Perfecting the Lift: A McGaughy’s Transformation on the Ford F-250

Lifted Proper with McGaughys

Photos by Mike Alexander

When it comes to the world of lifted trucks, there are some out there who do it for looks, some who do it for function, and then some who actually want both. Yes, you CAN have your cake and eat it too! For our “daily dad mobile,” we knew that we needed a truck that would still function, tow, hit the trails, and do all the things that we’ve thrown at our Ford F-250 thus far.

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Falling in love with the newer-gen SuperDuty platform came easy as it is one of the most versatile do-it-all trucks out there, but it was time for a much-needed makeover on our daily dad wagon. For this story, we wanted to do something a bit different. Rather than show you the normal step-by-step instruction manual-style article, we went a little further to show you the reasoning behind our choices. Some of the options and upgrades that are possible include some back story (and fun QR codes with visuals) on why we LOVE our 6-inch McGaughys lift kit and why you will too!

It can be a bit overwhelming shopping for a quality lift kit that checks all the boxes, and knowing how to navigate the different options and upgrades that complete a full system. This is the route we’ll take you through in this article. For our build we wanted a true ‘Made in the USA’ quality company and lift so we chose the McGaughy’s premium S/S black 6-inch Ford lift kit (Part # 57290 – which we will detail here in sections). And we added a few upgrades that made sense for our application and use and paired with the perfect daily rolling stock of 37×12.5×18 Toyo Tires and Raceline wheels (which we will also detail here).

Overall, we feel like this was a great aggressive combo but still practical enough for the miles and towing that we do with our rig. Spoiler alert – we were right! This thing rides fantastic, gets compliments everywhere we go, and still tows like a champ (thanks to our Air Lift helper ‘bag setup, which we’ll highlight in a follow-up story). Follow along for the breakouts and part numbers to see exactly how you can ‘shop this look’ and get yourself set up with something that you can be sure will last the test of time – AND USE!

6-inch Premium Lift Kit S/S Black 2017-2022 F250/F350 – Part #57290

This Kit Includes (ART* make into a table/box placed next to image):

2 Radius Arms
2 Billet Face Plates for Radius Arms
2 U-bolt Retainers
2 Lift Blocks w/ U-bolts & Hardware
2 Sway Bar Drops
Track Bar Drop Bracket
2 Front Bump Stops
Steering Shock Drop
Drop Pitman Arm
2 Front Brake Line Brackets
Rear Brake Line Bracket
2 Coil Springs
Front Shocks & Rear Shocks

THE FRONT »

The front lift consists of the two radius arms and billet face plates for the radius arms (since we went with the upgraded S/S black version – but you can also add these separately ), lift coil springs, front shocks, brake line brackets, sway bar drops, steering drop, drop pitman arm, and all the necessary hardware. It’s a pretty straightforward install and we like the fact that it’s a full spring lift (still rides fantastic for a 6-inch lift on 37s). There are several upgrade options which we will outline here with corresponding part numbers.

Front upgrade options:

Dual Steering Stabilizer – Part #57230
Fox Steering Shock Upgrade – Part #1222 (will need two of these)
Billet Radius Arm billet plates – Part #51101 (this is the part number that comes powdercoated black w/ machined edges – our upgraded S/S black kit already came with these)

THE REAR »

The rear kit consists of two lift-blocks with U-bolts, U-bolt retainers, and hardware, track bar drop brackets, rear brake line brackets, and rear shocks. The rear track bars are an upgrade option and come raw (Part #57295), but the billet track bar faceplates can come powdercoated black (Part #51321).

Wheels/Tires:

Again, we wanted something aggressive but also totally “daily driver” status here for the hauling duties, winter months, and do-it-all nature of our F250 build. We ended up going with a set of 18×9-inch Raceline 957GB Halos wrapped with Toyo 37×12.5×18 Open Country R/T tires, which gives us a nice ride with some added wet/mud traction when needed.

Ready To Ride – this lift paired with the wheel/tire combo (and Air Lift helper ‘bags) set us up just right for the next dad adventure, and we’re loving every second of it!

MADE IN THE USA »

A true family owned and operated company, McGaughy’s Suspension has been designing and manufacturing premium suspension systems for the better part of four decades. More than 40 years ago, McGaughy’s began like many American automotive companies—right in the garage. Expanding from lowered Chevy Tri-Five spindles to thousands of SKUs, the McGaughy’s family is proud to deliver exceptional quality and service right from their Fresno, California facilities. What started as an angle grinder in a garage is now a full-service manufacturing suspension powerhouse that employs hundreds of families, and features state-of-the-art lasers, robots, CNC, design centers, production, and a shipping department that rivals the mega corporate giants. Take a look at the QR codes here to see a peek behind the curtain of a true “American Dream” story that maintains the roots of American Made quality and the kind of service you would only expect from family business.: