Rental of Hydraulic Implements

[DonaldP]

I was thinking about the possibility of purchasing and then renting out a few hydraulic implements to make them less costly to me in the long haul.
I was also wondering why there aren’t more rental companies that offer hydraulic implements that can be rented…

Then I started to think … what if any one of the folks I rent my equipment to has a failing pump or cylinder that’s got metal in his oil, or has old/bad oil in his machine from lack of maintenance?

What if the last guy that rented a piece of equipment that I am now renting had the same scenario going on with their oil and they just returned the implement after using it for a day or week before I rented it?

The minute I connect that loaned or rented implement to my tractor it immediately cycles any oil in it (from the machines it has ever been connected to) right into my hydraulic system.

Maybe it’s a quart, maybe it’s two, whatever the cylinders or hoses may hold. But my point is, that’s a possible injection of an unknown oil quality into my known system.

What makes it even more scary is what if you just spent $400 changing your hydro fluid, and now you dump 2 quarts of unknown material into your $400 pot of oil?

What are your thoughts? Is this an issue?

 

[seville009]

I'd be more worried about someone wrecking the equipment vs contaminated oil.

Ripping off a hose, bending a cylinder, falling off the trailer while transporting, having the whole thing never returned, etc.

 

[mikester]

Do yourself a favour and purge the hydraulic lines of fluid before connecting to your tractor system

 

[Smokeydog]

Good luck on renting and be sure you collect a hefty damage deposit too. Not worth the trouble for my equipment.

 

[Frankenkubota]

I was thinking about the possibility of purchasing and then renting out a few hydraulic implements to make them less costly to me in the long haul.
I was also wondering why there aren’t more rental companies that offer hydraulic implements that can be rented…

Then I started to think … what if any one of the folks I rent my equipment to has a failing pump or cylinder that’s got metal in his oil, or has old/bad oil in his machine from lack of maintenance?

What if the last guy that rented a piece of equipment that I am now renting had the same scenario going on with their oil and they just returned the implement after using it for a day or week before I rented it?

The minute I connect that loaned or rented implement to my tractor it immediately cycles any oil in it (from the machines it has ever been connected to) right into my hydraulic system.

Maybe it’s a quart, maybe it’s two, whatever the cylinders or hoses may hold. But my point is, that’s a possible injection of an unknown oil quality into my known system.

What makes it even more scary is what if you just spent $400 changing your hydro fluid, and now you dump 2 quarts of unknown material into your $400 pot of oil?

What are your thoughts? Is this an issue?

2 words

Liability

Litigation

 

[DonaldP]

I'd be more worried about someone wrecking the equipment vs contaminated oil.

Ripping off a hose, bending a cylinder, falling off the trailer while transporting, having the whole thing never returned, etc.

I understand.
I was on the other side of that same situation once.
I rented a floor sander for a hardwood floor in a rental Inown

The rental company loaded it in my truck and I drove off.

I stopped at a red light about 4 miles down the road. There was a police car parked across the way watching the intersection for folks running the light.

The light turned green and I moved to 35mph…

The big aluminum drum sander which used to be in the back of the pickup refused to travel with me.

I heard a bang, and then looked to see glistening metallic parts just starting to float back to the ground in a puff of dust…

Thank goodness there wasn’t anyone behind me

The police officer noticed all of that commotion too.

He kindly helped me with the the many many parts of the machine that were strewn across the highway looking like a small experimental plane had gone down there nose first.

He checked my tailgate and found nothing wrong with it… otherwise I would have been sitting on a ticket for a faulty tailgate along with a $1500 bill from the rental company.

I was mistakenly under the impression that I was not liable for something that I didn’t cause. But that’s why they make insurance for us.

It cost me $200… not $1500 after my business insurance covered the issue.

I Do know there are those that would not bring something of value back… if they were to take it under that premise.

I also know there are those that will tear it up because they can… and that’s why it costs so darn much to rent really good equipment for those of us that are not like that.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

Here are my suggestions for what I think, is a good idea from you, and will help people plenty who do not want to purchase hydraulic equipment.
1. Initially, only rent the equipment you would purchase for your own purposes - until you see how the idea flies. You will not be a low priced vendor (see below), and many will not be willing to pay the price
2. If purging the lines is important - do so. You ought to be able to set up a pump with hydraulic connections. Be sure to include the material and labor costs in your prices.
3. If there is fear of metal filings, surely there is an in-line filter you incorporate in the implement incoming hydraulic line.
4. Only rent to those with credit cards, and with credit limits that cover the entire replacement cost (plus a reasonable markup) of the equipment. As they rent, you run the credit card for the replacement cost and reasonable markup. If renter doesn't bring the unit back, you're covered. If renter damages the unit, you're covered.
5. The rental agreement should cover the fact that you will not issue credit immediately upon return - that you need time to check the unit out - by affixing it to your tractor. You don't want to have to do it while the customer waits - you've got other things to do. But by policy, put it on your tractor to check it out within, say, a week.
6. Part of your rental agreement, which should be written by a lawyer, will include appointing the lawyer for purposes of confess judgment, and also a hold harmless, indemnify, and defend clause.

-OR-

Require the renter take out insurance, which will cover you for not returning the equipment or damaging same.

There is a way to make this work

 

[4570Man]

I understand.
I was on the other side of that same situation once.
I rented a floor sander for a hardwood floor in a rental Inown

The rental company loaded it in my truck and I drove off.

I stopped at a red light about 4 miles down the road. There was a police car parked across the way watching the intersection for folks running the light.

The light turned green and I moved to 35mph…

The big aluminum drum sander which used to be in the back of the pickup refused to travel with me.

I heard a bang, and then looked to see glistening metallic parts just starting to float back to the ground in a puff of dust…

Thank goodness there wasn’t anyone behind me

The police officer noticed all of that commotion too.

He kindly helped me with the the many many parts of the machine that were strewn across the highway looking like a small experimental plane had gone down there nose first.

He checked my tailgate and found nothing wrong with it… otherwise I would have been sitting on a ticket for a faulty tailgate along with a $1500 bill from the rental company.

I was mistakenly under the impression that I was not liable for something that I didn’t cause. But that’s why they make insurance for us.

It cost me $200… not $1500 after my business insurance covered the issue.

I Do know there are those that would not bring something of value back… if they were to take it under that premise.

I also know there are those that will tear it up because they can… and that’s why it costs so darn much to rent really good equipment for those of us that are not like that.

How would you not be liable? You failed to secure it and you were driving?