Do you loan your tractor

[Bignoles]

There is a very short list of people who I trade equipment with. I have either worked with them, for them, or around them enough to know they will respect my equipment as much as I do. For example, my FIL has rights to borrow anything I own as long as I know about it, but I know it will come back washed, topped off with fuel, and anything that might have gone wrong will be fixed CORRECTLY.
I don't borrow equipment unless I have no other good option. I borrowed a friends CAT skit steer, used it for 4 days straight, and returned it full of fuel, washed, and with a new hydraulic line (was leaking when I borrowed it). He says I can borrow any of his equipment, anytime, because it will come back better than he loaned it out.

 

[texasjohn]

Sure I loan the tractor out.... I got two buddies who come by regularly, one or the other mostly once a week, and often borrow it by sitting in it while collaborating on how to best accomplish a project. Funny thing is, they always drive off at the end of the day without the tractor. Why, just yesterday one dropped by a little before 8am.... we visited briefly, then practiced the following skills:

Stone masons... built steps into the work shop from rocks..tractor FEL transported the rocks.

plumbers.... used 3 foot long cheater pipes on BIG pipe wrenches to undo a couple of pipe fittings

pied pipers... used feed to lure cattle into the pens
cowboys..... sorted cows and calves...loaded 7 calves in trailer and took to sell.

iron workers and roustabouts.... used the tractor, FEL and chains to pick up my about 300 gallon metal fuel tank on legs and move it several hundred yards.

No tractor or equipment was damaged, neither fingers mashed nor blood let by any humans in performing the above activities. The cows and calves are unavoidably unhappy!

My buddies are retired, mechanically handy, city dwellers who have repaired everything at their own houses and enjoy country activities. Thus they come out and partake of the varied and never-ending ranch work... which often means tractor seat time They also partake of drinks and a lunch while at the ranch....my treat

I always loan my tractor to friends like these... they get tractor seat time on my place assisting in my projects, making it at least 10 times less work for me personally than if I did it by myself.

I appreciate them beyond words... and they can borrow my tractor and equipment ANY TIME!

 

[Uncle Doug]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I forgot about the worst one, my (now former) son in law was using my tractor at the back of my place to clear himself a place to hunt. He had a flat on one of the front 4WD tires. Ok, I know flats happen and can be fixed without too much trouble but this guy instead of getting off the tractor and walking the half mile back up to the barn drives the tractor all the way back eating up the bead on the tire. After a week of shopping around then having to order one I was out $150 plus mounting for the new tire. His answer "well I was working on your place so I should not have to pay for the tire". Things went down hill fast after that.

Back before I ever had a tractor I would borrow my dads old Yanmar. It was old even back then and had a beat up mower on it. While I was using it I hit a stump and one of the kunckles on the PTO drive shaft broke, unable to find a replacement and not worth fixing I bought a him new mower before I returned the tractor. It was not soon after this that I bought my first tractor.

It does seem like family takes less care of something then close friends. I try not to borrow any power equipment that can be easily rented but if I did I would return it in better condition, full of fuel and washed. Not sure if I would be waxing it.

I used to do electrical work for a living and it seems everyone wanted me to do work for them. After bidding a few of the jobs at what I thought was very low and seeing their reaction to the costs I stopped doing side jobs for money. From then on if a (close) friend needed electrical work I would prepare a materials list, make them go with me and buy the materials. Then make them help me do the work. No charge on my part just that they buy the beer after the job was over. You know what, after a few of those the quit asking.

 

[Podunkadunk]

I'll loan mine out when it's paid for...it'll never be paid for.

Podunk

 

[kthompson]

Loan the tractor or do it for them the insurance won't cover it.
Once the tractor leaves the insurance leaves too.

Might be true with your coverage but not with all. The leaving part.

 

[smfcpacfp]

Even if the person who you loan your equipment is as contientious as you are with your equipment, they aren't an expert at using it, so they may screw up. I would just help them out doing the work myself. It is my toy so I enjoy to getting to use it.

 

[jimmyj]

I have a VERY short list (1 person actually) to whom I will lend my stuff to. He's the same with me. Each of us knows and trusts the other well enough. For the rest of the world, "let me come and do it for you.."

The more expensive, dangerous and complicated the item, the more my no loan rule applies. I still sometimes lend low tech stuff like hammers and pry bars sometimes. That said, I lent a chain to someone last year and it's now MIA - the guy lost it.

 

[Soundguy]

Tractor, wife, or guns.. I don't lend them.

I will show up with any of the three.. and 2 of them I'll use to help get the work done.

soundguy

I have always tried to be a good neighbor or friend. I have loaned my tractor out to neighbors, Son in law, sons and a few other friends. It seems that almost every time I have it comes back with another dent, some thing broken or missing. While I am not a very picky owner I do try and keep my equipment in good running shape. Over the past 5 years I have had this tractor (since new) it has returned with broken head lights, broken tail light, broken trailer lights, missing turn buckle, covered in mud and a few more dents.

I loaned it out yesterday with the PTO tiller and it returned with wire and other garbage wound up in the tiller tines. This friend always fills the tractor back up with fuel so I guess he did not notice the tiller.

While I still want to be the good neighbor it seems that when it comes to my tractor I will need to offer to do the work for them other than loan the tractor out.

 

[chh]

I generally do my best to not loan or borrow. There are a couple of people that could borrow something from me and that would loan me any equipment they had that I needed, but it is a very short list. But even with them they are more likely to ask for help on a project or offer to help than ask for the loan of equipment. We all have neighboring ranches and respect each other enough to not take advantage.
I have had other people ask to borrow stuff and the answer is always "Sorry, can't do that"
One sortof neighbor once asked to borrow a tractor and batwing brush hog. He has a serious drinking problem and was a bit "tipsy" when he asked. He was seriously upset that I wouldn't let him take 60 grand worth of equipment home with him. Last I heard he was still a bit "ticked off".

 

[scott_vt]

I don't loan my tractor, chainsaw or wife out --- I know how they will come back

Good Evenin Studor,
Thanks !!! Dont loan the wife out she might not come back !

Uncle Doug,
Im with most of the others ! No ! Only my Uncle Dave, of course he stores it in his barn !

I will do the work for any neighbors that need it !