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This F-250 Takes Daily Driving to New Heights

Trent Riddle . October 15, 2026 . F Series Builders Guide
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Not Your Average Daily Driver

Matt Archuleta lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, nicknamed “The City of Vision.” Well, Matt had a vision when he went to build his new truck. As a gearhead, Matt’s past builds had been on the low side. His previous rigs include a Dodge Magnum and a Ford F-150, both slammed to the ground and air bag equipped. For this build, Matt reached for the sky. He says, “I wanted to be different.” Well, this truck is far from slammed and as different from a lowered, gas-powered Magnum as you can get.

Matt started his build with a stock 2011 Ford F-250 4×4, equipped with a 6.7L engine. To get some air under it, he decided on a 10-inch lift. After looking around, a Fabtech Performance Suspensions 10-inch kit would fit the bill for height and allow the use of 40-inch tires. The lift included new tubular radius arms and Dirt Logic 4.0 coilover shocks for the front and replacement leaf springs and a set of rear blocks. The rear shocks are Dirt Logic 2.25 non-reservoir units. The final touch on the lift side was the addition of 40×15.50R22 Toyo Open Country M/T tires, mounted on some 22×11 RBP 97R wheels.

2011 Ford F-250
The 6.7L Power Stroke under the hood of this 2011 Ford F-250 is mostly stock, and still under warranty. A few upgrades have been made to improve power including a Mini Maxx tuner from H&S Performance and S&B air intake. Dual Optima batteries replace the stock wet acid units.
2011 Ford F-250
The stock suspension has been replaced with a 10-inch lift from Fabtech. The stock front radius arms were replaced and rear arm mount drop-down brackets keep the geometry correct.
2011 Ford F-250
With the Fabtech suspension, the front coils and shocks were replaced with Dirt Logic 4- inch coilover shocks that are adjustable and can be rebuilt if needed. The brake lines were extended using braided stainless, aircraft-style lines.
2011 Ford F-250
Selected for the build were flat black 22×11 RBP 97R wheels fitted with 40×15.50R22 Toyo Open Country M/T tires.
2011 Ford F-250
Improving the stock airflow was accomplished with an S&B cold air intake. This simple and clean upgrade adds power and enhances the look too. The clear cover allows easy assessment of the dirt build-up on the filter, reminding you, at a glance, to clean it when needed.

In the power improvement department, Matt used a light hand, for now. The Power Stroke offers good torque and HP numbers out of the box and is still under warranty. As such, power upgrades have been limited to a Mini Maxx tuner from H&S Performance, S&B cold air intake and 4-inch stain-less exhaust from Diamond Eye.

On the exterior, Matt installed Fusion bumpers front and rear. These are fitted with some LED lighting from Rigid Industries. The grille was upgraded with an RX3 insert from RBP, and Amp Research side steps were included to make entry and exit easier on this lifted truck. He also added some smoke-tinted taillights, Rhino-lined the bed and added a below the bed lip tool-box, also Rhino lined.

2011 Ford F-250
Under the rear of Matt’s truck, you’ll find the rest of the suspension, the replacement leaf springs and lift blocks, and Dirt Logic 2.25-inch non-reservoir shocks. Other under-bed upgrades include the stainless steel 4-inch Diamond Eye exhaust with 6-inch tip, and a train horn setup that’s fed by an Air Zenith compressor and tank.
To help handle the added forces generated by the larger tires, a Fabtech dual Dirt Logic steering stabilizer setup was installed.
2011 Ford F-250
Amp Research side steps were included in the build. They make entry and exit easier on this lifted truck.
2011 Ford F-250
The rear bumper is also from Fusion and, like the front, is fitted with LED lighting from Rigid Industries. The bumper works with the factory backup sensor. The tow hook is from RBP.

Matt might have started out as a builder of slammed cars and trucks, but with some help from his friend, Christopher O’Toole, he’s come over to the lifted diesel side of life. This rig shows that now the sky’s the limit for his future builds. In fact, Matt has a new 2014 Ram Mega Cab with a full suspension wrap in the works that he plans to unveil at the SEMA show. We’re looking forward to seeing his latest creation. UDBG

2011 Ford F-250

In the interior, the dash is treated to some blue accents and a few dash overlays were painted to match the exterior. We were told that Maaco Paint & Body in Rio Rancho did the custom work, not what we would expect from the national commercials. It just goes to show you, ask to see a shop’s past work and you may be pleasantly surprised at what they can do outside the box. The factory leather seats are comfortable and remain in place.
The front bumper is a massive unit from Fusion that’s fitted with a complement of LED lighting from Rigid Industries. The grille insert is an RBP RX3 unit.

 

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