Trusting strangers

The "will he come back "thread reminded me of a personal incident. I had a couple of utility trailers with 4 bolt wheels and I kept a spare in my truck as well as a bearing kit just so I didn't get hung on the side of the road. Well one early evening I came upon a car with a camping trailer at the side of the road , trailer on its axle. There were two or three kids in the car with their parents and they were heading out camping. All garages and stores were closed for the day bearings had gone out of the trailer and eventually the tire had separated from the rim. I told the guy I could fix him up,so we jacked the trailer and I cleaned the axle up with some rags. The bearing kit had grease, bearings and seal so we got it back on the axle and then I got my spare out and put it on. He offered to pay me whatever I thought it was worth. I said no,just bring my tire back and buy me another bearing kit , gave him my address and he had to pass that way going back to his city. We were at the cottage for a week and when we got home there on the patio was my tire and a new bearing kit and a thank you note. My wife said I would never see my stuff again but I had a feeling I would..he was a family man and I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

And the best part was the example he set for his kids.

Hey there friends out there I’m working on a 743 bobcat lifting cylinder replace two hoses can’t seem to get the air out ran it all the way up in both functions was only up didn’t understand

Yes! It's too bad there aren't more people like that, and his kids will grow up to be honest, like their parents!

Great story! Thanks for posting that.

I was coming home from a tractor show in northern michigan, had my JD H and planter loaded on my trailer. Wife nad I stopped for gas and coffee at a gas station. There was an older couple in the parking lot with a car and dented up fender Seems they were following a camper trailer and the spare tire fell off it right in front of them, they ran over it. Fortunately I had some tools was able to bend the fender away from the tire and wire it in place. They were so thankful, I really felt sorry for them, no body else offered to help.

Two good Americans, you and the traveler. Great story.

Similar, but different. A couple years back during a cold winter evening the neighbor kid was at our door. He asked me if I had a spare tire. As I’m guessing most us do I do have a stash. I asked him if he could be more specific to what he needed the spare for. So when I got to his driveway, just down a bit, there sat his friend’s early 2000’s Monte Carlo with the tire half chewed off the rear right rim. When I asked where his spare was he said he gave it to his girlfriend’s brother. I told him I was doubtful of having anything that would fit, but measured the stud pattern and journey back to the shed. I had inherited a good bunch of tires and some mounted when we bought our current place. Sure enough there was a 15” that matched the stud pattern and reminded me of something that was on a ‘73 Maverick and the tire looked only a decade newer. So I mounted the tire and rim on the Monte and explained that this assembly was by no means road worthy as it was old, weather checked, and not balanced and that it was merely way to get back home. (3 miles) 2 days later I come to find out that it had given out on him some 40 miles from home that same night. I never did get my rim back.

One Sunday afternoon there was a car parked at the end of the driveway. A guy was walking up to house and wanted to know if he could get some water as his car was overheating. I gave him some of course but it was leaking out as fast as he poured it in. He had his wife and a kid along. He found a dealership about 5 miles from my p[lace but it was closed of course for the weekend. There was a motel close to it and he was going to call a tow truck to get him there. I had my truck and trailer just sitting there so I offered to haul it there for him. He wanted to pay me of course but I said I would help him being broke down on the road and all. He wanted my address, said he would send me a gift but I told he didn't have to. A week later there was a box of Omaha Steaks showed up from him.

A couple years ago, a friend and I went to Mason MI. show. Had to park out in back 40 because we had a golf cart. While unloading my Yamaha cart, a young lady working security came along. Telling us of an older couple that had come 150 miles to the show, and had forgotten there (club car) cart key. They would not be able to walk the show and would have to leave early. I said this may be their lucky day. I had keys for carts (used to be a cart repair service), gave her my club car key,and said see if this works. She came back and said yes it works. I gave her my name and address to send me the key back. A week and a half later I received my key back and a thank you. Glad to make their day.

Just a few weeks ago early in the morning I was getting ready to leave for work and a car hit a deer in front of my house, so I went to see if they were ok and if I could help. Luckily he wasn't hurt and his car didn't get much damage, mainly a wrinkled fender and busted headlight and it was a brand new car. He said thanks for checking on him and off he went so I figured that was that because he didn't need anything. Later that evening him and his wife drove by and seen me outside so they turned around to come back to say thanks again for checking on him and they really appreciated it. It was a younger couple I'd say in their 30's.

Great commentary Michael,
I have trusted everybody that I have ever done business with my entire life and their have been hundreds of people that I have come in contact with and I have trusted everyone till they prove to me that they can not be trusted. In my lifetime of eighty years their has only been one person that I have dealt with that proved to be totally dishonest.

I've had it go both ways. I have a roadside stand at end of my drive. Sell eggs, straw, cornshocks. Moneybox down there on the honor system. Been doing it for many years and never yet short a dime. On the other hand few years ago I had lots of extra apples. Carried them in buckets to my stand, sign....free apples and put a pile of plastic bags there. People would grab a bag, put in some apples, Some would drop a couple bucks in money box. After about a week someone took the apples and the buckets. What the hell!

My Dad saw a ford ranch wagon in 10 inches of snow on the side of Highway US 20, 60 miles into Indiana from Chicago. The RR tire was flat and a man was standing there looking at it. Dad stopped (with our ranch wagon one year older) and asked what the problem was. His spare was flat, and nothing was open. My Dad said here put on my spare. The man said I need to get to Chicago far a trade show tonight! Dad said just use it and bring it back. The guy wanted to pay, but dad said Nope. The man was a Evinrude Representative and had 6 outboards in the rear of the wagon. The man shook his head and went on his way with our address in hand.
4 days later the man drove into our yard and took out a 15 horse outboard (fastwin model) and set it on the ground along with the spare. Dad said no way. The man said he called his manager and told the story. The manager told the salesman what to do, and would not consider anything less. Dad wrote a note to Evinrude thanking them. We used that motor for 30 years, and it was running when dad gave it to a neighbor. Jim

And his kids learned an important lesson about honesty.

The world needs more trust and more charity. You might lose once in awhile but i still say it’s worth it

Some real nice stories here. Warms your heart to read.
Thanks to Michael for posting and all who replied.

I have had good and bad experiences,but I have always taken people at their word,as I expect them to trust my word.If somebody tells me they're coming back,I trust that they will.

Rock

Flacallr, don’t now what that is but welcome to YT! You should post your question under a new topic with a brief description of your issue for a title. Like..743 Bobcat air in lift cylinder, help.. Depending on if you are on Classic View you will click on Post a Message if you are in Modern View you click New Topic. I would recommend that if you can tell where the oil is flowing in the cylinder. Find something substantial to place the bucket on at the point where the point where the oil flows in at the highest point. Then loosen the fitting of the hose and see if the air will bleed out then. May need someone in the machine as in some cases you can’t get in or out of the cab with the bucket part way in the air. Please be very careful. If you have minimal knowledge about your machine it may be best to find someone knowledgeable about them to give you a hand.