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=rzOXYy_RVEA (3 min)

At a Powston factory, Mike examines the track tensioner on a larger excavator, after an earlier video showed a customer's R57 whose tensioner was damaged.

He compares the two designs. The Powston unit is a one-piece, stronger shaft with a piston rod that extends further, about two inches against about half an inch on the other design, and a piston assembly about a foot long. The other design uses a two-piece (technically three-piece) construction. Grease is added through a fitting and pushes the piston to tension the track.

Mike says this is the kind of detail he travels to the factory to check, so that the machines he sells hold up for his customers.

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=6PE5Yw7MWuw (1 min)

A quick teaser from one of the Powston factories. Mike can't share details yet, but shows a very large excavator headed to our dealership, with a bucket over six feet wide, and says it is not the biggest machine he has coming. Check back for updates, or call 817-382-3201 to ask what is on the way.

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj8noWqYPtE (6 min)

Mike gets up close with a very large Powston excavator that will be painted with the Powston logo and arrive at our dealership later.

SIZE, AS SHOWN IN THE VIDEO

- About 4 feet of clearance from the underside to the ground.

- A bucket about 8.5 feet wide. The machine cannot fit in a shipping container and has to ship another way.

- Hydraulic lines far larger than on the Rippa R57 or the Powston P80, which use half-inch lines. Mike estimates a fitting of about an inch and a quarter and a line outside diameter near two inches.

- The top of the track is about five feet off the ground.

Mike also talks about greasing a machine this size, with extra grease fittings run to convenient spots so one person can pump grease while another turns the machine. He promises more detail on similar machines soon. Mike was limited in where he could point the camera at 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=bp6ryOG568Q (11 min)

Mike lines up the first three Powston excavators at the factory and compares the 6.5 ton PE65 and the 8 ton PE80, with more on the way.

WHAT HE HIGHLIGHTS

- A new look: the machines are painted in two grays, after weeks of choosing the lighter and darker shades, and the design has rounded, curved lines.

- Parts support: the machines ship with their parts. Mike says you shouldn't have to deal with missing parts, and parts arrive in the same shipping containers as the machines.

- Planning: the project started around the third week of June, with design and color decisions taking about three weeks.

Mike says he needs to sell these machines to pay for what is coming behind them.

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=7IlhVB9PoAU (20 min)

Mike is in China checking that the Powston PE80, an 8 ton excavator, is exactly what his customers should receive. The day before, he reviewed the 6.5 ton PE65 he ordered, and he is also looking at larger machines on order.

WALK-AROUND HIGHLIGHTS

- Engine compartment: engine air filter, a large battery, coolant reservoir, radiator, and hydraulic oil cooler, with a relief pressure valve and a place to add hydraulic fluid.

- Cab: a cup holder, air conditioning controls and a roomy layout. Full technical specifications are on the website.

- Tracks and undercarriage: massive steel tracks and a heavy rear counterweight.

- Build checks: Mike inspects the wiring harnesses and found that some bundles were tied too tightly, pulling a wire out of the thermistor so the air conditioning wasn't working. He had the harness tension checked on the machines.

Mike notes that the PE80 sits next to the 6 and 12 ton machines he has also ordered.

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.