Letting the neighbor borrow your tractor...

[drivadesl]

For me I would be hesitant. My next door neighbor is a great guy and would do anything if asked and sometimes even when not asked. I've always done the same for him. So when he asked to borrow my little NH 1520 I said fine. He wanted to move back a 8' high compacted dirt pile so I explained how to use the bucket to scrape the pile from the bottom to top to fill the bucket. I guess he didn't like that approach and before long was driving full bore into the pile trying to bury the bucket. I was not happy and even after explaining it could damage any number of parts, he continued. Fortunately he did not damage anYthing but so what. He was beating on it in way I would not so that was the last time he asked.

You're better off doing the work for them since do you really want to find your transmission mounts cracked or bucket arms twisted? And if you're having them pay you by the hour they may feel they can beat on it anyway they want and not obligated to pay for repairs. Just not worth it to me.

 

[Tonyinohio]

I'll give away my extra tools but not lend. I'll even do the work with my equipment for free. It's cheaper and less hassle than lending.

 

[MESSMAKER]

It depends on the guy. Nobody will be much harder on my tractor than me. The question is do they know the limits of the machine. One of my neighbors is a master welder and has fixed things for me several times. He has access to my tractor whenever he wants it. Just remember, things break.

 

[Kubota 2350]

I have a few close friends that I will lend things to, my tractor is not one of those things,
If my tractor gets driven, I'm in the seat.

 

[Alien]

I loaned a Makita saw to a neighbour recently. He bought it back but he doesn't realize he blunted/stuffed my blade. I had a spare and put it on and threw the other in the bin. Guess what, he came and asked to borrow it again yesterday.
I told him I was about to start making shelves so I needed it. (now I guess I will have to make some shelves)

Don't loan a tractor. Too much scope for bad feelings and fall-outs.

 

[varmint]

The opinions/experiences run the gamut! I really liked Eddie's tale about elk hunting in what is sadly increasingly rare circumstances. Sounds like these ranchers had a very tight, if spread-out, community.

I have had a few friends over my lifetime that I would loan pretty much anything to, but they have, I am sorry to admit, been very rare. In general, I guess I will help out as needed, but I do the tractoring, or sawing, or whatever. That way, no disappointments. Sometimes, you will need help, and that means you have to give help, when needed.

Good thread!

 

[Professor Marvel]

Your situation sounds about as good as you can get for a tractor lending situation. But still don't be surprised if you find yourself looking back on it with regret.

 

[Tinstafl]

I will loan mine to a few people. Most of them already have one and use one a lot and are farming lots of acres. If one of their machines goes down and no loaner is available and they ask, they can use it. I know I will get it back washed and clean.

 

[fxdb96]

I lent mine this weekend .... But my neighbor is my cousin ... But my tractor is quite new (20hrs). The way i see it - if it brings someone else as much joy as i get from it then no harm done as long as no big mistakes are made haha

 

[Alien]

Fair enough, but tractors can be dangerous things to the unaware. How would you feel if someone got injured or worse on your tractor. Nope, I would never loan mine.

 

[buickanddeere]

I tell want to be borrowers that I feel the same about loaning out my beloved equipment about the same as loaning out wives. After than sinks in most people quit asking.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Exodus 22:14-15: probably says it best:

"If a man borrowed an animal or a piece of equipment from a neighbor and damaged it, he was required to make restitution. But if the owner came along to help or supervise, the owner should have prevented the damage, and no restitution was necessary."

 

[npaden]

Just thought I would update this thread. I have been letting my neighbor borrow my tractor since I got it pretty much. Between the 2 of us we have put 35 hours on it since the end of March when I bought it. Early on I was kind of keeping track of how many hours I had used and how many hours he had used it, but lately I've lost track and have pretty much quit worrying about it. I know he has actually used it more than I have so far, but we pretty much knew that starting out as he has been working on building a house and has used it quite a bit for that kind of stuff. He has really slowed down on using it since the house is dried in now.

I did have one issue where he bent the attachment point on my box blade by using it to push some dirt by backing up into it. It is a Cat 1 implement and this tractor is a little more powerful and ended up bending where the hitch pin attaches to the box blade. When I noticed it he apologized profusely and fixed it the next day. He said he just hadn't noticed it, but the way the tractor parks in my barn I walk right by the back of the tractor going in and out of the barn and I noticed it right away. I'm not sure I could tell you which side was bent and he said that if it ever looks like it needs fixed again he would beef it up with additional steel to make sure it never bends again.

The last issue was when the tractor started to have some fuel delivery issues. It started to happen while I was using the tractor and he said he hadn't noticed it when he was using it. I tried to trouble shoot it and talked with a friend that is a diesel mechanic and he couldn't figure it out over the phone and was pretty much to the point where I was going to have to take it to someone to get it fixed. I talked to my neighbor about it and he said he would look at it and the next time he borrowed it he checked it over and said that there was an air leak somewhere and replaced the fuel line and clamps and it works perfect again.

I also bought a Pat's easy change quick hitch and he installed that for me which is about an hour long chore. I'm going to buy Cat 2 conversion pins for several of my implements and he volunteered to swap them out for me and said he would do the next oil change for me as well. He has offered to pay for a few different things (he offered to pay for the quick hitch) but I went ahead and bought it myself. He offered to put in a fire pit for me but I didn't take him up on that. I told him someday I would think of something that he could help me out with and he said to just let him know.

This is still in it infancy, and there are a lot of issues that could still come up, but so far it seems to be working out well for both of us.

I'll try to periodically keep this updated whether the news is good or bad.

 

[dragoneggs]

Good to hear and thanks for the follow up report. One key will be to keep the conversations between you and your neighbor frequent... and not let anything 'go' and have a chance to fester.

 

[Lorre]

I used to lend my tractor to blokes who already owned their own, but I had a backhoe which was very handy. Each person who borrowed my tractor left it covered in mud or a ton of dirt. The buckets, backhoe and FEL, were left grubby with caked on dirt and mud. No one fueled it before returning it and the worst case was when a bloke borrowed my machine, did 3 days work for a friend of his and was paid for the work, then returned the tractor with an empty fuel tank and covered in mud on the insides of the rims and both buckets. I only found out about the money when I ran into this mate who commented that my tractor was an amazing machine and that it cost him a lot less than paying a professional from out of town.
Needless to say, each bloke only used my tractor once. One bloke who I spoke to about not fueling the tractor, said I was being lousy. "Look at the cars and gear you own. You can afford a few litres of diesel, surely."
Anyway, I had finished what I set out to do, so I sold my tractor. Recently, I purchased another property and so I bought another tractor exactly the same as my previous one and I've already had one bloke ask to borrow it. I told him he could use it any time he liked at $60.00 per hour with me operating it. He said he would let me know, but he hasn't called round yet and I noticed the other day that what he wanted done had been completed without my tractor. He paid $90.00 per hour plus two hours travel time to a business bloke I happen to know. Apparently my 'mate' complained that I was a lousy mongrel who wouldn't help a mate who even offered to pay for my time. Liars usually bring themselves undone.
Another bloke who has never asked to 'borrow' my tractor, wanted to know how much I would charge him to level his driveway. We haggled over whether I would have one cup or two cups of coffee whilst doing the work for him.
Like most of you blokes, I am happy to help out if I have the means to do so and I do not expect anything more than a 'thank you'.
Well, that's my rant over.

 

[JerryK]

I think EXACTLY like you, mate... rant away.. !!!!!! [[ ]]

 

[hawkeye08]

My wife doesn't loan my tools out (including tractor) and I don't loan her sewing machines out, either of us are happy to help folks (operating our own equipment)...

 

[BKBoiss]

I just recently ran into this situation. A year or so ago my foster dad who had moved out of the province asked me to go cut his grass for him. No problem. The next time he phones and asked if the new renter could borrow my tractor to cut the grass, (a friend and former employee of his, someone I had met a couple of times). He used my tractor to cut the grass for a summer and a half and always returned it fuelled right up and was really thankful but then one time I noticed some rather large cuts in the rear tire, did I do it? did he? I felt terrible about asking him to be careful as cuts showed up but I don't recall doing it. I always worried every time It went out so when he moved on I decided I will go help running my own machine when I can but no more lending it out.

 

[Creamer]

thanks for the update Npaden. It is great to hear about nice people working together.

 

[George2615]

I have loaned implements for a week or two but never the tractor. I have used the tractor to help out friends but only if I operate it.
I no longer loan out tools either. They never get returned and years later when I need the tool I forget who I loaned it to.