lending the tractor out, again

fixerupper · Oct 13, 2014

The 1086 has had a slow leak in a rear tire for about a year. It loses five pounds in a month making it one of those fix it jobs to put on the back shelf. Today I had it in the shop for a few little things and decided it might be worthwhile to look at the tire a little closer. What I found was two huge tire plugs sticking out with one leaking. I would NEVER plug a rear tractor tire so it didn't happen under my watch. It has been used by one neighbor off and on so I pretty much know who did it. These holes look like something 3/8" went through the tire in two places about 3/4" apart. I'm not as upset about the holes as I am in the quick cheap way they fixed it. My arthritic hands are hurting so darned bad right now from wrestling that tire, but I wasn't going to pay the tire truck to come out to fix it either. I put a five inch patch over the holes so it shouldn't leak but if it does and I need to tube it the neighbor will hear about it! Just one more of those many stories about lending machinery out to the neighbor. (sigh) Jim I don't know why the pic is blurred,maybe I was shaking too much!!!

RC Brooks · Oct 13, 2014

Even if it's "fixed" always good to let the owner know it was "fixed". I am a little surprised they plugged it. Of course messing with a filled tire isn't a lot of fun. Maybe you could ask for some help putting it back on from said neighbor and mention the plugs casually.

SweetFeet · Oct 13, 2014

fixerupper,

Sadly, that is why we ended up with a NO BORROW
policy at our place. Equipment and tools lent out
came back in pretty serious disrepair - with no
mention of the damage, nor of paying for the
repairs... and this was family and friends!

Brendon Warren · Oct 13, 2014

I've got the opposite situation. I borrowed the
neighbors bale wagon and it had a tire that was
leaking. I suggested we take it off and I'd fix it
before it ruined the tire and tube. No just blow it
up it'll be fine he says. Well guess what happened?
You guessed it. Now I'm on the hook for a tire and
tube. I only had 16 bales to move about 2 miles.
Last year I used their other wagon and fixed 2 tires
on it before I could use it. The only reason I even
ask to use them is because I helped my brother build
them. I'd of bought them myself if I'd of thought
I'd be maintaining them forever.

Tom-NoCenTX · Oct 13, 2014

If you lend out your equipment, then don't cry when it gets torn up. Your patch may not hold either, and a new tire purchase may be necessary. I would promptly call the guy that borrowed it and tell him no more lending, period. In fact, I would have called him, told him to come and have the tire repaired correctly at his work/expense. Why did you fix it?? Tom

notjustair · Oct 13, 2014

The neighbor and I farm 1000 acres together so there really
isn't anything to borrow - it is all community property used
together by one or both of us. However, when I use something
on my own I do maintenance and make it better than it was
before. Good example - I needed to take the car trailer a
couple hours away to get a lawnmower I had bought for my
end of the farm. I packed the bearings before going. We don't
use it much, so I won't need to do those for another 10 years.

LSGUNSS · Oct 13, 2014

We have a no lend policy here as well. Dad has always been this way because people will always use and abuse stuff. He has always said "They don't own what they need to barrow for a reason, they have already torn theirs up"

Robert Major · Oct 14, 2014

Hi
You need a sign hanging from a post on your
driveway by the road. Put on it, The Guy that
lends tools and equipment is out!. one of my
dear departed friends used to have that up at
his place. At one time he had, Every third
unsolicited sales man will be shot. further
down he had are you the third!
As for borrowing stuff and it going home
better. I used to borrow a trailer my buddy had
shares in with his once removed brother in law.
Deal was i fixed it, when I picked it up from
the once removed s place for using it.
Guy was rough on everything, so had to fix it
every time and take the day to do wheel
bearings brakes or lights. I got mad at this
every time. So quit getting it. Was at my
buddys the other day. Guess he was mad at the
guy for wrecking the trailer, and he had to fix
it before he could use it. I just laughed and
said now you know why I haven't used it for 12
months or more, I got fed up of fixing it like
this every time!.
He was pretty mad and going to visit the once
removed and tell him look after it or buy his
half out!.
Regards Robert

mkirsch · Oct 14, 2014

Are there ever any stories of someone lending a tractor out in good faith and having it come back WITHOUT it being wrecked, or possibly even in BETTER shape with no mention of the repairs or demands for payment for the repairs?

Don-Wi · Oct 14, 2014

That's why we bought 2 chopper boxes and a trailed sprayer this year at auctions. Got sick of having to put our spare tires on the neighbors wagons just to pull them to our farm to grease them. He'd never put an implement tire on them, just old used truck tires witha tube that shouldn't be in anything bigger than a 215 75 15 so it was stretched really thin and easy to puncture. We sure weren't gonna put new implement tires on at our expense if he can't maintain them.

We used his sprayer a few times but that was in pretty sad shape too. He let the pump freeze once and I ended up fixing it.

Donovan from Wisconsin

INCase · Oct 14, 2014

we used to borrow an occasional tractor and plow/disc from our neighbor back home.

If we didn't borrow stuff it wouldn't have gotten fixed.

In fact he used to say he like to loan to us because things always came back in better shape than when it left. we always took them back with more fuel in them too.

Rodeo man · Oct 14, 2014

true story--------I loaned a guy a boat once. He kept it so long, his wife got it in the divorce.

fixerupper · Oct 14, 2014

I work in the fall with this neighbor, or maybe I should say neighbors as there are two of them in their operation plus one hired man. I have worked with them for probably 15 years now and we generally have a good relationship. Where we differ is they do repairs the cheap fast way to get back into operation quick. I repair things the right way even if it takes a few days.

They do know I have teeth and I have had to show them a few times to get them back on the straight and narrow. This tractor is used on their auger in the fall and it augers probably 150,000 bushels. It's set up with rear throttle and PTO controls along with extra lights in the right places. They know if they upset the apple cart with me they could lose 1000 acres of custom harvesting my crops along with that tractor. This tire plugging thing isn't the end of the world, it's just frustrating that one of their quick repairs ends up falling back on me to get it done right. By the way, I talked to the hired man today and he 'just can't remember this tractor ever having a flat tire'!!!

IowaJohn · Oct 14, 2014

I used to loan stuff out but it never seemed to make it back unless I went and got it. Won't even lend out to close family anymore. They don't seem to come over as much as before. That may be a good thing.

ss55 · Oct 14, 2014

The plugs might have been there for a long time by now.

Just tell them what you actually want from them: to pay for the new repair patch; a new tire; or an apology?

David G · Oct 14, 2014

Neighbors do not mind loaning to me, it comes back washed, greased and all checked over. The OCD in me does that.

rockyridgefarm · Oct 14, 2014

(quoted from post at 06:54:37 10/14/14) Are there ever any stories of someone lending a tractor out in good faith and having it come back WITHOUT it being wrecked, or possibly even in BETTER shape with no mention of the repairs or demands for payment for the repairs?

Three of my five gravity boxes are at a neighbors' place full of soybeans right now. A fourth is at a friend's place in the next town south. I'd trust either of them with anything I own. I also borrow their equipment. Anything borrowed is returned in as good or better condition by any of us.

Of course it's far easier to remember the bad borrowers than the good ones.... The stories end up better, too.

lending the tractor out, again

fixerupper

Well-known Member

RC Brooks

Member

SweetFeet

Well-known Member

Brendon Warren

Well-known Member

Tom-NoCenTX

Member

notjustair

Well-known Member

LSGUNSS

Member

Robert Major

Well-known Member

mkirsch

Well-known Member

Don-Wi

Well-known Member

INCase

Well-known Member

Rodeo man

Member

fixerupper

Well-known Member

IowaJohn

Member

ss55

Well-known Member

David G

Well-known Member

rockyridgefarm

Well-known Member

Similar threads