Can I borrow your........

[dodge man]

A few years ago I leant out my Stihl MS 250. At some point it started running bad, it made decent power but idled badly. I finally figured out it had a badly scored piston and cylinder. I rebuilt it for about $100. I THINK they probably didn’t add any fuel to it. I’m the one that PROBABLY ran it with straight gas with no oil in it. But in the back of my head I wonder. That’s another problem of lending stuff out, if it breaks later who did it?

 

[bironacad]

My cousin I will consider cause he has fixed more stuff of mine then me lol but that’s it, an not all things, my tractor comes with me in the seat. I will help a neighbor but not lend most tools

 

[ultrarunner]

I have a different problem...

Friends and family getting rid of things broken or not used anymore...

I pick it up and go through it... service motor, new tires or tubes or electric cord, carb, etc...

They later see me using it and want to borrow it back and never see it again...

The last time it was a Yazoo rotary mower getting loaded for scrap...

Went through it and running like a champ... something seasonally I can really use... now when I want it back they need it...

Loaned my TroyBuilt horse to brothers in laws... "Came Loose" and flipped in truck cracking carburetor and first heard when it did not start...

 

[Deere Dude]

Had a contractor friend do some grading around my house with a skid steer. I had a load of dirt or two to move yet but he was done with me. He said the skidsteer was old and used a lot of oil but I could use it if I want. I took advantage of that goodwill gesture and used it for a day or do but had to add quart of oil every hour or so. Not a problem. I started using any engine oil I had laying around after awhile. Eventually I found a half quart of oil and tipped it to dump it in. I heard something rattle inside the container and upon investigation I found a 16 penny nail and it almost went down the tube into the crankcase. I would have hated to replace a skidsteer so I never borrowed any tools like that again.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Learned my lesson a couple months ago. Loaned my chainsaw to a friend and he burned up the piston on it. Thankfully he was nice enough to pay my chainsaw guy to fix it. I doubt I will be lending out much any more. Not worth the hassle.

 

[two_bit_score]

Always willing to help a friend in need. I’d rather help him do what he needs done than loan him equipment and leave him to his own ability.

 

[check]

I have a nice 7k, dual axle car hauler trailer that I bought for hauling my tractor. My Cottage neighbor two doors down asked to borrow it to haul a bunch of heavy pieces for a lift that he was making inside his garage. He is really a nice guy, and he keeps all of his stuff totally clean and neat, to the point of even wiping his boat down every time he uses it.

So I lent it to him. It came back in perfect condition, and he even repacked the trailer wheels for me with new grease! And this was on a virtually new trailer.

Anyway, him I can trust to borrow stuff like that. But still, no one uses my tractor except me. I have dug a total of three ditches for people, for their underground powerlines, and they were there with me while I was doing it. But they did not drive it.

Once, another neighbor asked to borrow my tractor to dig a new hole for his outhouse that he was moving. I said “nope, but I will dig it for you“. He never followed up.

I will let and have let other people drive one of my ATVs, but even then only when I am on the other ATV right there with them.

I have let one of my daughter’s girlfriends drive one of the two JetSki’s that we have, but my daughter is always right there with her. That of course makes me a little more nervous, but this girlfriend is very capable and very responsible.

I let my BIL drive one of the JetSki’s one time, because I could see him from the dock, and told him not to go out of sight. Bad idea. He came across a guy whose JetSki was sinking, and decided to throw him a rope to pull him. Well of course the rope got caught in my JetSki impeller mechanism, and practically pulled the guys finger off. It was quite a frightening time waiting for the report, because they took him to the hospital with his hand bleeding all over the place. It was quite an adventure after we got the JetSki out onto the trailer, deciding who was going to crawl underneath to look at and untangle where the rope was caught. We all expected to find a finger! So of course I got elected. Fortunately the rope did not pull his finger off, but rather tore a tendon and caused bleeding. But of course we didn’t know that while I was unwrapping the rope, which was now pink, but which had no body parts tangled up in it. Very relieved to find out later that that guy’s finger was going to be OK, but it was very tense there for a while.

Needless to say, my brother-in-law has not been allowed to touch the JetSki since then. I will let him borrow a screwdriver, however!

 

[ultrarunner]

Friend let in law borrow 9980# equipment trailer to pick up a "Little" tractor...

The little tractor weighed 13k with implements.

In-law said they always overbuild so what's the problem?

 

[tradosaurus]

I have a nice 7k, dual axle car hauler trailer that I bought for hauling my tractor. My Cottage neighbor two doors down asked to borrow it to haul a bunch of heavy pieces for a lift that he was making inside his garage. He is really a nice guy, and he keeps all of his stuff totally clean and neat, to the point of even wiping his boat down every time he uses it.

So I lent it to him. It came back in perfect condition, and he even repacked the trailer wheels for me with new grease! And this was on a virtually new trailer.

Anyway, him I can trust to borrow stuff like that. But still, no one uses my tractor except me. I have doug A total of three ditches for people, for their underground powerlines, and they were there with me while I was doing it.

Once, another neighbor asked to borrow my tractor to dig a new hole for his old house that he was moving. I said “nope, but I will dig it for you“. He never followed up.

I will let and have let other people drive one of my ATVs, but even then only when I am on the other ATV right there with them.

I have let one of my daughter’s girlfriends drive one of the two JetSki’s that we have, but my daughter is always right there with her. That of course makes me a little more nervous, but this girlfriend is very capable and very responsible.

I let my BIL drive one of the JetSki’s one time, because I could see him from the dock, and told him not to go out of sight. Bad idea. He came across a guy whose JetSki was sinking, and decided to throw him a rope to pull him. Well of course the rope got caught in my JetSki impeller mechanism, and practically pulled the guys finger off. It was quite a frightening time waiting for the report, because they took him to the hospital with his hand bleeding all over the place. It was quite an adventure after we got the JetSki out onto the trailer, deciding who was going to crawl underneath to look at and untangle where the rope was caught. We all expected to find a finger! So of course I got elected. Fortunately the rope did not pull his finger off, but rather tore a tendon and caused bleeding. But of course we didn’t know that while I was unwrapping the rope, which was now pink. Very relieved to find out later that that guy’s finger was going to be OK, but it was very tense there for a while.

Needless to say, my brother-in-law has not been allowed to touch the JetSki since then. I will let him borrow a screwdriver, however!

If you would have told me this I would have declined to use it. I don't need to be treated like a teenager. Now if you want to teach me how to use something that's a different story.

 

[Jchonline]

If you would have told me this I would have declined to use it. I don't need to be treated like a teenager. Now if you want to teach me how to use something that's a different story.

Another reason to never let someone borrow something, or even use it. Arrogance. The owner paid probably $10-20k for that machine. You have absolutely no right or privilege to use it. You should be humble and do what they ask. Most likely it was a “first time” precaution. Do well and next time it wont be as strict. Just follow their rules if you are using their stuff. It really irks me when people ask to use something but want to use it their way, not they way you ask.

Just go and buy one if you dont like it. As you can probably gather I never, ever let anyone use anything of mine and never ask to borrow anything. However I have helped neighbors many times using my own equipment.

We all have our own ways of living and that is just fine. But to borrow something of someone else’s and add your own terms to it is not right.

 

[tradosaurus]

Another reason to never let someone borrow something, or even use it. Arrogance. The owner paid probably $10-20k for that machine. You have absolutely no right or privilege to use it. You should be humble and do what they ask. Most likely it was a “first time” precaution. Do well and next time it wont be as strict. Just follow their rules if you are using their stuff. It really irks me when people ask to use something but want to use it their way, not they way you ask.

Just go and buy one if you dont like it. As you can probably gather I never, ever let anyone use anything of mine and never ask to borrow anything. However I have helped neighbors many times using my own equipment.

We all have our own ways of living and that is just fine. But to borrow something of someone else’s and add your own terms to it is not right.

I respect a guys equipment and have always stood behind repairing anything I broke. I've met people who value their stuff more than friendship and that's fine. The poster I replied to originally probably shouldn't lend anything of his out if he so worried about it.

I have a $12K UTV and when a family member visits I point out a few operational tips and then don't worry about it. If I thought there was an issue with the person I just wouldn't let them use it. And yes my 14 yo daughter drove my UTV straight into a tree the first week I got it. After repairs the rule is if you only drive it if you have a drivers license.

 

[BigNuge]

I’m in the “I’ll help you with your project” camp. I very much enjoy helping others, but a broken piece of loaned/borrowed equipment (making it in-available to me) would be poorly received.

I’d I break the thing while I’m helping someone else then so be it, I broke it, and wouldn’t even ask for financial help with the repair. If they broke it I would be upset, no getting around it. And then I’d be more upset about how the repair got done. Dealer/mechanic is going to cost 3x what it would cost for me to fix it, but then why should I fix the damn thing when someone else broke it. Putting a tarnish mark on a good relationship isn’t worth it...

 

[tradosaurus]

I’m in the “I’ll help you with your project” camp. I very much enjoy helping others, but a broken piece of loaned/borrowed equipment (making it in-available to me) would be poorly received.

I’d I break the thing while I’m helping someone else then so be it, I broke it, and wouldn’t even ask for financial help with the repair. If they broke it I would be upset, no getting around it. And then I’d be more upset about how the repair got done. Dealer/mechanic is going to cost 3x what it would cost for me to fix it, but then why should I fix the damn thing when someone else broke it. Putting a tarnish mark on a good relationship isn’t worth it...

And you are doing the right thing. If one worries so much about their stuff then just don't lend it out or have someone use it, ever. That would also include, I suppose, letting your kids drive any of your cars.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I loaned my fertilizer spreader to my BIL; when I needed it next spring, I found he had left some ammonium nitrate in it and it was practically eaten up. It was cheap, so I just tossed it out and got a new one. I loaned my air compressor to a co-worker; he turned too fast and it turned over in the bed of his truck, breaking the air filter.

Loaned my hatchet to my SIL about 20 years ago; he still has it.

 

[tradosaurus]

After hearing these stories I'm glad I'm far away from family members. Even my nearest kid is 3 hrs away.

 

[Red_rider]

I typically don't loan anything of value. If you need a hammer or something cheap that's OK, but I'll not loaning out anything that cost more than $10 bucks to replace. My JD and Branson only come with me in the seat. I did loan a walk behind lawn mower to my neighbor (not my Honda) about 12 years ago because his was in the shop. I was a bit skeptical because I had heard him cutting his lawn on several occasions and it sounded like he was cutting stumps or rocks - probably why his was in the shop. He brought my mower back washed with a full tank of gas.

 

[PILOON]

Mea Culpa!
Once borrowed a chainsaw, had laid it down in what I believed a safe spot.
However the digger operator did not see it and damaged the saw.
Can't blame him.

I apologized to the owner, repaired his saw back to the condition it was B4.
LOL, better than new as the old grip was well worn.

 

[Industrial Toys]

They don't care if you spent $100 GRAND. It's "JUST A TRACTOR" and probably why they don't have one. If it's just a tractor, just go get yourself one!

Everything always sounds different when you get it back.

 

[bigtiller]

I loaned a 2 year old equipment trailer to the north neighbor....
It came back with one bent fender.

Loaned a brand new 4" hole saw to the south neighbor...
It came back with all the teeth ground down to nubs.

I set forms and poured a dog run for the east neighbor...
He never reciprocated, not even a thank you.

The west neighbor was about 90 and healthy as a horse...
He never asked for anything. He is gone now, I miss him.

 

[Industrial Toys]

With so many city people moving to the country, it might become interesting for the old country boys. I do notice that MANY of the city people are buying their own tractors, which was never the case before. Hey, only in part because these toys have become "status" symbols it seems. It does cut into this old boys prospects for some easy fuel/beer and pocket money though.