Fixing improperly installed chain link fence

The guy who lived in our house before us was a DIY wannabe with NO skill to back up his ambition, so hubby and I have been UN-doing a lot of his handiwork as we fix up our "new" place. (Oh the tales I could tell on the project horror stories board!) The biggest problem so far is the chain link fence on one side of our VERY deep (300') yard. It was installed with t-shaped posts spaced at least 6' apart without benefit of top or bottom rail or wire. Consequently, where it has been hopped various times, the fence is very crushed down and won't do at all to keep our golden retriever contained. Can I just put in another of the same kind of T-bar in the middle of the places it's sagging and wire the fence to the post as a temporary fix? How should I pull the fence back UP and secure it so that it stays that way? I've tried just yanking on it and it's not in the mood to budge in the worst spots.

(I should add that this house has been a Money Pit and we can't possibly afford to replace the fence with one done properly at this time, much as I'd LOVE to)

Any help is most gratefully appreciated!

 

you can buy top rail with the post holders and install it yourself. Where the fence is sagging it will be pulled up when you tie the top of the chain link to the new top rail.

A local fence supply can help you out with this.

 

Welcome to the diy forums!

Are the posts the same as what farmers use to fence in a pasture?

Normally chain link has round posts with a round top bar/rail to secure the top of the fence. Spacing between posts is 8'-10'

I suppose another post where it is sagging would work but at 6' you already have a lot of posts. You really need something to attach the top of the chain link to. Would it be feasable to stretch a heavy guage wire along the top to attach the chain link too? or some type of rail?

 

The best way I can explain it is that they're shaped like a capital T with notches down the side, no holes where anything could be reliably tied. They're green and sell at Home Depot for about $3 each for one that's 4' tall. (Similar to this, but without the useful holes http://www.hectorshardware.com/lifepo.html) I'm not really sure HOW I could install any kind of a top rail short of welding something on and attaching the fence to that. (While I have access to a portable welder, this isn't really a solution I want to try) And to highlight my horrible estimating skills from the original post, the fence posts are actually about 9' apart, not 6.

I think that if I sink another pole or two with wire holes in the middle of the spans, I could probably secure the fence enough by attaching directly to the new poles, but how would one yank up the fence with nothing to attach a come-along to? I've even considered and discarded the idea of using some kind of automotive floor jack.

 

If you're thinking floor jack, let me respond by saying engine hoist such as:

http://www2.northerntool.com/product-1/200305213.htm

 

Not sure if I know of anyone who has one of those, or if I'd want to try and maneuver that around my backyard. LOL! I had a ball trying to fix the chain link fence on the other side of the house by stretching it with ratcheting auto tow hooks because that was what I had access to at the time. >

 

Attach your come-along to the trailer hitch of a pick-up truck if you can get it in the right position.

Find some pipe fitting "tees" that will fit over the top of your post. Then run a top rail through the tee. Good luck with your project.

Be aware that chain link fencing can be spliced if that would help solve your problem by removing and replacing bad sections of the wire.

 

That's an interesting one that I hadn't thought about... attaching it to the truck, that is. Not sure the trucks I have access to would have bumpers far enough off the ground. The fence is about 5' high. Anyone want to volunteer their monster truck?

I've never seen tees that fit over the tops of these rails, but that will be worth some digging around on the internet for. In theory, if I get desperate enough to match redneck installation with redneck repair, I could just put regular round pole top caps and rails on it as the weight of the fence pulling down on the rail would hold it on the post. I can't believe I'm even entertaining that idea. Good lord... someone smack me.

 

Well... Would regular round fence poles fit over them?

 

The bigger [more expensive] corner posts probably would but I doubt the regular line post would. I don't know if the tee cap is available for the bigger posts.

 

I'll measure the posts and check on the regular round caps for "normal" chain link fencing and it occurred to me that maybe someplace like Tractor Supply or another farm-type store and/or website might have a different selection for these posts. Will check this weekend and let everyone know.

 

Can you upload some pics of this fence to a photobucket.com site? I want to see the old owners craftmanship.