A cable puller and associated methods are shown. Useful example methods include pipe bursting using cable pullers as shown. Cable pullers and methods shown provide a mechanical advantage that increases an amount of cable pulled in one cycle. Selected examples are shown that include a pulley located on a distal end of a moving portion of an extending and contracting beam. The pulley and the mechanical advantage it supplies helps to improve the efficiency of the cable puller and reduce manufacturing cost of the cable puller.