

Hmmmm.... seen chains break doing this. I'm of the go and rent a mini digger from hss camp. Safety first, safety second and all that.

[FridgeFreezer]

Brick walls are not strong under side-loads, a sledgehammer is probably less work and less risk to people & vehicles.

Alternative is to buy a scrap Volvo estate and reverse through the wall - cut the roof off first and you've got a ready made skip

[Ruuman]

The sledge hammer is the right way, but the vehicle way will be far more impressive whatever happens. Don't forget to set the video camera up!!

[bishbosh]

I can see a Darwin Award coming on..........