Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVfgYv4U6U4 (22 min)

Mike gives a full reveal of the Powston PE65, the 6.5 ton excavator he ordered, with a closer look than his first quick video. (This was filmed at the Powston factory and posted afterward.)

FEATURES HE POINTS OUT

- A backup camera mounted high, hydraulic and engine compartments, and a step layout for climbing in.

- Large front tie-down points, which Mike requested before the machine was built because he and many customers use 5/8 inch chain to secure equipment.

- A fully insulated, lined cab, including the door and upper areas, and lift hooks if the cab ever needs to be removed.

- Large-cell batteries, an offset boom for good visibility, and a loud low-fuel alarm.

Mike compares some differences between Powston and Rippa machines and says the PE65 is a higher-quality machine for the price. Full specifications are on the website, and you can reach us at RippaUSASales.com with questions.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8115t7GSAEY (13 min)

Two Rippa R32-5 excavators sit side by side at our Boyd, Texas dealership, built a couple of months apart (plate dates of March and May 2026). Mike compares them, and the news is the cab. The machines are about 92% the same mechanically, but the cab is much improved in the newer one.

WHAT CHANGED IN THE NEWER CAB

- It's wider than the R32-3 cab by roughly 6.5 to 7 inches, with more room for taller operators (Mike is 6'1").

- A latch you can reach from the seat to open the door, so you don't have to climb out and push a button.

- More room in the engine compartment for service.

- A big single piece of front glass, large hinges, bigger vents and fans, and better air conditioning airflow.

- A cleaner look overall.

Mike's advice: if both machines are the same price, choose the newer cab. Wondering which R32 you're looking at? Call 817-382-3201 and we'll check the build date for you.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4-z4R4Bzjg (9 min)

Mike gives a round-up of the Rippa RS04, the mini skid steer replacing the discontinued RS03, and shows the two engine choices side by side.

RS04 VERSIONS

- Gas, with a Briggs & Stratton engine and tracks.

- Kubota diesel with tracks.

- Kubota diesel with wheels. The wheeled version is only available with the Kubota engine.

GAS VS. DIESEL

- Otherwise the machines are basically identical, including the three-pump hydraulic system.

- The gas engine has a choke and a bit more complexity. The diesel starts with a key turned to the glow-plug position for about five to 10 seconds first.

- Shipping a gas machine requires draining most of the fuel, and it ships on a flatbed rather than hot shot.

- Service access: the engine cover comes off with about eight bolts on the gas model, while the diesel has an access door.

Mike's take: the RS04 is an awesome machine, and the first mini skid steer he sold.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZPKqMiCEYE (5 min)

Mike from Rippa USA Sales shows a small part that makes the Rippa breaker hammer for mini skid steers much easier to service: a nitrogen fill extension.

THE PROBLEM

On the skid steer breaker hammer, you had to take the side covers off the hammer just to connect the nitrogen bottle and fill it.

THE FIX

- Rippa turned a picture of the problem into a solution within about 24 hours.

- The extension threads on, comes with a plastic cap, and has an O-ring and a second cap on the other end.

- With it installed, you can connect the nitrogen line without removing the sides of the hammer.

- A customer in Oklahoma tested the hammer on an RS03 and it worked great.

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The extension was priced at about $25 when the video was made. Call us to confirm current price and stock.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRxy9We42s4 (4 min)

One of our RS06 mini skid steers wouldn't hold a charge after four or five rounds of charging. Mike shows the quick fix and shares how he keeps batteries healthy.

BATTERY CARE

- Mike uses NOCO Genius battery tenders (about $35 on Amazon) and keeps them on new machines for around 24 hours.

- Once a year he runs a desulfating maintenance charger on batteries for about 24 hours. It pulses the battery to knock corrosion off the lead plates. He says this gets him 5 years from a vehicle battery where many people get 2 to 3, especially in Texas heat, and 3+ years from ATV and mower batteries versus about 1.

SWAPPING THE RS06 BATTERY (ABOUT 10 MINUTES)

1. Remove the hold-down screws at the front and back.

2. Lift off the shield plate.

3. Disconnect the wiring harness that is in the way, then the positive and negative terminals.

4. Lift the battery out, set the new one in, reconnect and tighten everything down.

The replacement came from AutoZone for just under $81, and it has more cold cranking amps than the battery that shipped with the machine.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cyU6leoGos (3 min)

If you push both joysticks fully forward and your RS03 or RS04 pulls to the left or right instead of driving straight, you can fix it yourself in 10 to 15 minutes. The process is the same on both machines.

STEPS

1. Find the two valve blocks at the top of the machine on each side. Next to each pair of blocks is a dark cap, and the adjustment is under the cap below the block.

2. Remove the cap and put an Allen key in the adjuster.

3. Turn it about a half turn.

4. Drive about 10 feet and see if it tracks straighter or worse.

5. Repeat, back and forth, three or four times if needed. Adjust on the side that is pulling to push it the other way.

6. When the machine drives straight, put the cap back on and tighten it.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjY-SOoRnno (6 min)

On some RS03 and RS04 machines the throttle knob doesn't travel its full range, because the cable has slack in it. Owners sometimes try to force the knob past its stop and break the small pins inside. Mike and Dakota show how to set the cable so you get the full range of travel. The RS03 usually comes set up correctly from the start, so this is most often needed on the RS04.

WHAT YOU'RE AIMING FOR

- The throttle knob should sweep the whole range, from fully back to fully forward, instead of stopping early.

HOW TO DO IT (RS04)

1. Push the throttle knob as far forward as it will go.

2. Remove the side panel (small Allen screws, about a 5 mm Allen key).

3. Find the throttle cable at the engine. Use a screwdriver to loosen the cable clamp. You'll need to reach through the accessory door and around the fuel tank, so plan on getting down on your hands and knees.

4. Use vice grips to pull the cable tight, because it's too hard to pull by hand. Put a finger on the engine's throttle lever and push it as you pull the cable so there is no slack.

5. Tighten the clamp, then test the knob for full travel.

On an RS03 the cable is easy to reach at the back of the machine.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM054ldOQOA (7 min)

Mike walks through the Rippa 4-in-1 bucket on an RS03 at the Boyd dealership. It is a bigger bucket than the standard one, and he says he would personally rather have it, because it holds more and the quarter-inch plate handles heavy loads without bending.

WHAT IT DOES

- The clamshell opens and closes, so you can dump from the bucket, grade, level and grab.

- It is great for finish grading and is one of the top attachments for many skid steers. Pallet forks are number one.

- The hydraulic lines plug in just like other powered attachments.

TIPS FOR MOUNTING IT

- The biggest problem new skid steer owners have is the attachment plate not being angled enough. Tilt the plate well forward before backing into the bucket, or the lower edge hits and it won't seat.

- Lock the pins in every time. Never leave an attachment unlatched.

- Grease all the fittings, including those on the other side of the cylinders.

- Because the lines and cylinders hold hydraulic oil, watch your machine's hydraulic oil level whenever you swap attachments.

We only sell Rippa, so every attachment we offer will fit your machine.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSIyFnt97c8 (8 min)

Spring is when many owners get their machines out and start asking how to service them. Mike and Jake walk through basic maintenance on the Rippa RS03 so you don't have to figure it out over the phone. (RS04 and RS06 get their own maintenance videos.)

SAFETY FIRST

- Raise the boom all the way up, then set the safety bar in the lift cylinder so the boom rests on it. Never work under the boom with hydraulics holding it up.

- With the boom up, remove the 12 mm screws around the panel and lift it off to reach the engine. You can also get to it from the back.

GREASE

- The owner's manual shows every grease point and the maintenance schedule.

- The toolbox includes a grease tip for the flat-faced points on the cylinders, and a regular fitting for the zerks (look for the little red caps) all around the machine, top and bottom of each cylinder.

- Keeping everything greased is the biggest thing you can do for machine life. Grease until fresh grease comes out.

ENGINE AND FLUIDS

- The RS03 has a Briggs & Stratton gas engine, much like a lawn mower engine, so there is little to it.

- Check oil on either yellow dipstick. You only need to check one. Drain oil from the nut on the other side, then refill through the same dipstick opening up to the line. The manual lists the exact quantity.

- The air filter is the other thing to clean and watch.

- The hydraulic tank has a drain nut on the bottom if you ever need to empty and clean it.

- For bad fuel, drain it from the bottom of the carburetor or remove a fuel line.

TRACK TENSION

- Park the bucket down on a couple of 2x4s and push so the machine tilts back and the tracks lift off the ground.

- Remove the 12 mm screws on the small cover plate. Loosen the lock nut with a 1-1/8" wrench, then adjust the tension with a 16 mm wrench, turning one way to tighten and the other to loosen.

- Re-tighten the lock nut so the adjustment doesn't back off.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgOaksKs_Ps (1 min)

A customer asked to see how the redesigned lift arms on the RS06-2 behave, so Jake raises the boom on camera.

- The arms were completely redesigned compared with the RS06-1.

- It is not a true radial lift where the bucket stays level, but it's not as pronounced as a vertical lift either. It sits in the middle.

- The bucket starts level, give or take a couple of degrees, and tilts as the arms rise.

- At full height the pin height is 83 inches.

- The machine was run at low idle for the video, so the arm speed shown isn't representative.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.