My parents have asked me to work out how to fix their gateposts – they’re big sandstone things about 6ft high, and they’re moving, especially since a speed bump was installed on their road. So I’m thinking of an Acrow prop between the gateposts to push them back into place.

Will that work? Stupid idea?

Why would a speed bump increase the problem?
You may push one not the other.
Presume they’re falling inwards?
You going to leave the acro in permanantly?

Leave it in place?

Postman limbo I like it,, drop the acro prop a bit each day, keeps the fun fresh.

They’re big lumps of sandstone, sitting on stone bases – I think it’s the vibration from heavy vehicles hitting the speed bump that’s causing them to shift. They’re sliding, not leaning, and are meant to be up against the stone walls to either side but have shifted a few inches.

So I was thinking I could use the prop to push them both back into place, then fit bolted plates to stop them moving again. I guess what I’m asking is can the props push if you turn the thread?

If you were unlucky I could see a gatepost breaking. But yes they are designed to push things apart (normally a floor and a ceiling).

If the gate still closes Just throw a few rocks behind them to fill the gap.
if you need them vertical you will have to dig their base, level them up and concrete to stop them moving.
The speed bump will have nothing to do with it.

You’d be very surprised what an acro can push. Will easily lift joists up off brickwork causing cracking.
If you intend to push back you must make sure the gap that has been created is free of all loose material or as above you could easily snap them. Personally I’d wind them out and excavate to the front and concrete in place. Can’t see what you’d have to fix your metal plates into.

There aren’t any gates on the posts, but if the posts keep moving then it’ll get harder to get through the gap and eventually one or both posts will fall off their base. They’re 6′ tall, 2′ square lumps of sandstone – I don’t see them breaking if pushed on a flat base. The bases acre fine, it’s just the posts sliding on top.

Thanks, I’ll get a prop of the right length and give it a go.

You’d be very surprised what an acro can push. Will easily lift joists up off brickwork causing cracking.

Great, sounds powerful enough! Plan is to just push back to start with – if they start to wander again, then I’ll use a square 4-bolt plate between the post and the base to hold in position.