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=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.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06yh21mZuBY (5 min)

Mike shows the official look of the Powston mini skid steer, a machine similar to the RS06 powered by a 25 HP Kubota, in its painted two-tone gray finish. The unit in the video is an older model without the newest changes, so the shown machine is mostly for color; production versions will have internal updates.

WHAT HE POINTS OUT

- The bucket sits flat on the ground, unlike many mini skid steers where the bucket does not sit flat.

- A standard safety valve, similar to the explosion-proof valve Rippa uses on its excavators. If a hydraulic line fails with the arms raised, it keeps the boom from dropping to the ground.

- A planned improvement: sending extra hydraulic pressure to the tilt so the bucket can still tilt at full load, over 2,000 lb.

- A Kubota D1105 engine, a three-pump hydraulic system, and a large battery and fuel tank layout that is easy to see.

Mike asks viewers to comment on the gray color scheme.

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=CagC_qa37OM (6 min)

Mike gives a quick overview of the Powston PE650, the next-generation mini skid steer, with Ethan from Powston helping. The machine in the video is a yellow prototype, and a gray earlier version also exists.

WHAT HE LIKES

- The bucket sits perfectly level on the floor from tip to back, and the bucket is larger than on some competing machines.

- Analog gauges instead of a screen, which Mike asked Powston to keep.

CHANGES HE HAS REQUESTED FROM THE FACTORY

- Move the hydraulic lines toward the back, out of the way.

- Put tie-down points low instead of high.

- Add a USB-C port, a cup holder if possible, and a temperature gauge for the hydraulic oil cooler.

He invites viewers to send suggestions he can pass along to the factory.

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=ZFATFXN8FVk (1 min)

A quick look at the next batch of Rippa RS06-3 mini skid steers shipping out. The main news is the new, improved track: the thick part of the track is about double the previous thickness, and the new tread pattern is less aggressive, so it tears up grass and disturbs soil less. Mike's tip: avoid zero-point turns, since learning to turn gently also helps protect the ground. The units in the video were leaving that day on two trucks.

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=Vz0Nmy3wSnw (4 min)

Mike tests the lift strength of a prototype Powston PE650 mini skid steer with a new vertical-lift design, instead of the radial lift used on many mini skid steers.

THE TEST

- The loader arms are carrying plates weighing about 965 kg, over 2,000 lb, with no operator on the machine.

- The machine rocks forward at that load. With Mike standing on the back for counterweight, it sits right at the tipping point, and about 50 more pounds would tip it.

- His conclusion: the lift mechanism is stronger than the machine's own weight can use. With another 400 to 500 pounds of weight on the back, he estimates it could lift roughly 375 to 500 lb more.

Part 2 compares the result with an older-style machine without the new lift mechanism. For comparison, he previously tested an RS06-1 with 2,000 lb off the ground.

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=a-48wcKMWu8 (2 min)

In part two, Mike repeats the lift test on a different Powston mini skid steer, an older style without the new lift mechanism, with a coworker standing on the platform for counterweight. The loaded forks go up, but he stops short of full height because the load clearly exceeds what the machine's weight can balance.

His takeaways: the machine has no counterweights at all, and adding about 500 lb of counterweight would make the lift easy without anyone standing on it. It is a really strong machine, and the only change he asked for is more bucket (or pallet fork) tilt so the load can be curled back further at maximum weight.

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=3U9tHmJMQtU (3 min)

Mike takes a first look at the newest version of the Rippa RS06-3, which some people call the RS06 Pro. On Rippa machines, "Pro" refers to the warranty term, as on the R22, R32 and R57 Pro excavators.

WHAT'S NEW

- A steel cover now encloses the hydraulic hoses on both sides, so an operator leaning out won't get hands caught in the hoses. Mike calls it well finished and says Rippa didn't cut corners on it.

- Hydraulic pressure is higher on this version, around 3,200 compared to around 2,600 on earlier units.

MIKE'S NOTES

- The units had just arrived and hadn't been serviced yet.

- A solid rubber seal like the one on the RS04 would be nicer than the neoprene used here, so he may add it himself.

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=PoGAa3rSc7w (15 min)

Mike from Rippa USA Sales takes the cover off a Rippa RS03 mini skid steer and shows what is inside, what the dealership checks before delivery, and how the machine is built. The RS03 is the unit we sell the most of.

WHAT WE CHECK ON EVERY MACHINE

- Remove the steel top cover and inspect everything underneath.

- Adjust the tracks.

- Check the hydraulic oil and top it off. The video uses ISO 46 hydraulic oil from a farm supply store.

- Check the engine oil and fill everything up.

- Put a wrench on the bolts. Rippa now marks bolts with blue paint so you can see that QA has checked them.

- Grease all the fittings before the machine runs. Factory grease is sometimes light, so preventive maintenance says to grease first.

WHAT YOU SEE INSIDE

- A Briggs and Stratton gas engine that sits low in the back and takes up little space. Mike compares it to a big lawn mower engine and says it is a great engine for what it is.

- A large hydraulic pump and the hydraulic oil tank.

- Drive motors and a small 12 volt battery.

- Easy access to the oil drain, oil fill and dipstick, so it is simple to work on.

- Steel pipe in place of long hose runs, and thick, strong welds. The steel in the frame is quarter inch.

TIE DOWNS

The RS03 has good tie down points. Mike notes the RS06 tie downs are thinner walled and bent a little when he used them, so use care when you load.

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=jtGWWwLk8us (35 min)

Mike from Rippa USA Sales puts a Rippa RS06 mini skid steer next to a Kubota SCL1000 compact loader owned by a local customer, and goes through the two machines unedited so you can decide for yourself.

CHAPTERS

- Introduction and machine overview

- Tie downs and build quality

- Engine compartment and maintenance

- Performance and handling

- Vertical versus radial lift

- Undercarriage and roller design

- Bucket attachment testing

- Compatibility and conclusions

WHAT STOOD OUT

- Tie downs: the Rippa has large, stout quarter inch plate tie down points on the front and lift points that can also be used. The rear of the Rippa has no good place to chain, so you have to run a chain through the frame. The Kubota is easier to strap down.

- Battery: Rippa places the battery low, away from the engine, to keep it cooler. Owners of the Kubota report no battery heat problems with it over the engine.

- Hydraulic lines: the Rippa manifold sticks out and is more exposed, while Kubota protects its hydraulic lines. Mike notes you can bolt a steel guard around the Rippa manifold.

- Aux controls: both machines have spare buttons that can power things like lights, and forward aux hydraulic controls.

- Performance: both machines lift and curl while the machine is traveling with no issues. The Kubota is a very fast traveler.

- Undercarriage: the Kubota has five rollers on each side, plus front and rear wheels and a top sprocket.

- Attachments: when the two machines were tested with each other's attachments, the Rippa attachment plate did not line up cleanly with the Kubota attachments, and a small adjustment of the plate height would be needed. Mike says he has used other brand attachments on his machine without a problem.

Mike points out that the difference in purchase price between the two machines is very large, so think about how you plan to use 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.