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=1wY37oKq1dc (5 min)

An impromptu safety lesson from the shop while Mike and the team prepare a new batch of attachments, fitting connectors and lubing them. He uses a Rippa mini excavator (the R18) to show two details that matter more than they look.

1. Blade spacing. On this machine the dozer blade sits about 3 inches in front of the track. If a rock or debris of that size or bigger gets between the blade and the track, it can slice or derail the track, both of which are costly and stop your job. Spacing the blade out helps keep material from getting trapped.

2. Counterweight and lifting. With about 300 lb on the end of the arm, the front of the machine tips easily on a machine without counterweight. The rated lift capacity of the R18 comes from the weight of the machine and its counterweight, which is what allows you to dig deep with a large bucket, such as when excavating a basement or a pool, without the rear lifting.

Mike's message is that safety comes first in everything the team does and teaches. Specs are on the R18 page of our website.

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=IYirAYhnqFs (6 min)

Mike walks through the updated Rippa R18 at the Boyd dealership. Here is what's new.

WHAT'S NEW

- ISO / SAE pattern switch: switch control patterns using one switch in the cab plus a small lever in a cabinet.

- Safer bucket control: like the R15, you slide a red lever forward before rotating the control down, so the bucket can't drop by accident from a bump or button push.

- Cleaner layout: hydraulic lines are rerouted, extra labels added, and the diverter valve plus another accessory point are easy to see.

- Load-holding safety valve: an explosion-proof (check) valve on the boom and stick cylinders means that if a line forward of it fails suddenly, the boom or stick holds in place instead of dropping. Rippa has demonstrated this by cutting a line with an angle grinder and the bucket doesn't move.

- Pointed grease fittings throughout: all grease points, including the cylinders, are now the standard pointed zerk type instead of flat-faced. If you own an older machine, you can swap fittings yourself with M8 or M10 zerks from Amazon in seconds.

- Floor mat: a rubber mat comes with it, and we also add non-slip grit tape on the floor.

- Pre-delivery inspection tag: every machine in our yard gets a tag (yellow means ready to go, red means don't sell) before it goes out.

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=V5TUpdZok8Q (3 min)

Mike from Rippa USA Sales gives a quick walkaround of a Rippa R18 mini excavator with a cab, just before it shipped to a customer in Alabama.

WHAT STANDS OUT

- The cab is very similar to the R15 cab, only on the bigger R18 frame.

- It has a small computer with a screen, like the R22 and R32, and a backup camera view.

- The door is built on one solid piece of bent steel, with a hook that catches the door and holds it open, like the R22 and R32.

- It also has a windshield wiper, mirrors and LED lights.

- Hydraulic oil and fuel are filled from the side compartment.

- Power comes from a Kubota D902 diesel engine.

COMFORT

There is a lot of room once you are inside. Mike is 6 foot 1 and about 250 lb and says he could sit in it all day. An air conditioner can be added, although space inside is tight.

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=rl70KGHjKgY (6 min)

Mike from Rippa USA Sales walks around the new version of the Rippa R18 Pro mini excavator and points out the updates. Not every change appears on every machine, so check the details on the model you are buying.

HYDRAULIC UPDATES

- A diverter valve lets you run a thumb without disconnecting it for an attachment. There is now also a new line so you can run an accessory along with the thumb.

- Grease fittings are now the pointed style everywhere, even down on the cylinders that used to have flat face fittings.

- More hydraulic lines are routed inside the boom, so less hose sticks out on the stick side.

- An explosion proof valve holds the boom in place if a line is cut or develops a big leak, so the boom does not drop to the ground.

LABELS AND MAINTENANCE

- New stickers show the grease points and the ISO control information.

- Take a picture of the stickers when you get the machine and print a couple of copies, since the stickers get dirty and torn over time.

CONTROLS

- The ISO to SAE control pattern switch is behind the front panel. Pull the ball down, rotate it to the machine left, and always make sure the machine is powered off first.

- Swing boom control now uses buttons on the joystick: hold the button, then move the lever left or right. Rippa is moving away from foot controls so the machine feels more like a true operator experience.

OTHER DETAILS

- Tie down points were added.

- The Rippa name is on the back of the engine compartment.

- The hydraulic detach, which the R15 had before, is now on R15 and larger machines.

- LED lights are included.

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=XNMkutk41qk (9 min)

There is a lot of confusion about how and when to check the hydraulic oil, so Mike from Rippa USA Sales walks through it on a Rippa R18 Pro, with a quick look at the RS06 and RS03 mini skid steers too.

CHAPTERS

- Preparing for maintenance

- Adjusting the chassis

- Track tension and maintenance

- Checking hydraulic fluid

PREPARE THE MACHINE

1. Retract the cylinders as far as possible so the hydraulic oil is back in the tank. On an excavator that means the boom, stick and bucket cylinders, plus the thumb and dozer blade. On the mini skid steers, keep the lift cylinders down.

2. Park on level ground and turn the machine off.

ADJUSTABLE CHASSIS (R10, R15, R18, R22)

- These models let the tracks move in and out, about five or more inches on each side. The exact specs are on the machine page at RippaUSASales.com.

- Do not widen or narrow the tracks while the machine is sitting on the ground. Raise the machine up on the dozer blade and bucket first, then move them.

TRACK TENSION

1. Tension is adjusted with a grease fitting on the track tensioner. Adding grease pushes the tensioner out and tightens the track.

2. A good rule of thumb is about two fingers of gap between the roller and the track.

3. Too loose can cause a track to hop, which you will hear as a rubber popping noise as it tries to slip off the drive motor sprocket or front idler.

4. Too tight is just as bad, so do not over tighten.

5. New rubber tracks stretch as they break in, so check tension every so often, and before a job rather than in the field.

CHECK THE HYDRAULIC FLUID

- With every cylinder retracted and the machine off, look at the sight gauge on the hydraulic tank. The oil level should be right around the red line.

These tracks are heavy, so if you do not have to remove one, leave it alone. Check your owner's manual and call us if anything looks 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.