# come-along for stretching fence



## brettz (Jun 21, 2013)

Is there a certain capacity needed in a come-along used to stretch fence? I have one but it's relatively lightweight (1200lb capacity). I need to stretch 150-200' sections of field fencing.


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## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

I've not stretched that much fence, but I would think that come-along would be sufficient.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I've done that much with a come-along- 4ft 2x4" spacing. No problem with sagging after 10 years of goat full body scratching. Well, they have snapped a fence post or two but not the wire.


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## brettz (Jun 21, 2013)

There's a time and place to save money shopping at Harbor Freight but I was worried that a come-along was not it when I had it pulled taut against 175' of fence so I wanted to double check..

I was able to get the fence pretty darn tight at the end I was stretching it at but the far end is still pretty floppy (also the end that was the inside of the wire roll so it has more to be stretched out). I stopped because one of the screw eyes I was using in my fence stretcher (two 2x4 bolted together with beefy screw eye bolts) ended up snapping. So, I tacked the fence up and let it be while I made sure I wasn't going to send things flying. I have good H-braces (6x6s sunk in concrete) and am using my pickup as my anchor. So long as I address the obvious problem with my fence stretcher do I just resume and keep pulling until the far end finally stretches tight?

Thanks!


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

Cheap come a longs are OK if they are safe. Only stretch woven wire until the tenision crimps you see in the wire are about 1/2 pulled out. Those are built into the wire in order to give the fence some flexibility if hit by an animal so the wire or fence will not be damaged. Take your time and watch these videos.

Whatever you use to hold onto the wire must not slip. Usually you can not tighten 2x4 pines with carriage bolts tight enough before pulling the carriage bolt through the wire. I have on made of 2x8 oak with bolts with a 11/2 '' plate made on the ends of the bolts so it can't crush or pull through. 

http://fencing.bekaert.com/en/installation-guides/installation-videos#Basic


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