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=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.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tou7k7WUqQ8 (3 min)

Excavators come with two common control patterns: SAE (often called backhoe) and ISO. On the new Rippa R18 Pro you can switch between them yourself in a minute or two.

STEPS

1. Turn the machine off. Always do this first.

2. Rotate the lever by the seat down to change from SAE to ISO.

3. Open the access panel on the floor plate and find the small round spring-loaded ball.

4. Pull it down and slide it back over to the new position.

5. To go back, rotate the handle the other way, then reposition the lever.

6. Reinstall the access panel.

The switches are in different places on different models. Some models have the second switch inside a box instead, so ask your dealer to walk you through it when you buy.

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=VX2FDr3Xa4c (6 min)

Mike shows the refreshed Rippa R15 with the optional enclosed cab. Both the R15 and R18 are available with or without a cab.

THE CAB

- Roughly the same size as the R22 cab, and in Mike's opinion the cab is very well made. It sits nearly edge to edge with the body when the tracks are fully extended.

- Two mirrors, adjustable LED lights, a big glass door, a safety light on top, a fan, windshield wiper, a roof window you can open for venting, a dome light and a fire extinguisher with a glass breaker.

- There is no air conditioning, because the engine is too small to support it.

- The door doesn't have a positive latch like on other machines. It is spring-loaded and keeps pushing toward the closed position. Mike calls that a minor annoyance and notes the spring may eventually need replacing.

- It's easy to remove: unscrew four to six bolts and disconnect a couple of electrical plugs. Lift eyes on top let you use a hoist, much like removing the top of a Jeep.

- Fuel fill (diesel) is on the side.

Otherwise it's the same R15 owners know. See our video on the refreshed R15 features, including the ISO/SAE pattern switch.

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=-WobpvYx9U4 (2 min)

A follow-up to our earlier RS04 video on where the hydraulic filters are, thanks to a customer who sent us details.

- Earlier RS04 (no float on the tank): a metal tank with the hydraulic oil filter mounted outside, easy to see.

- Newer RS04 (with a float): Rippa redesigned the system and the hydraulic oil filters sit inside the tank. Looking down into the open tank, there are three filter elements.

- Hydraulic cooler: yes, the RS04 has one. A line runs from the hydraulic tank all the way back to the radiator area, with a return line going back into the tank.

Bottom line: the RS04 does have hydraulic filtration and an oil cooler, and it's a rock-solid 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=3krjaliJZhU (9 min)

The Rippa R13 is a very small excavator, and that is exactly its use case. Mike gives a walk-around of the R13 at our Boyd, Texas dealership.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Very narrow: about 29 inches wide at the outside edge of the tracks when retracted, which is what you need for tight gates and spaces.

- Steel tracks with rubber inserts, for extra traction on such a narrow machine. Steel tracks cost much more than rubber.

- True two-speed drive motors. Four hydraulic lines run to the motors, unlike the R10, which has only two.

- Engine: a Kubota D722 (the R10 uses a Z-series Kubota engine).

- Controls: unlike our other excavators, both pilot joysticks are activated by the safety levers, with a push-and-turn button for swing boom.

- A plastic roof instead of metal, which Mike likes because metal roofs vibrate, and a handy mirror.

- Service points: coolant, dipstick, battery shut-off, and a water separator that may be a bit tight to reach.

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=K2WmGqEnZKs (10 min)

The Rippa RF25 comes in three versions: Kubota diesel, dual fuel (propane/Kubota diesel), and the RF25E battery-electric. In this walk-around, Mike goes over the Kubota diesel RF25 at our Boyd, Texas dealership.

WHAT THE VIDEO COVERS

- Power options: Kubota diesel, dual fuel, or electric. The electric RF25E is moving from lead-acid to LiFePO4 batteries, which are considered a safer chemistry.

- Walk-around: heavy-duty steel rear counterweight, a service plate that gives access to the radiator and exhaust, red lift points for picking the machine up, work lights, an overhead guard, and grease fittings throughout.

- Controls: parking brake, clutch, brake and throttle pedals, a forward/reverse lever, a high/low speed lever, and four levers for lift, tilt, side shift and fork positioning. A steering knob helps the machine turn tight, and the seat and steering column adjust.

- Safety: the engine will not start unless the clutch is pressed in and the controls are in neutral.

- Lift test: the forks reach about 185 inches, just over 15 feet, and extensions can take that to roughly 31 feet. Each fork is rated at 2.5 tons.

- Driving: the forklift handles soft, wet gravel and ground, with a short turn around a tree to finish.

Mike's take is that the RF25 is the sweet spot in the line for capability, unless you need something much heavier.

Questions on forklifts or attachments? 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.