Do yall let friends/buddies/relatives borrow your trailers?


Spent about an hour getting my trailer out of the snow last night (frozen drifts and stuck Z71s were the main problem) so I could take my roomates (Jeff) Jetta to the shop. I got the Superduty fueled, car strapped down and then I backed to the side of the garage and dropped it. I went in and before I could take my boots off Jeff says that Adam is on his way over to pick the car/tailer up so he can take it in. When I told him no I thought he was going to start crying...My reasons for not letting him take the car/trailer
-1/2 ton Chevy
-no brakes controller
-never towed anything before
-it's -10° outside with snow and ice still on the roads

After all that the guy still doesn't understand. He doesn't understand that I have loaned out the trailer only for it to come back with lights missing, screwed up jacks, gouges in the wood, etc....

I would love to loan it out but noone ever seems to bring it back in the same condition that it left in...is this just my luck?

Only a very select few for some of the reasons you mentioned.

Thats what happens when you borrow a trailer, its not your luck. Either except the dammage you will most likely recive or dont loan it.

Do yall let friends/buddies/relatives borrow your trailers?



After all that the guy still doesn't understand. He doesn't understand that I have loaned out the trailer only for it to come back with lights missing, screwed up jacks, gouges in the wood, etc....

I would love to loan it out but noone ever seems to bring it back in the same condition that it left in...is this just my luck?

Sounds like when my wife loans out my trailer to her friends without me knowing:mad3:
Only a very select few get to borrow my truck/trailer/equipment and they are the same few that loan me stuff when I need it.

The big problem with loaning a trailer is the fact that if they don't own a trailer themselves, chances are high that they have little or no experience towing one or taking care of one. If I've got a friend that I know can tow the trailer, then it's not much of a problem to loan it out...otherwise I'll pull it for you, for fuel and beer money.
Same thing happened to me not too long ago. A guy bitched and moaned that I wouldn't let him use my trailer to go 40 miles up the mtns to pick up a cj7--with his lifted zj. :rolleyes: I don't care if it's a v8. Oh well.

I'll pull it for you, for fuel and beer money.

I have no problem with this. This sounds real fair.

I have the same opinion as stated above. I'm VERY selective to who I would let borrow my trailer, and usually when somebody needs something hauled I will just volunteer to go pick it up for them.

Another thing that I didn't see mentioned is "if the guy wrecks and totals my trailer, will he be able to replace it". I'm sorry, but if I know the guy can't rub two nickels together how is he going to buy me a new $2,500 trailer if he totals it.

just like everyone else.... only loan to a select few

I only loan my stuff out to people that I can trust and can either, fix when they break, or pay to have what the broke, fixed.

I haven't had any issues loaning mine out.

But it's but ugly and built like a tank. Short having the trailer come loose; something only I have done so far. The most you can do is a $3 marker light on the side or a $2 tighl light lense.

Anything else they hit will loose the competition.

Get a gooseneck... it keeps the dumb ones from borrowing it to haul with their minivan...

I haven't had any issues loaning mine out.

But it's but ugly and built like a tank. Short having the trailer come loose; something only I have done so far. The most you can do is a $3 marker light on the side or a $2 tighl light lense.

Anything else they hit will loose the competition.

:laughing:



I once had a neighbor ask to use the junk trailer to get a little gravel. Its actually a old pop-up camper that my Dad and I "massaged" into a trailer that gets used for the dirtbikes or riding mower. He says that he is only going to get enough to fill the area around his mailbox and then stop at Home Depot and pick up a basketball hoop for his kids. Say sure and go back to wrenching (scratching head and cussing). About a hour later he calls and says that there is something wrong with my fenders and he knows this becasue they are making noise when he drives :confused:. I cruised down to the gravel pit and this mutherfawker has about 2 truck loads of gravel on my trailer. The shit is piled right in the center and the whole trailer is bowing in the middle. The problem with the fenders is that the axle broke and they were touching the rails....needless to say this goon ruined it for everyone :homer:

So far, only my FIL has borrowed my trailer, and each time he brings it back something else is broken. Everything he has broken, he has not fixed.

So I bought a gooseneck. I know he can tow it, but he won't take the topper off of his truck or put in the gooseneck hitch...

:laughing:



I once had a neighbor ask to use the junk trailer to get a little gravel. Its actually a old pop-up camper that my Dad and I "massaged" into a trailer that gets used for the dirtbikes or riding mower. He says that he is only going to get enough to fill the area around his mailbox and then stop at Home Depot and pick up a basketball hoop for his kids. Say sure and go back to wrenching (scratching head and cussing). About a hour later he calls and says that there is something wrong with my fenders and he knows this becasue they are making noise when he drives :confused:. I cruised down to the gravel pit and this mutherfawker has about 2 truck loads of gravel on my trailer. The shit is piled right in the center and the whole trailer is bowing in the middle. The problem with the fenders is that the axle broke and they were touching the rails....needless to say this goon ruined it for everyone :homer:

My 16' trailer is built with about 60 linear feet of 2x8 and 2x7 I-beams.

The fenders are made of 1x1x.120 square tube and plated with 1/4" plate.

I lent mine out to two people last year I thought I could trust with it, lets just say it does not leave my driveway without me towing it now.

Get a gooseneck... it keeps the dumb ones from borrowing it to haul with their minivan...

That's how I solved the problem. I only know one person with a GN hitch in his truck, but that truck hasn't moved in 2 years. Even it if was running, I'd let him borrow it, since we loan each other shit all the time and he's a professional truck driver so I know he knows how to tow a trailer.

About 3 years ago I sold my small 18' tongue to a friend for a really good price as long as I could borrow it anytime I needed to. Ever since then the 1 or 2 times a year I need a trailer for something local etc.. I have one.

I do have a large gooseneck I got a deal on but nobody ever asks to borrow that one. Its 53' long and almost more pain in the ass than its worth. I didnt want one that size but when you get a 4 year old trailer for $3000 I couldnt pass it up.

The LAST time I let someone use my carhauler I had to retrieve my spare tire from their yard. Piss on that.

Sadly, my gf's mother and step dad have towed our trailer more than we have. It comes back with scratches all the time, (its brand new, so I notice each one) or a nice gouge on the fender from a Home Depot fork truck running a fork down it. Usually simple things and stuff that will happen to a flat bed eventually, but we paid the money for it, so why does everyone else get to f*ck it up and not me? The one time I rode with the gf and her step dad to the dump the step dad drove (I didnt know the area)... he was flying through city streets like a mad man (for towing a trailer). He didnt compensate for the extra length pulling out in front of people, or the additional width of the trailer. I watch the tires/fenders damn near bounce off of curbs, parked cars and guard rails....

The gf paid 500 of the price, I told her I would give her that 500 so that its just my trailer and I could tell her mom to go f herself, she wasnt real happy about that deal..

My biggest problem is that we bought the trailer just for our quads. Its a 14' single axle with no brakes, so I cant even use the "you dont have a brake controller" angle.

The gf also loaned out her old (98 chevy 3/4 ton) a few times. One time came back with both tail gate cables snapped and a tail gate that need some "adjustments" to make it latch again. Another time it was smoked in. And even another time the people borrowing it said the bass was too loud so they "unplugged" the amp. What they did was rip an RCA cable in half... instead of just turning the bass down on the deck, or better yet pulling the amp fuse...

Im co-signed on the new truck and no one borrows it. :shaking:

Whenever I borrow something, I always bring it back in better condition than I got it. We borrowed a 24 foot enclosed last summer and it had a snapped bolt on the handle for the ramp door. I easy-outed the snapped bolt and replaced it and fixed the handle. I also topped the generator's fuel tank, washed the trailer, and greased the axles before returning it. The only truck I have ever borrowed I returned with a cd player in place of the stock am fm stereo... I wish I could get someone that does that with my stuff.

My 16' trailer is built with about 60 linear feet of 2x8 and 2x7 I-beams.

The fenders are made of 1x1x.120 square tube and plated with 1/4" plate.

so yer saying you will loan it out to anyone?

so yer saying you will loan it out to anyone?

As long as I or my wife know who they are and I don't need the trailer myself.

I wouldn't go so far as to say "anyone".

I do ask them about what they are hauling and what they tow vehicle is. As for condition of the trailer, that I don't really worry about. I've had it come back with a flat once, tread seperation. No big deal, $20-25 later I had a "new-to-me" spare again. I didn't ask them to pay for it since the tire could have just as easily died on me.

I've probably been worse to it than anyone I've loaned it to. When was the last time you put 3-4-5 man rock on your trailer.

So far, only my FIL has borrowed my trailer, and each time he brings it back something else is broken. Everything he has broken, he has not fixed.

So I bought a gooseneck. I know he can tow it, but he won't take the topper off of his truck or put in the gooseneck hitch...

Well done, sir.

Only a very select few for some of the reasons you mentioned.

Thanks again! :D :beer:

I know I let my buddy borrow my smaller landscape trailer when he needs his sled moved or something like that, hes broken lights, tailgate pins, scratched it, etc...but so have I, and I know he'll let me borrow his shit when I need, so I let him do it.

Another buddy let me use his car hauler a few times, which was a big help, and Ill gladly return the favor if he ever needs it, now that I have my own car hauler I dont need it, and even though its a piece of shit, I wont just loan it out to anyone unless I know they know how to pull a trailer and have a decent truck, because its long (for a beginner) and heavy

My truck is a different story, its my baby, that I have every penny Ive ever worked for into. I will gladly loan it to my buddy matt who is the one that uses my landscape trailer, but not too many other people.

Ive loaned it to another buddy that I work with, that will let me use his car at work because it gets better mileage. Well now...

1) My rear tires are bald, and hes told me that it axle hops when u get on it too hard. :shaking:

2) He locked my only set of keys in it

3) I had a tranny in the back, and it didnt move an inch in the week I drove it, and then was spun 90*, flipped on its side, and pressed against the tailgate after about an hour with him behind the wheel

4) He takes it w/o asking me, to go whereever he wants

5) Hes left the parking lot laying rubber with me there

6) He went up my buddy matts driveway in 2WD to sand it (when you clearly need 4WD) and dented the shit out of the sand thing

7) Hes left drugs and/or paraphenalia in it, and I dont even smoke, so I REALLY dont want to get caught with that kind of shit in my truck :smokin:

But I cant say anything to him because he lets me use his car when I need it, and it saves me a lot of money, even though it hurts my baby

yep, this is why I have goosenecks also...

Like stated above a very select few use my stuff. Those select few also know where the keys to the tow rigs are incase there needed aswell. I'm very cautious who uses my trailers, because usually the ones asking have never pulled anything in thier life, because if they did they'd OWN a trailer and see it from my point of view

I let ANYONE borrow my trailer i beat the living piss of out of it myself.. whats the worst that can happen ?




























here's my trailer
http://www.countryatv.com/5400a.jpg

Get a gooseneck... it keeps the dumb ones from borrowing it to haul with their minivan...

x3 on the gooseneck. Even the majority of the people I know who have towing experience don't have a gooseneck hitch in their truck so there isn't much need to worry about having someone random calling to borrow the trailer.

I don't lend mine out and it's already scratched and dented. Part of the problem is that it would be at least an hour of work for me to hook it up, move it out of storage, unload my rig off of it, and then reverse the process when I get it back. (That includes the 10 minute drives to the storage facility.)

The other thing is that I just don't want to lend it out to every mooch that needs it. Buy your own. I did haul somebody elses rig for them. I didn't ask for gas money but sort of expected to get it without asking. (Stupid me) I even made to sure fill the tank up during the portion of the drive we were together. The guy parked about 200 feet away from me while I filled it up. I bet I spent $50 in gas helping him that night in addition to the 8 hours of work involved driving, loading a non-running truck, etc.

I felt kind of taken advantage of, next time I'll wise up and mention my expenses instead of hoping he'll volunteer to help.

I don't understand teh guys getting goosenecks, etc. just so no one asks to borrow their trailer.

There's this simple, usually simple to understand word. "No."

Even I have used that before.

If it's someone that needs help, I usually end up driving the operation anyway. fortunatley each of them have been kind enough to give me the opportunity to turn down their offer of $$$.

I will loan mine out to anyone I know. And by "know" I mean know where they live. It's a cheap 16' car hauler so I really don't care. No problems yet. My Toyhauler, thats a different story. Too much to go wrong.

I tell em to hire one from a servo if they need it that bad, or pay me fuel and ill do it.

I dont want someone who has never towed before without trailer brakes trying to move heavy shit with a car thats to small. close mates they can as they have all towed before and know what they are doing.

we dont have goosenecks here :( have to have a CDL to tow em....bloody government

I don't understand teh guys getting goosenecks, etc. just so no one asks to borrow their trailer.

:laughing: i agree,its alot cheaper just to grow a set of balls and tell your friends no :flipoff2: lots of good reasons to have goosenecks,but to me "so that my friends dont borrow them" is a pretty stupid one.


Whenever I borrow something, I always bring it back in better condition than I got it.


that sounds like me. i like to have my own stuff,so more often than not ill go buy something rather than borrow it,if at all possible.

the rare cases when i need to borrow something it usually needs worked on before i can borrow it :laughing: and certainly if i damage something on it ill fix that return it in better shape tan it was.

the couple people ill let borrow my stuff without my being present will do the same. i usually prefer to go ahead and use my truck and do the hauling for everyone else.

You guys need better friends. I have been on the other end of this. I have borrowed two trailers from people in the past and I have lent my trailers out. I borrowed a buddies car hauler and lost one of his wheel trim rings, so I bought him a new set. No biggie. I borrowed my father-in-laws horse trailer for about 4 months at one point and I ended up putting new taillights on it (his were faded to pink) and splitting the cost of new tires with him. Of course I'm the kind of guy that will fill the tank and bring your car back clean if I ever borrow it. Leave it in better condition than you received it.

when I bought my trailer two years ago I let a few slect people use it but when it came back with one fender ripped off one time and broken lights another I started to use NO as my answer but then a buddy called me when I was on vacation and was in a bind I told him to becareful with it and not beat it up but it came back with bald tires cause his brake controller was F'ed up and it locked the brakes up so he drug it any ways so now I don't care what the problem is your not using it

ya know...I aboslutely hated letting people borrow my trailer when I had a nice new one. However, i've need to buy another trailer for a couple years now but I have so many friends w/ trailers that they're glad to let me use it's almost not worth it. I usually fix something on each trailer every time I use it so as to keep the deal open! I think that's the difference.

Do your friends fix what they damage? Wash it? Pain't pieces? Grease it? If not... don't let them use it. If they're just putting miles on your sh!t and not making it worth your while then f-ck em.

My best buddy owns a trucking company and makes great money... he also used to let everyone use whatever they wanted for free. At the drop of a hat he'd let someone take his dodge and enclosed trailer to move. Shit comes back scratched, bent alxes, beat up, flat tires.... dirty. I can't believe people can be like that. Just cause he has money the borrowers think they shouldn't have to pay for their mistakes.

I used his truck and toy hauler (5thwheel) to go to glamis for work. He got to use my truck for the week (same except auto no 5th wheel)..and got $1000 from the company.... his truck came back polished and waxed tip to tail, the trailer came back scrubbed inside and out.

Then I decided I didn't like how it towed so I told him he needed a chip, a pac brake, air bags, traction bars, on board air, and rebuild the quick release pins on the hitch... he spent the bucks on that and I had every intention in the world of putting it all on for free but since he's the man he gave me the rental money and $500 tip. Now when I borrow his truck it's wicked sick :D hahahah alterior motives! woo

I "rented" a gooseneck from a guy on here this past Sept to go to Moab. I paid the guy for his quarterly maintenance he had done on it and he let me use it for up to ten days. I rinsed it off when I was done and returned it early. Hell, even his employee helped troubleshoot some wiring for 30 minutes before we took off with it.

As he uses it for business, he was nice enough to make sure he scheduled me in to use it as I gave him plently of notice.

I don't understand teh guys getting goosenecks, etc. just so no one asks to borrow their trailer.


Nope that's just an added benifit :D

We get the goosenecks because they are a far better trailer design. I grew up on a farm and we owned over a dozen different pickup sized trailers over the years. I would choose a gooseneck over a bumper pull anyday.

I'm sorry, but if I know the guy can't rub two nickels together how is he going to buy me a new $2,500 trailer if he totals it.

i could only wish my trailer was 2,500 to replace! :shaking::grinpimp:

to keep people from borrowing my trailer i leave stuff on it. for instance my bobcat lives on the trailer unless of course i need to use the trailer for something else or a VERY TRUSTED friend needs to borrow it. this way you can honestly say to people, "ya my trailer is tied up and not available..."

to keep people from borrowing my trailer i leave stuff on it. for instance my bobcat lives on the trailer unless of course i need to use the trailer for something else or a VERY TRUSTED friend needs to borrow it. this way you can honestly say to people, "ya my trailer is tied up and not available..."

or you could just say no, I'm not letting your borrow it. :flipoff2:

I haven't had any issues loaning mine out.

But it's but ugly and built like a tank. Short having the trailer come loose; something only I have done so far. The most you can do is a $3 marker light on the side or a $2 tighl light lense.

Anything else they hit will loose the competition.

does it have tires ???? I'm sure they cost more than 2 or 3 bucks to replace

I have my own trailers that don't get loaned out. However, I'll use them for just about anybody I know.

Saying no gets easier the more times you say it.

Lets see, I have had my lights smashed, a brand new fender taco'd, my brakes locked up and drug like that for 5 miles (due to a piched wire and overloaded trailer) and my tires balded out because of poor loading.
I think all I have ever got is a Sorry, and I will fix that for you......... one day.
I don't loan it out, unless I am riding with someone, or towing it.

Lets see, I have had my lights smashed, a brand new fender taco'd, my brakes locked up and drug like that for 5 miles (due to a piched wire and overloaded trailer) and my tires balded out because of poor loading.
I think all I have ever got is a Sorry, and I will fix that for you......... one day.
I don't loan it out, unless I am riding with someone, or towing it.

That is what you get for loaning out a converted horse trailer!

does it have tires ???? I'm sure they cost more than 2 or 3 bucks to replace

Not that much.

I run 10 ply rated LT245/75R16's.

Finding decent used ones for $20-$25/ea is pretty damn easy. The trailer doesn't see enough milleage to warrant new tires, they would rot off long before the tread wore down.

first and last time Ive loaned mine out, the -Tard had the wrong sized ball aparently and it went careening through the trees with a heavy car on it. The -tard was a friend of my brother, to whom I originally loaned it to.

As a trailer barrower, I agree people treat them like shit. Every time I barrow my neighboors trailer Im fixing shit on it. Broken lights, burnt out bulbs, messed up wires. And I know for damn sure Im only one who grease's it. But he appreciates it as he's the one breaking shit, and doesnt have the time or knowledge to fix it. And it assures that I can use it whenever I need to. At least until I get my OWN hopefully sooner than later.

there's just something about trailers...a perfectly intelligent individulal becomes some idiot with bad judgement and worse luck as soon as he hooks up a borrowed trailer. I lent mine out a couple of times in the months right after I first got it...a taillight, a lost ramp, a bent jack handle, and a rubbed thru wiring harness later I leaned my lesson. Now I tend to only lend it to my buddies who have their own but can't use it for whatever reason...they do the same for me and everybody's happy

So far, only my FIL has borrowed my trailer, and each time he brings it back something else is broken. Everything he has broken, he has not fixed.

So I bought a gooseneck. I know he can tow it, but he won't take the topper off of his truck or put in the gooseneck hitch...
My BIL, used mine over the past weekend, went to use it today, 3 of the 4 tires are flat (2 bent rims), all the lights are busted off the back, Who knows where the spare tire is :mad3:
Called him all afternoon to find out what happened, he doesn't answer his phone. I'm gonna catch him first thing in the morning....that's it, I'm buying a Gooseneck now for sure.

I can only think of a few people that i would lend mine to, my dad one of the guys that was in my wedding and 2 guys from my club ... and i would more than likely have them sign some papper work (including dad) .. as of so far only person that has moved it has been my wife .... all of 20 feet lol
as for the the tow rig... my dad and wife thats it ...
One guy at work asked about using my truck... I said sure as long as i can borrow your wife conversation ended.

My 16' I picked up in '01 was a village whore, never said no. Trashed boards, fenders, taillights, ripping angle iron off the back of it. Once in a while someone would drop off a new taillight. My good friend's uncle bought me a set of trailer tires after using it regularly for a few months. A coworker who tore it up just dropped off some steel. Took me 4days to fix it up to sell it. New trailer only gets loaned to those that have come through for me in the past.

Nope. I loaded out my brand new 18' trailer a while back, came back with a bent rim and dented fenders. Now the only people that run my truck or trailer are my dad or my brother. That's it.

I've loaned my trailer out twice. Once with no problem to a buddy who has loaned me lots of tools (including his welder) over the years. I would loan it to him again no problem. Once for a short run to a friend/coworker who runs our transpo department and tows a huge canoe trailer behind a bus a lot. He left the trailer plug hanging too low and wore through it by dragging it around town. He doesn't get to borrow it anymore. And I am now very selective with who I would loan it to. I'm happy to help friends move short distances around town, and haul other folks stuff if I am going in the same direction the stuff needs to go, all for beer or gas money. Wife can drive the tow rig all she wants, which isn't much unless it's a long road trip. She prefers the '72 baja bug as her DD :smokin:

damn, you guys need some better friends.

The trailers I've borrowed I've had to fix the wiring and usually the lights before I left, but when they came back their owners were mostly amazed I worked through their rats nest of wires and excited that they could use the lights again. Also, I always check the wheel bearings and I know that you can't put 10,000 lbs. on a tiny ass utility trailer.

And I have no idea how people can destroy a trailer. I guess I just know how to look in my mirrors and I remember that I have a trailer behind me?

Damn... Last trailer I borrowed had some electrical issues (older trailer) and I re wired the whole thing (lights and breaks) before taking it back as a thank you for letting me use it. But this might be the reason that the guy left it for me to use/maintain while he is in Alsaka for 3 years. I also orrowed a trailer a few years ago and some jackass backed into the fender in a parking lot and left. I hit up three stores before I found on that was the same and had it replaced before it was returned.... Had to pay a guy to cut off the old one and weld the new one on. But I am actually thankfull someone let me use there stuff and I keep care of it like it was my own. But on another note... I'm VERY picky about what I loan out to people.

I only let my dad or father in law borrow it, or on rare occasions, I will let those that I KNOW will take care of it borrow it.(surveyboy) I don't have any problems hoooking it up to my truck and hauling your junk somewhere for you if Im free... for the cost of fuel and maybe a burger... Done that a few times.

Scott

I'll let my dad borrow my trailer any time he wants!!

Of course, if the trailer is hooked to the truck, he finds another vehcile to drive.

My dad won't pull a trailer with his F350 dually... :D

Last two trailers I borrowed, first one I used 3 or 4 times, it got a complete re-wire, a suspension re-build($150 for all 4 springs and and a hangar kit) re-paint, and a partial re-deck, which the owner supplied the lumber for.
Most recently, I borrowed another trailer, nice 14K GVWR tilt deck, only a couple years old. Thing pulled to one side under braking and empty would lock up the tires on that side easily, and the breakaway wasn't working... Ended up being a partial re-wire, new battery, and a brake re-build on one side...

Once I actually get my trailer, I'll have no issues loaning it out, provided it gets treated like I treat ones I borrow, and it'll be a goose... LOL

I will not loan out my truck or trailer. But if I know you well enough that you asking to use it I will go pick up or drop off whatever they need for the price of fuel and lunch, My time is free to my friends.

The trailer that I borrow is the trailer that I built for our race team. I didn't pay for anything on it but I cut every piece of steel and welded every inch of bead on it. That was our deal. He pays, I build. It gets used pretty frequently by myself, the owner and one of our other close friends. Enough that all 3 of us carry copies of the registration. So far, 1 trailer light has stopped working and a ramp has been ripped off and welded back on.

if you're going to lend a trailer out, "bulletproofing" it is the easiest way to ensure it will come back working. Recessed LED lights don't seem to get broken as easily, soldered and shrinkwrapped wiring, doesn't seem to get messed up, all of the wiring is also run through PVC conduit. A little preventative and inventive thinking can ensure it will last a lot longer.

We're getting a 28 foot enclosed soon, that should be fun to take wheelin.

I only let my dad or father in law borrow it, or on rare occasions, I will let those that I KNOW will take care of it borrow it.(surveyboy) I don't have any problems hoooking it up to my truck and hauling your junk somewhere for you if Im free... for the cost of fuel and maybe a burger... Done that a few times.

Scott
lol, i think your trailer is one of the only one's i've ever borrowed to haul my shit somewhere LOL.

and all i could do was worry i was gonna scratch the damn thing LOL

i HATE borrowing stuff. not because i wouldn't fix something i broke, but, i'd feel so bad for breaking it in the first place.

so i bought my own trailer again. LOL