echris 1,425 #1 Posted October 10, 2021 @Andy N.'s post, which included the classic, " the PO told me that he bought it 6 months ago to use it as a mower, but never liked the way it cut..." only to find the blades upside down reminded me of my old neighbors. They were great friends, but man did they torture their equipment. A few of their stories: I hear the missus out mowing, and then hear Braaaaaaaapppppppppp. I looked out my window a bit later as I could hear their Craftsman tractor struggling to find their entire back yard was covered in dirt crop circles. She must've hit something and bent the blade, and kept going. The whole backyard was torn up. Like an entire 1/4 acre. Another time, I'm working in the driveway, and the mister is driving that Craftsman down the road towards my house. I wasn't really looking, but something sounded odd. I looked up from my work as he pulls into my driveway for help and saw he was dragging the front tires down the street. The left tire was turning left and the right tire was turning right. The story goes, he drove up a tree stump and bent the tie rod. When that Craftsman finally died, he asked if he could borrow my crappy Husky I had at the time to mow. I just kinda looked at him, not sure of what to say and I could tell he knew the answer was, "No. Freakin'. Way!" I'd rather mow his lawn for him than lose my tractor. Great neighbors, terrible with lawn equipment. Anyone else have stories of wacky neighbors torturing their tractors? 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,080 #2 Posted October 11, 2021 All I got. Neighbor lady borrowed my Tecky powered push mower. First day the carb fell off. Next day, the mounting bolts for the engine fell out and the engine just spun on the deck! 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjg854 11,361 #3 Posted October 11, 2021 Your maintenance skills seem a bit lacking there @squonk 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,080 #4 Posted October 11, 2021 17 minutes ago, rjg854 said: Your maintenance skills seem a bit lacking there @squonk It was a TECKY! A hammer wouldn't tighten the bolts! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,216 #5 Posted October 11, 2021 1 hour ago, squonk said: All I got. Neighbor lady borrowed my Tecky powered push mower. First day the carb fell off. Next day, the mounting bolts for the engine fell out and the engine just spun on the deck! New strategy...when a dodgy borrower shows up, lend them a booby-trapped piece of equipment? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,201 #6 Posted October 11, 2021 15 hours ago, echris said: neighbors torturing their tractors? Widder lady next door bought a new 'higher end' Craftsman a bunch of years ago. She used it for two years or so and then it wouldn't start so she hired a lawn service. Never picked up fallen branches, never changed the oil, etc... she put a new battery in it at some point and came over and said it was 'sparking'. I went over to look and the battery terminals were completely LOOSE! She said "are they supposed to be tight"? I tried to buy it from her for cheap but she thinks that poor abused machine is made of gold. So, there it sits in her garage rotting away. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,841 #7 Posted October 11, 2021 2 hours ago, rjg854 said: Your maintenance skills seem a bit lacking there @squonk He was probably wearing flip flops too 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,080 #8 Posted October 11, 2021 25 minutes ago, Pullhosen’s Pony Express said: He was probably wearing flip flops too Steel toe boots around Tecky's. You never know when they are going to detonate and spray shrapnel 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,201 #9 Posted October 11, 2021 4 minutes ago, squonk said: Steel toe boots around Tecky's. You never know when they are going to detonate and spray shrapnel And since they are typically at 'nad height, might want a steel cup too! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
echris 1,425 #10 Posted October 17, 2021 Here's another one that just happened today. Different neighbors across the street. Again great neighbors, but they're not really outdoors people. I'm working in the garage and hear them mowing. After a while I realized I kept hearing the PTO on the tractor engaging and then disengaging. Like again and again! I thought maybe there was a problem with the machine. So I stood in the driveway and watched for a while. Nope, the Mr. would mow and bit, and then disengage the PTO. And then engage and move along. I stood there for a spell longer than I wish to admit wondering why this would be happening?!? I absolutely love all my neighbors, so fortunate to live in such a great neighborhood where everyone looks out for one another, but man, sometimes they just baffle me.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff-C175 7,201 #11 Posted October 17, 2021 2 hours ago, echris said: sometimes they just baffle me... And you can't say anything else you will be spoken of behind your back... " shhhh, here comes the big fat know it all! " 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
6wheeler 603 #12 Posted November 7, 2021 (edited) I do have a funny story for this. My neighbor lady has a WH 518. Nice tractor. She was talking to another neighbor that she buys hay from for her horses. She was talking about how her mower doesn't work. And, since her husband had passed? She has no one to look at it. He said. Ask Pat, he has Wheel Horses. But? I can look at it cuz he will probably charge way too much. He hauled it to his place? Took alot apart and then told her it was probably junk. He brought it back mostly back together and said ? He couldn't get it started and that the deck was locked up so the spindles are stuck. She called and asked if I could at least look at it. I went down to her place. Outside of obviously poor maintenance? It looked pretty good. 288 hrs.on it. It took me about 20 minutes to get it running. I drove it home. It ran like it had 100 year old gas it. So? I drained the tank. Pulled the carb. And cleaned 75 years worth of pudding out of it. Put it back together and it fired right up. Then? onto the deck. It was stuck alright. Both the deck belt and drive belt were burned. The pto belt was burned completely off and the drive belt was right there too. Surprised it held to drive it home. I pulled the deck off and found 655 miles of baler twine and bale wrap had completely encased the blades and spindles. With another 50 miles worth around the rear axles. So? I cut it all off. And? Voila. The deck turned freely. And? The tractor drove much better. So, 2 new belts. Hydro flush, new filter. Oil change, new air filter, gas filter. And spark plugs. It ran like a top. I don't think anyone ever pointed a grease gun at it, much less used one on it. I also replaced the pto safety switches so her grandson could mow with it. When I brought it back? The other neighbor was there. The bill came to $285.00. He said it would have been cheaper if he could have figured it out. She just smiled. I ignored that. I told her to quit mowing the pasture with it. Or? At least? Pick up the twine first. She said if she ever gets a newer one? I can have the 518. So? Guess who services it every year since. It now has 304 hrs. On it. She just mows the yard with it now. So? No more twine. Edited November 7, 2021 by 6wheeler 1 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,216 #13 Posted November 7, 2021 On 10/16/2021 at 8:36 PM, echris said: Nope, the Mr. would mow and bit, and then disengage the PTO. And then engage and move along. I stood there for a spell longer than I wish to admit wondering why this would be happening?!? Please ask casually about this and, if you get an answer, share it. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love to hear it! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
