DO NOT LOAN OUT YOUR TRACTOR... long

[Shantycoke]

Neither a lender nor a borrow be.

When ever I borrow something I always return it better than it was when I borrow it.

Must have hit something hard. Accidents will happen, but always make it right.

lug nut, what about loaning out your dog? Four things?

Cary

I try to explain to my wife (who wants to borrow everything) that if we need it, we'll buy it. If we can't afford it, we don't need it. Her parents borrow EVERYTHING and they all think it's normal. I hate it. Sorry about your tractor, hope you get it squared away.

 

[DickS]

Advice is never accepted in the same spirit in which it is given.

Having said that, I'll give you mine:

Relatives are the greatest offenders. Lend nothing to anyone. If they need your help, you go with the tractor. Better yet, tell them to go rent it and send you the bill if they can't afford it. That usually shuts them up.

 

[irwin]

So far no-one but me has driven my tractor, I'd be positive anyone but me would do something out of ignorance or over confidence that would either hurt/kill them or break something else. Just my faith in my fellow man I guess..

Metal can be repaired, no one got injured, Not always easy but try to look at what didn't happen, you just may have gotten off cheap... fix it and move on. If there's the slightest possiblity your friend didn't know, and there's always that possibility, good friends aren't replaceable, IF he really is a good friend take a breath and let him know he's a friend....

 

[PBinWA]

"You can ask to borrow a farmer's wife but never ask to borrow his tractor!"

That's what I was told the first time I asked about borrowing a tractor and it stuck with me.

 

[Kendall69]

I can tell you tons of stories of borrowed equipment - AND LOST FRIENDS.

Even my Big Bobtail trucks friends and relatives ALWAYS want to borrow them, they're nearly 100k each. What I always say is Uhaul is $29.99 a day, here's $30.00 I'll be glad to pay. No one has ever taken my money.
The ole "my liability insurance won't allow it" always works.

And when they want to borrow money, sorry it's all tied up in CD's and the penaties would kill me.

And when they want my wife - just make sure she's home in time to cook dinner

Seriously though the liability of loaning out equipment IS SCARY at least. If you friend got hurt on your tractor, your friends insurance company would come after YOU, and your friend wouldn't have a say so in it. The manufacturer od the cutting equipment, tractor, dealer, you etc. would all be listed on the suit.

Sad as it might me, it's true.

 

[motepoc]

I had asked one of my kids best friends (who hunts our land) to give me a price on bush hogging a ten acre field. In a couple of days, there's a knock at the door. It was Mike, and he asked me to come outside so he could some me some things. Got my shoes on and went out the front door. Saw his truck and empty equipment trailer. He said let's go out back. As we walked around the house, I saw his tractor, Yanmar2000, out back, parked by my shed, with his bush hog on the back. He showed me how to operate the whole thing (hadn't operated a tractor in 15 years, and never a Yanmar, all Farmall stuff). Mike told me to take my time, and be careful. Had the tractor several weeks, not because of breakdowns, but more on doc's appointments for me, MIL, and wife, picking up grandboy from school, and other things that take away seat time. He came one time and asked if he could borrow my Craftsman YS4500 54" lawn tractor, so he wouldn't have to load the tractor, change impliments at home , cut the grass, change the impliments, and bring it back to me to finish my cutting. That was a no-brainer.
I knew that during the whole time I had the tractor, that anything that happened to it was my responsibility, and I would take care of it. Thank the LORD nothing did. I asked Mike what I owed him, and he said $0. I told him that I had to give him something. And he said he needed a grinding wheel. So, i'm looking for a good wheel to get him. He returned my Craftsman in better shape than when he got it (sometimes I don't clean it as good as I should after I cut). Mike is a fine young man, and one that I am glad to count as a friend, not because he lent me his tractor, but because of who and how he is.
As a side note, am looking for my own 2000, as soon as I get money together, and find right deal. Am looking at a dealer in SC who has what looks to be a good deal. Hope all comes together soon.

 

[tommu56]

swampvol

Is your mower rigid to the tractor I've seen many parts get bent if the tractor and the mower doesn't flex at the top link?

tom

 

[Fjord]

I lent my B7800 with BH to a friend a couple of months ago. When it came back it was cleaner than it left and was returned with a full can of fuel and the oil and filter required to do an oil change. He did forget to put the roll bar down which hit his garage tore one of the holes open where the bolt goes through. Seems like a weak point on the ROPS to me. Anyways, he told me about it, then welded a piece of steel tube inside the folding part which makes it stronger and it probably should be built that way. He also offered to buy me a new roll bar if I didn't like his repair. In general I find that things get damaged when you lend them out because the people that didn't invest their own time and money to research and buy a product don't have as much respect for it as you do. I lent out a boat a couple of times and it came back with a bent prop each time which cost me about $70.00 each time to repair. I'd do it again because I like the people I lent it to and sometimes they do nice things for me. I wouldn't lend my tractor to most people, but if somebody is a friend and I think I can trust them I don't mind helping them out once in a while. ( I've read many posts with opinions about modified or repaired roll bars, but in this case it honestly doesn't worry me)

 

[CDsdad]

A pressure washer, lawnmower, generator, or something small I would loan to a relative, I don't have any friends. I would expect it to be returned as soon as they were done and in good shape.

My parents or siblings I would loan a vehicle or drive them if they needed me to. No in-laws, they hate me.

Only 2 people would ever use my tractor. My wife, and she's a little scared of it, and Daddy. He and my mother are the only 2 people that can come get anything I have, anytime, keep it as long as needed, bring it back however and don't worry about it. Some cousin-in-law or one of my drunk neighbors, forget it. I'll come help them out, but I wouldn't lend them a wheelbarrow.

I also don't borrow. Somebody said above, I'll buy it or rent it first, or if I can't afford it, do without.

People wonder why I have small engines and vehicles over 10 years old and still running like a top.

 

[riptides]

A good buddy of mine borrowed my tractor ......

Wow. That person is NOT a good buddy. Not even a good person.

Good luck.

-Mike Z.