Time & Money Well Wasted: One Cool F-250

Time well wasted. Besides being the title of a country song, it seems to be the philosophy of Ryan Yaeger of Waterford, Wisconsin. The 23-year-old lineman claims he “had nothing better to do with his time and money,” according to the tech sheet he gave us, so he built a cool 2002 F-250 so he could hang out with his diesel buddies. Ryan is no stranger to building trucks, and claims his “Red Rider” is a work in progress.

“To put the power to the ground, without fail, Ryan took the stock E4OD to the folks at Transmaster in Jefferson, Wisconsin, for some work.”

Since the truck is a straight axle, leaf spring ¾-ton, it was easy to install a 4-inch Rancho leaf spring lift. The added height provides plenty of room for 35-inch tires mounted on 22-inch wheels. The Ford rolls on 35X12.50R22 Toyo M/Ts wrapped around wide 22×14 inch Fuel Off-Road Hostage wheels. Pro Comp ES9000 shocks keep the rolling stock in contact with the road. To help turn the larger rubber, 3:73 gears are installed in each axle.

One of the reasons Ryan wanted the earlier F-250 was to get the reliable 7.3 Power Stroke under the hood. Since the truck is his daily driver, Ryan followed the KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid) when it came to modifications. Better breathing is provided by an aFe Stage 2 intake and 5-inch turbo-back exhaust. A BD 88mm turbo replaces the smaller stocker for more boost (42 psi) and power. Fueling is provided by upsized stock injectors and a six-position TS Performance chip tuned by Swamp’s Diesel. Additional power and mileage comes from a Bully Dog propane injection kit.

To put the power to the ground, without fail, Ryan took the stock E4OD to the folks at Transmaster in Jefferson, Wisconsin, for some work. A Precision triple-disc torque converter was added along with a Transmaster valve body, which makes shifts more firm and precise.

What makes Ryan’s giant red extended cab long bed Super Duty stand out is the fact the truck is “Ticket Me” red, along with the lift and 22-inch tires. The Ford sports a 2005 front end conversion and body-colored bumpers, door handles and mirrors. Perfection Auto Body in Burlington, Wisconsin, is credited with the paintwork.

On the inside, the truck is set up for daily driving in comfort and style. While much of the interior is stock, a set of Auto Meter Cobalt gauges keeps track of engine vitals. For a more enjoyable driving environment, the folks at Stay Tuned Customs in Waukesha, Wisconsin, installed the Alpine sound system, which plays through Boston Acoustics 6×9 speakers. And the only thing louder on the truck than the engine and stereo is the set of train horns mounted underneath.

While not a show-stopper or high-performance drag racer, Ryan’s Super Duty is a perfect example of a daily driver anyone would be proud to own and can be built on a budget. That’s our kind of truck. DW