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=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=-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=H99MBOQczUs (14 min)

Spring is when owners get their machines out and ask how to service them. Mike and Jake cover the maintenance touch points on the Rippa RS04 mini skid steer so thousands of owners can watch once instead of getting the same phone call.

MANUAL AND TOOL KIT

- Your machine comes with manuals that list what to do at 50, 100, 200 hours and so on, plus a small field tool kit with what you need for most jobs.

GREASE

- Use the flat-tip adapter on the flat-faced points (many are at the cylinders) and the standard grease gun on the zerk fittings under the red caps.

- Some fittings at the ends of cylinders are hidden. Watch where the grease comes out to tell if two fittings feed the same spot.

FILTERS AND FLUIDS

- Battery and air filter are easy to reach. The air filter has an outer and an inner element you can pop out and blow off. We keep replacements in stock.

- Fuel filter screws off at the back. A water separator for the fuel sits further down. When water shows, flip the switch off, unscrew the canister, dump it, reinstall and flip the switch back on.

- Oil: the dipstick is a round cap that is hard to see, and the fill port is at the top (use a funnel). To drain, crawl under the machine, which sits about 4 inches off the ground (ramps help), and remove the oil nut. The oil filter is reachable after removing a small plate.

- Every tank (hydraulic, fuel, coolant) has a drain screw on the bottom.

- Coolant: the overflow tank is at the back. To fill or check, remove the 12-14 mm screws and the panel at the operator position to reach the radiator.

TRACK TENSION

- Remove the 14 mm screws and the cover. Loosen the lock nut, then turn the adjuster. On the right side, turn right to tighten and left to loosen. The left side is the opposite.

- Adjust front and rear on both sides, then re-tighten each lock nut. A wrench can reach through the sprocket holes or at an angle from the front.

- The RS04 can also take a wheel conversion kit.

A TIP FOR WORKING IN THE TIGHT ENGINE BAY

- Pulling the battery takes about five minutes: loosen the bolts, disconnect the terminals and lift it out. That frees up about a foot of space so you aren't up to your shoulder in the machine. If you only get back there once or twice a year, it is worth 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=5VwhDCn9h_E (19 min)

Mike and Jake walk through the full service routine on a Rippa RS06-2. (The RS04 with its Kubota diesel and the RS03 with its Briggs & Stratton engine have their own videos.)

START WITH THE MANUAL AND TOOLBOX

- Every machine ships with a manual that lists service intervals (first check at 10 hours, then fluids around 50 hours, and so on) and walks through the oil/water separator, oil, fan belt and more. The toolbox has what you need for most jobs.

- Most bolts are 12 mm, the bigger ones 14 mm, with the occasional 17 or 19.

GREASE

- Use the flat tip for flat-faced fittings and a standard grease gun for zerks. Every point has a red cap. Don't forget the lift arm cylinders in the engine compartment, top and bottom.

- On newer machines (the RS06-3 and refreshed excavators) there are no flat-faced fittings, only the pointed zerk type.

- Replacement fittings are inexpensive on Amazon (M8 for most, M10 for the top and bottom of the cylinders on many machines, but check yours).

FUEL SYSTEM AND BATTERY

- Water separator: flip the switch off, twist off the canister, drain any water, reinstall, and flip back.

- Fuel filter and battery are easy to reach. Check battery voltage and charge as needed.

ENGINE OIL AND FILTER

- Use ramps. Under the machine you'll find the large oil drain nut. Fill through the top port with a funnel; the dipstick is on the side.

- Jake's tip: a dab of bright fluorescent paint on the Kubota dipstick makes it much easier to see.

- The oil filter is behind a side panel. It is messy, so bring towels.

AIR FILTER

- Pop off the cap, take out the outer and inner elements and blow them out. Replace when you see major discoloration.

COOLANT (EVERY 100-200 HOURS)

- Remove the back panel bolts and the step, keeping the panel supported because it's heavy. Drain with the release switch, route the hose through the hole in the left side so coolant doesn't soak everything, then refill with the correct coolant and check the overflow bottle.

FUEL TANK AND HYDRAULIC OIL

- Both have a drain nut underneath. Use the sight gauge for the hydraulic level. To change the hydraulic filter, spin it off with channel locks or the strap wrench from the kit. Expect a mess.

TRACKS

- Remove the small side cover, loosen the 10 mm nut outside the fitting, pump grease into the zerk until you see it push back out, then tighten the nut and replace the cover.

BATTERY CARE TIP

- Keep a battery tender on your machines, or use a reconditioning charger on lead-acid batteries (not gel) for 20 to 24 hours. Mike gets 3+ years from small batteries and 5 years from car batteries this way.

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.