Mitsu with US Air Force utility bed tool box - w/Pics

[jliltd]

Here's a shot of our all-around work and handyman truck. It's a Mitsubishi minicab. The utility bed / ladder rack came off a 2WD Mitsubishi 3-speed the US Air Force had used on a base and sold at auction.
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t238/jliltd/Utility.jpg


We bought the Air Force truck and immediately changed the utility bed over to this 4WD truck. We Hurculined (paint-on bedliner) the interior surfaces of the tool boxes. We also swapped rear springs with the heavier-duty version that came on the 2WD vehicle, which leveled the truck nicely. We also added some Firestone Winterforce 13" directional studdable snow tires and a rear receiver bumper.
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t238/jliltd/Front.jpg

It's perfect for all-around farm maintenance, fencing, and even acts as a scaffolding with a piece of OSB thrown up on the top.

[kmoneil]

Wow thats awesome! Looks like you have a touch of TAZZ in it to ;)

[Acerguy]

Nice! How do those Winterforce tires work in soft ground?

[jliltd]

Nice! How do those Winterforce tires work in soft ground?

http://www.ulmerfarmservice.com/images/resize.jpg

Tread pattern shown above.

That's about the only ground they see. We run them up in loose sand in desert arroyos (gringo talk = dry sandy gullies). The key with them is to let them down to about 8psi in loose sand. Since they are directional they have arrows on the sidewalls to make sure you install them correctly. This also means they work better in forward than reverse. We've switched every truck over to them since they are the best all-around service tire hands down. I've got a lot of ATV-type Carlisle tires (from 489's to A.C.T.'s to All-trails) and ITP's (Muldlites and 589's) we have removed in favor of the Winterforce. These trucks seem to really like an automotive-type tire over spongy ATV tires and the 13" Winterforce provide that plus a marked improvement in flotation over stock.

I don't sell this stuff so don't think my remarks are marketing hype. They are based on lessons learned over a year and a half of trial and error. I've got a barn full of dashed-dream parts to prove it (Tires, Wheels, Lift Kits, domestic air filters etc...). It's actually kind of fun seeing the US minitruck importation business mature a little and weed out the initial parts hype proven through early adopter's experience.

[jliltd]

Wow thats awesome! Looks like you have a touch of TAZZ in it to ;)

Yup.

In the northern Mexican culture a "Maestro" is known as a master craftsman and overall handyman. Someone to look up to and count on for prowess with his hands (kind of like "Journeyman"). The word Maestro literally means "teacher" and is appropriate as he is the fellow to hook up an apprentice to learn the arts of carpentry and the like. In our part of the country most larger farms have a full-time "Maestro" who is the jack of all trades and handyman.

Our "Maestro" is a Tazz nut and owns a Toyota Celica with the Tasmanian Devil on his windshield upper tint. I put a set of completely different novelty plates on each of our mini trucks so they could be referred to by something more than "the white one". Naturally it was easy to pick his plates ... the Tazz (we refer to the truck in local vernacular as the "Maestromobile").

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t238/jliltd/Tazz.jpg

[Acerguy]

Neat. I like the Tazz story :) And I've looked at those tires at www.tirerack.com They don't call them Firestones but they sure look the same (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Winterforce&tireModel=M%2BS). Thanks!

[okeitrucker]

I was wondering exactly what size tires those 13" Firestone are. That truck looks awesome! Are there any problems with rubbing? That truck is not lifted, correct? I have a '93 Mitsubishi with stock tires at the moment, and would like to put something different on it. Thanks for your help. Your posts have been really informative, and the pictures are great.

[subiemech85]

the tires are made by F*stone, but they don't put their name on them

last winter when I had a set on my subaru wagon they always did better in reverse in the deep snow!

about the only problem with them is the thin sidewalls

[jliltd]

I was wondering exactly what size tires those 13" Firestone are. That truck looks awesome! Are there any problems with rubbing? That truck is not lifted, correct? I have a '93 Mitsubishi with stock tires at the moment, and would like to put something different on it. Thanks for your help. Your posts have been really informative, and the pictures are great.

No lift added.

The tires are 175x70 R13's. My Winterforces say "Firestone" right on the side wall. They are studdable snow tires and are in fact directional. There is a little arrow on the sidewall showing direction of rotation for better forward traction. They are not readily available in warmer southern states so I picked up half a dozen sets when I traveled up North this past winter where they are only available seasonally. If you are in cold country you could even get the studs put in for better snow/ice traction.

I couple these with 13x5.5" UFS aluminum rims that can be used on Subarus, Suzukis or Mitsubishis (same wheel, two sets of lug pattern holes, 100 and 115). It's nice having one wheel that will fit either lug pattern. Earlier Daihatsu's can't use them (no holes for 110's).

No lift required (for pre 2000 years models). If you had a Suzuki or Subaru you could bolt them on and go. Since you have a Mitsubishi you have a couple of small items to accomplish to make the front wheels work. First thing is you have to place 3 to 4 washers on each of the hub's front wheel studs to shim the wheels out a bit. Piece of cake. The second thing is you have to grind about 1/16" of metal from the lower strut spring mounts facing the tire sidewall. It doesn't take much and again is fairly easy with a grinding wheel. I've done 3 Mitsu's this way and there have been zero issues once installed. The only thing you'd have to watch is if you went to a tire place to have a flat fixed and the clown with the air hammer doesn't put the washers back on or loses them.

I have seen actual spacers advertised on eBay for $ so there is a more elegant way to shim out the fronts than the washers, but they both perform the same function.

Here's more information on the wheels/tires (Ulmer lists two wheel part numbers for the 100's or 115's but they are now one):

http://www.ulmerfarmservice.com/otherstuff.htm#tires

[Acerguy]

I believe you can also find those tires under the name Winterforce (http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Winterforce&tireModel=M%2BS) from the Tirerack.

[okeitrucker]

Thanks for the information, guys! I will give those tires a try.