Excavator track broke

[Rgillard]

Hi guys,

I lent my TB125 to a friend to do a bit of work.
He is a reliable guy but he called me today
To say the track on the digger broke. The tracks
Were in good condition when I left the machine with him.
He is claiming that he did nothing wrong and
Is refusing to pay for the repair. The only thing
That I can think of is there was a bit of diesel
Spilt on one track, not sure which one is broken yet...
Just wondering would diesel cause a track to break or eat into the rubber
If so then it may not be 100% his fault...

Thanks,
Ron

 

[Scooby074]

"a bit of diesel" wouldnt cause the track to break.

 

[paulharvey]

Tracks shouldn't just brake. They normally fray and get very rough looking long before one would brake. My guess I is either a manufacturing defect in the track; or he ran over something sharp; or he dug in too the track with the hope bucket.

 

[Arc weld]

Doesn't sound like a friend to me.:ashamed: I had diesel eat away the rubber on the motor mount on my Cat but it sat there with the heat from the engine for a long time. With the side panel on, I couldn't see it. On a track, driving 20 feet would get rid of the diesel. I'd guess he drove over a stump or ran the bucket tooth into the track. If you want a second opinion, have a dealer look at it. I've heard stumps and such are bad news for rubber track machines. If the problem was caused by diesel, the rubber would be really soft around the break and break up in little pieces. I highly doubt that's what caused it. Tell him he can replace the track or pay you even more for rent. If you rent a machine and cause damage you pay for it. That's why they usually have optional insurance available to protect you from an expensive repair bill. I'd bet it's 99% his fault and 1% your fault for trying to help him out.

 

[Hiltz]

Id have to agree with the above poster. A real friend would have replaced it himself and not complain about it.

 

[brain55]

How many hours on this machine/tracks? Original tracks or aftermarket? What kind of terrain? What kind of break? Did it pull out a cleat or break the cables all the way across? Is the track really broken or did he just roll the track off the sprocket? I've shown up plenty of times to terminology errors, where I thought something was going to be broken, and found a completely different problem.

Brian

 

[paulharvey]

How many hours on this machine/tracks? Original tracks or aftermarket? What kind of terrain? What kind of break? Did it pull out a cleat or break the cables all the way across? Is the track really broken or did he just roll the track off the sprocket? I've shown up plenty of times to terminology errors, where I though something was going to be broken, and found a completely different problem.

Brian

True. I assumed by broke he meant broke. That's why I said defect, as they don't just brake normally. Tracks jumping, fraying, chunks missing are all common, and not cause to replace necessarily.

 

[cqaigy2]

Yikes, that's the danger of borrowing something from a friend, you better hope they maintain the equipment in good condition cause if you break it while using it, you fix it or pay to fix it.

 

[brain55]

Here's the call I got today for a broken track. Actually I told them a few weeks ago they needed a new track when they complained that it seemed to be skipping. Then a couple weeks ago when the track walked off, and again earlier this week. Today there wasn't anything left for me to put back on. Luckily I got the approval Wednesday to order the new track and it came in today so I can pick it up tomorrow and install it.







Brian

 

[grm61]

Hi guys,

I lent my TB125 to a friend to do a bit of work.
He is a reliable guy but he called me today
To say the track on the digger broke. The tracks
Were in good condition when I left the machine with him.
He is claiming that he did nothing wrong and
Is refusing to pay for the repair. The only thing
That I can think of is there was a bit of diesel
Spilt on one track, not sure which one is broken yet...
Just wondering would diesel cause a track to break or eat into the rubber
If so then it may not be 100% his fault...

Thanks,
Ron

Ron, you are a very generous guy for loaning your machine out....You see where this got you.

There are folks who like to be self sufficient and like to have the tools they need to take care of themselves and their families.
Then there are borrowers, their philosophy is why buy it or rent it, if you can borrow it, or get it for free.

This is a pet peeve of mine, I don't loan my tractor out to anyone, I'd loan it to my Dad, but he has his own
I finally had to cut my neighbor off from borrowing everything else I own, he's 20 years older than I am has plenty of money, and has NOTHING to take care of himself as a man.

I have a riding mower, he approached me a couple months ago and said, have I got a deal for you! He offered me 50.00 to mow his grass all summer so he wouldn't have to buy a new lawnmower.
I told him I wasn't looking for a lawn mowing job, and that he had better call a yard service..his response was they would probably charge to much money:banghead:
He finally bought a mower.

He's been waiting for a year and a half for a guy that is supposed to bring him a free load of rock.
All that aside I like him, but I had to draw a line in the sand..

Ya know you buy all this stuff so that you have the tools you need when you need them, not so the cheap *** next door doesn't have to buy anything.

Thanks for listening

Oh, and your "buddy" should replace that track, that"s a risk you take when you borrow something.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I loan my equipment to neighbors and friends but I set in the seat the entire time.

 

[Paul Thornton]

On occasion I will borrow something if the owner offers it to me without my asking. It has always been something I will only have a once in a lifetime use for. I always return the item clean and with some cash as a thank you gift. I have never broken or damaged anything but if I did I would repair or replace it. L2800 w/FEL - 72" Land Pride rake

 

[Paul Thornton]

Delete double post

 

[brain55]

It would be nice to get a report back from the OP. I get that replacing a $1000 track could be a hard hit for a lot of people, but plain refusing to repair the machine is pretty lame. I typically don't borrow anything I'd rather rent, or buy something if I'll need it multiple times. On the rare occasion that I do borrow I always try to return it in better condition than I received it.

I borrowed a friends dump trailer semi-recently, two different times to clean out my back yard. The first time I did the yearly service. Adjusted the brakes and wheel bearings and lubed everything, which it needed. The second time I pressure washed it and returned it much cleaner than it was. Both times he told me that it wasn't necessary. I just reminded him he would have done the same.

Brian

 

[Rgillard]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the feedback. The track replacement cost €395. I haven't seen the track yet but my brother did and said it split up the middle into two bands. He has the machine nearly 3 weeks now so if he was hiring it, it would have cost him €1800 so far (600 per week). Paying for the new track still leaves him in a pretty position. I am getting it back tomorrow and that is the end of doing people favors. If anyone asks to borrow it they will be told no. We generally borrow nothing as if something goes wrong you have to fix it. I'd rather have all my own toys. If on the rare occasion we badly need something it always gets returned in better condition than you received it...

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Keep us updated because this is a concern many of us deal with. I am going to stick with my policy if I loan my equipment I will loan myself as the operator.

Just dug a hole in the bank for a neighbor to set a storm shelter. It was about two hours as I did some clean up of the area first.

If something breaks I want to be the one that was operating it at the time. I get a feel for our old equipment and their weaknesses.