LED Zeppelin
Flashlight Enthusiast
I live on an unlit rural road in an area where mailbox vandals strike regularly during the summer. Seems to be kids with nothing better to do late at night.
My neighbor was struck a month ago. His steel tube support kept getting pulled out of the ground and left in the ditch. He since put some bolts at the bottom of the tube and cemented the post.
Last weekend, Sunday night, it was my turn. Mine is a plastic Step 2 mailbox with a blow molded top that slides onto a bottom support. It was mounted on a 4X4 post that wasn't pressure treated, and apparently a good kick broke the post just below ground level. It was then thrown into the ditch.
I decided to beef up my mailbox. I dug out the old non-cemented post and dug a larger post hole, wider at the bottom. The post is now a 2 1/2" square steel tube, 1/4" wall, with an extension welded to the bottom. I used (3) 50# bags of concrete.
I thought I was done, but when I remounted the mailbox, it was unsatisfyingly flexy, and a kick could easily break the top half of the 2-piece unit from the bottom.
I decided to go all out. I cut some openings in the underside of the blow-molded mailbox top and support bottom. I hand-filled and settled a total of 300# of reinforced concrete into both parts, reassembled, and drilled and bolted the top half to the bottom with 10 SS bolts.
I let it cure for half a day, and wheeled it down the drive nearly popping the tires of my dolly. Trying to position such a top-heavy thing correctly on top of the steel post, and mount using (2) 3/8" SS bolts is a frightening, death-defying, herniating feat. I could have used a little help.
In a few days when the concrete fully cures, I do believe it will be rock solid - a total sleeper. Pity the fool who attacks it next.
I making one more improvement - instead of the fender washers on the (2) 3/8" bolts that mount the plastic bottom to the post, I'm making a 3 X 20" steel channel that will sandwich the bottom and increase rigidity.
I do have one concern though - what if someone hits it with a car? If it's intentional, ha ha, I dream of it. But if it's an accident, it could total a car I'm afraid, and cause undue injury. I've done my best to fasten the top to the bottom so the top won't separate and become a 150# projectile. Hopefully nobody hits it that doesn't mean it harm.
EDIT: pics added
This is of the 2 1/2" steel tubing curing in concrete. The (4) 1/2" square tubing welded to the sides are to make it dimensionally the same as the original 4 X 4 wood post (cell phone pic):
This is with the box mounted and the rear cover removed:
Here is the front steel channel that replaced the fender washers securing the unit to the post:
And this last pic shows the 5-per-side bolts securing the top to the bottom:
Access holes for filling with concrete are on the undersides and not visible.
I've given it a good shaking and the unit is quite rigid. The entire pad can be wiggled a bit but the post/box does not flex at all. I may dig out and add more concrete around the base.
My neighbor was struck a month ago. His steel tube support kept getting pulled out of the ground and left in the ditch. He since put some bolts at the bottom of the tube and cemented the post.
Last weekend, Sunday night, it was my turn. Mine is a plastic Step 2 mailbox with a blow molded top that slides onto a bottom support. It was mounted on a 4X4 post that wasn't pressure treated, and apparently a good kick broke the post just below ground level. It was then thrown into the ditch.
I decided to beef up my mailbox. I dug out the old non-cemented post and dug a larger post hole, wider at the bottom. The post is now a 2 1/2" square steel tube, 1/4" wall, with an extension welded to the bottom. I used (3) 50# bags of concrete.
I thought I was done, but when I remounted the mailbox, it was unsatisfyingly flexy, and a kick could easily break the top half of the 2-piece unit from the bottom.
I decided to go all out. I cut some openings in the underside of the blow-molded mailbox top and support bottom. I hand-filled and settled a total of 300# of reinforced concrete into both parts, reassembled, and drilled and bolted the top half to the bottom with 10 SS bolts.
I let it cure for half a day, and wheeled it down the drive nearly popping the tires of my dolly. Trying to position such a top-heavy thing correctly on top of the steel post, and mount using (2) 3/8" SS bolts is a frightening, death-defying, herniating feat. I could have used a little help.
In a few days when the concrete fully cures, I do believe it will be rock solid - a total sleeper. Pity the fool who attacks it next.
I making one more improvement - instead of the fender washers on the (2) 3/8" bolts that mount the plastic bottom to the post, I'm making a 3 X 20" steel channel that will sandwich the bottom and increase rigidity.
I do have one concern though - what if someone hits it with a car? If it's intentional, ha ha, I dream of it. But if it's an accident, it could total a car I'm afraid, and cause undue injury. I've done my best to fasten the top to the bottom so the top won't separate and become a 150# projectile. Hopefully nobody hits it that doesn't mean it harm.
EDIT: pics added
This is of the 2 1/2" steel tubing curing in concrete. The (4) 1/2" square tubing welded to the sides are to make it dimensionally the same as the original 4 X 4 wood post (cell phone pic):
This is with the box mounted and the rear cover removed:
Here is the front steel channel that replaced the fender washers securing the unit to the post:
And this last pic shows the 5-per-side bolts securing the top to the bottom:
Access holes for filling with concrete are on the undersides and not visible.
I've given it a good shaking and the unit is quite rigid. The entire pad can be wiggled a bit but the post/box does not flex at all. I may dig out and add more concrete around the base.
Last edited:
factor.
