A lesson to never lend your trailer out!

[mattzj98]

some of you may know, towards the end of 2013 I bought a brand new car hauler for the jeep to hang out on, on its way to trails..

its seen a few trips!

then I decided to lend it out for the King Of Hammers past couple weeks, and this is how it was returned to me...

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9e7bMHYUXTM/VOjMee6Y_DI/AAAAAAAAEHM/Ui9venfPYoc/w542-h305-no/20150208_120855.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-G5X0sCzknSs/VOjMcyNBeGI/AAAAAAAAEHE/LoB8hYvpZDw/w542-h305-no/20150208_120823.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6z7_XZ9VBz4/VOjMaoeFdOI/AAAAAAAAEG0/_57XT6-DG-0/w542-h305-no/20150208_120817.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AMW3zzn4gtY/VOjMZUaOU7I/AAAAAAAAEGs/3rRRwujsmMg/w542-h305-no/20150208_120739.jpg

[mattzj98]

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CJUE10YU854/VOjMXimMKaI/AAAAAAAAEGk/e3t-xBwbK44/w1405-h790-no/20150208_120706.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-xHL8D00w0-E/VOjMbnX099I/AAAAAAAAEG8/lWGQdsCHt5g/w1405-h790-no/20150208_120806.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6z7_XZ9VBz4/VOjMaoeFdOI/AAAAAAAAEG0/_57XT6-DG-0/w1405-h790-no/20150208_120817.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xse1L1XyAWc/VOjMfwH4TvI/AAAAAAAAEHU/e4SfCFLFxtQ/w1405-h790-no/20150208_121018.jpg


From this point on, ill always gladly help, but chances are, im towing my own trailer..

[Jim]

Nuts. Did the borrower say anything or offer compensation or repair?

Sorry to see it.

[mattzj98]

i was told "its just a trailer, and it was used like a trailer, get over it"

this was after i scrubbed it for a couple of hours..

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Ps252D9yJU0/VOjMhz2YhyI/AAAAAAAAEHc/rNIHT7SYeDs/w1405-h790-no/20150208_125939.jpg

i need to find time to remove the box, remove the boards, flip them and re paint them, then reinstall. lots of the body work already has been done

[Max]

i was told "its just a trailer, and it was used like a trailer, get over it"

What a shitty thing to say. What's your relationship to this person? Did they pay you for renting it? F that.

[mattzj98]

What's your relationship to this person? Did they pay you for renting

"friend" of mine I was helping out with KOH stuff and that persons trailers are not maintained and would not be able to get to California. No money involved.

[Jim]

i was told "its just a trailer, and it was used like a trailer, get over it"

Translated:

It's just your property, and it was used in a fashion in which we view you and your property, get over it

...And it might be the last time I'd converse with them.

[mattzj98]

a lot of strong words were exchanged back and forth and bottom line is, i now have a lot more time to work on my own stuff cause I am no longer involved with that person

[Hypoid]

a lot of strong words were exchanged back and forth and bottom line is, i now have a lot more time to work on my own stuff cause I am no longer involved with that personDamn! I was going to suggest you ask to "borrow" his tow rig. :D

Oh well! It does sound like you are better off without "friends" like that.

[Patrolman]

Yeah, it is just a trailer, but just like anything else, to be reliable it needs to be well taken care of and cared for. Too bad this happened.

I got my tow dolly cheap because the original owner lent it to a friend as well. They damaged the fender and blew out a wheel on it. Returned it to the owner like that. The repairs to bring it back to "new" were going to be too much, and I got a cheap project.

[The StRanger]

i was told "its just a trailer, and it was used like a trailer, get over it"



https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Ps252D9yJU0/VOjMhz2YhyI/AAAAAAAAEHc/rNIHT7SYeDs/w1405-h790-no/20150208_125939.jpg


Correct answer.
Ya but its "not" your trailer !!!!

[redneck23ms]

that sucks. alot of people these days just have no respect for other peoples property. i will be looking to buy a trailer in the next month or so and stuff like this makes me want to get a used trailer.

[Jackie]

That sucks. I wish more people were responsible. If you "borrow" something, give it back in a reasonable time frame and in the same or better condition you got it in.

[Jim]

same or better condition

That's my way. If nothing else, wash the danged thing before returning it.

[Funrover]

Bummer on the trailer. Better to have found out this way than in a more expensive way I guess.

[Brucker]

Big bummer about the whole situation. But glad that it wasn't worse. It is a hard lesson to learn, and one I have yet to fully master myself. I usually tend to believe people are better than they are, which leads to people trying to walk all over me. I have been trying to get better with setting boundaries. Hope that this whole thing doesn't eat at you too much and that you are able to move on quickly. Good luck!

[Brad]

That sucks Matt.

[Markmalu]

Karma is gonna get your ex-friend!

[javaman34]

Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there like you ex-buddy.

[JFjeld]

i was told "its just a trailer, and it was used like a trailer, get over it"


I like how the owner of said damaged item is told how to deal with said damage by another. That's complete BS. It hurts to do a good thing and help someone out, only to be taken advantage of.

[Jackie]

We're very careful about loaning such things out to people we don't know well. We loaned our chain saw to our son-in-law last summer. He brought it back and confessed that it intimidated him. (Britton will teach him how to use it next time. Maybe he can practice on some of our tree removal needs)!:p

EDIT: I appreciate the honesty. No harm, no foul.

[SubAlpine]

looks to me like it was used like a trailer...being towed by someone with no trailering skills.

[Brucker]

Hey Matt, can I borrow your trailer?



What? Too Soon? :D

[Dutch]

The damage to the bottoms of the fender might have been fairly hard to avoid once out in JV, its just sucks because it was a new or near new trailer. The damage to the stake pocket and sides though should have been more than avoidable. That's the part that would piss me off, that and if I gave it to you clean than you should return it to me as such. Trailers are always a hassle in that regard. People just don't seen to respect them or understand how expensive they can be. Not only initial purchase, but maintaining them as well. I borrowed a friend's trailer to go down to El Paso and back, during that trip I had 2 blow outs. It sucked buying 2 tires for somebody else's trailer, but hey, it was still cheaper than buying a trailer. I actually did end up buying that trailer and then ran into issues with all my friends using it more than me. I got tired of the wear and tear (they always helped compensate me though) and sold it off to another friend. Now I borrow it from him whenever I need it. I have made sure to help him with fixing up and maintaining the trailer, sort of building up a credit as it were for when I do use it.

[Max]

People that need a trailer should do group buy, like a timeshare, then keep it in a central location. Initial purchase, maintenance, all split X amount of ways.

[H1L1FE]

I loaned my trailer out once to a neighbor in need. I got it back with one of the fenders torn off and a blown out tire. He said he would pay for damages but never seen a dime. That was the last time I have loaned it out.

[Dutch]

People that need a trailer should do group buy, like a timeshare, then keep it in a central location. Initial purchase, maintenance, all split X amount of ways.

That's sort of how I have it with my buddy. There are a select few of us that actually use it and we all pitch together to fix/upgrade the trailer. The same guy and I are looking at going into a gooseneck together too, that way we can tow both of our jeeps with the same truck.

[dieseldoc]

So for your deck....we always pull the center 3 boards out.
use some square stock to frame out, and drop expanded steel over it.
Thus all the oil and trail grime will fall to the road.
I fou d this saved a ton of clean time and kept the deck from becoming slick in poor weather.


Sorry to hear someone cannot return things the way they were handed to them....

[redneck23ms]

That's sort of how I have it with my buddy. There are a select few of us that actually use it and we all pitch together to fix/upgrade the trailer. The same guy and I are looking at going into a gooseneck together too, that way we can tow both of our jeeps with the same truck.
you guys buy that gooseneck then sell me the other one. problem solved

[xaza]

It is just plain wrong that people don't return things in the condition they get them. It is unfortunate that in reality to expect someone to care for our things as we do, makes us wrong but it does. People are not rational simple machines and they will let you down. Friends are the ones you determine will let you down the least. The first thing that caught my attention was the fact that this person had their own trailers but they were poorly maintained and would not have made the trip. Right there I would have offered to help them do some maintenance on their trailer and not let them make mine like theirs. Best wishes with the repairs.

[Dutch]

you guys buy that gooseneck then sell me the other one. problem solved

Keeping the single car hauler for when only 1 of us is towing. That'll mainly be him. I only plan to tow my Jeep on longer trips to Moab and BV, etc. Most trips I'll still drive it.

[Jackie]

When we lived in Florida and we had a small trailer to haul our Sea Doo, I could manage it like a pro loading and off-loading on a boat ramp. Forward/reverse/parking = no problem. But with the bigger trailer we had here in CO, I confess that I had trouble backing. I never wrecked it or damaged it (not even a scratch) but it usually took me several tries to get that thing backed into the garage. I was also hesitant to pull up to a gas pump with it. I usually gassed up first when possible. I hated that thing. My husband could do it on the first try every time. I don't think I ever want to pull a big one again. (And I would never ask to "borrow one" unless the owner was willing to haul it to help me get the task done).

[Dutch]

Don't feel too bad, I have a Class-A CDL and regularly drive a tractor-trailer. I have wiggled that combo into some pretty ridiculous places, but the little 4x8 utility trailer behind my Jeep kicks my ass sometimes. Go figure.

[H8ROADS]

I say send him a bill!

[Serious Offroad]

Don't feel too bad, I have a Class-A CDL and regularly drive a tractor-trailer. I have wiggled that combo into some pretty ridiculous places, but the little 4x8 utility trailer behind my Jeep kicks my ass sometimes. Go figure.THIS THIS THIS!!!!
Little **** is a real bear. Back in the day I could stack planes in a hanger with barely a glace but a my pop-up camper had a mind of it's own.

[Hypoid]

I don't think I ever want to pull a big one again.Practice, practice, practice!

The longer the wheel base, the longer it takes for a trailer to get off course, the longer it takes to correct.

[dieseldoc]

I say send him a bill!

I agree wiht this.

I had a set up like this and every time I got it back with crap car tires where I had quality trailer tires.
I dont under stand the whole blow out tires thing.
I can haul 6000lbs for 4k miles and not a single issue.
yet loan it out and people blow tires and tear up the fenders!
Its a case of not checking the unit over when starting the trip.
Couldnt tell you how many times I had to re pack bearings or replace break wires from someone who barrowed the trailer....

Ended up selling the thing as I now longer had my sami buggy.

[Bmartin7247]

Did he wheel with the trailer? The hell?

[mattzj98]

It sure seems like he did!

Anyway, trailer is almost fixed. I don't get the blow outs either. Make sure it's inflated right, and make sure they're not bald, and brakes aren't locking up. I've never had a problem.

That guy couldn't keep it in one lane to save his life. Can't keep a car in a lane either though..