Not a chance in hell I'd do that.

Just lending relatively inexpensive items to friends I trusted has usually been disappointing for me.

Rule 1 of small business: no partnerships, ever. Hire, rent, buy, ok. NO PARTNERSHIPS.

If they can't afford to buy their own, they can't afford to fix yours.

There's no arrangement of charging/splitting that doesn't help them and hurt you.

About the only thing that pans out is them hiring you, and even that is a stretch, they'll be looking foe the family hookup.

If you're looking to upgrade anyway, you could sell them the tractor at a fair market rate.

My mother used to borrow stuff from family, old friends, and neighbors all the time and never give it back, or give it back much later or damaged.

You know, the usual things. Tools, small appliances, thousands of dollars............................

I let my BIL borrow my trailer to haul his SIL truck to a mechanic. He asked if he could use it for a couple of other task and after a couple months I had to repossess it one day when he wasn't home. 2 of 4 tires were knocked off the rim and it was hidden in a field of growed up weeds.  Your experience may vary

Absolutely not.

I bought a tractor for the property and my skilled mechanic BIL screwed up the mower because, he thought he knew how to use it. His punishment was fixing it and giving up "His" key.

Fuckwit renter "borrowed it" without my knowledge and almost flipped it end over end. The neighbor stopped him from killing himself or being disappeared for wrecking it.

Spare key pulled and tractor is locked in a building, and I have the only key.  

Everyone in the family has been warned to leave it alone.

Help them out, yes, that deal?  Fuck no.

I've helped neighbors/friends out a number of times with my tractor.  That's completely different.  Someone not really invested in it is going to be extremely hard on it trying to clear land faster than they should.

Before I read any comments I'll give my 2 cents: FUCK NO!

100% there will be some reason to disagree. Joint ownership with anyone but your dad or son is a no-go.

Please listen to this guy

You have doubts for numerous reasons. Listen to them.

Others have probably covered all the potential issues.

So I will keep it simple.

Is half of the tractors value worth dealing with those issue for you?

Are your family members the type to put it on a trailer and take it in  AND pay for repairs/service when necessary because it’s the right thing to do?

Or will they simply notify you when “your tractor” needs $$$ thrown at it and when it’s available for you to use?

ETA: I have a friend, my parents age that I rent mine to for like 1/3rd the cost of a rental. And I only actually charge every other time because if something goes wrong, he’s on top of it.


I have another who’s a carpenter that I do trade for work deals with. And I give him a great deal. I would not go “halves” with anyone because it’s going to get twice the abuse for 100% the liability. Who already knows how to work on it? Who already has the trailer for it…the guy who originally bought and used it.

5 pages and we still have a solid consensus. Same as page 1. There is a 99% chance this ends poorly.

If you mist do it, have the details on paper, signed.  Who is responible for repairs, wear and tear, regular svc, engine hrs used, responsibility for breakdowns .

Initially, it sounds mean, but in reality it's the truth.
Unless it's someone who values, operates and takes care of equipment like I do, it's not happening.

Nope.

I didn't even realize there were that many pages when I jumped in with a HELL NO!

Color me surprised that we've found something this unanimous.  

Shit no

I don’t even like borrowing other people’s tractors let alone lending ours out. When something breaks they’ll just shrug and tell you they can’t pay to fix it.

Nope. People read what they want into contracts. The only enforcement mechanism is court, and even that is a shitshow.

Ask the Constitution if I’m wrong.

Never gamble your iron (including tools).

If they have money for 27ac, they should have budgeted for the tooling to maintain it.

Absolutely not

Never go half with anyone especially family.  Better off renting as needed than having a life long family feud with someone you use to care about.

That's the ONLY way I would go about it. A reasonable rate for the rental and a pretty standard rental agreement. No ownership stake in the machine at all.

I was just thinking.  They likely tapped themselves out financially just to buy the land, and now they've realized they don't have two nickels to rub together when they need equipment to do what they bought the land for.  That's why they're wanting to tear up someone else's shit.

Seen this many times as a mechanic. People loaned out or "went halvesies" on a chainsaw because both are too broke to afford one on their own.  One of them puts straight gas in it...

Or like my dad that loaned a 1968 Cub Cadet to my brother to mow his yard with because he's too broke cheap to buy his own, and his wife blows the engine because she had no idea that lawn mowers have oil that needs to be checked.  Fucking thing made it 50 years only to be killed by stupidity.  I pulled the engine and gave an estimate for a rebuild.  Never heard back.  They sold it, sans engine, on FB marketplace.

Or like the guy that loaned his tractor and bush hog to a family member who used it to "mow a field".  What the dude failed to mention is that "field" WAS a field 30 years ago, and now covered with bushes and 2-5" diameter TREES.  Owner got his tractor back with a smoked clutch, sheet metal bent up, and bush hog totalled.  Dude that borrowed is was like, "It wAs LiKe ThaT wHeN I gOt iT."

OP, going halves on a tractor with a family member is a colossally stupid idea.  Any time someone asks me if they can borrow a chainsaw, tractor, or whatever, if they're good folks, I say, "Yes, but the operator comes with it!"