At work we have a '97 F150 regular cab short bed 4x4, 4.2L XL, that has a strange problem.
It came in from the fields last week and the front end is bottomed out completely (both sides).
What could cause this? The shocks are fine, sort of, heh. But they shouldnt matter anyway.
Could both of the torsion bars gone bad?
Some lady at work was saying a bad ball joint could cause it but I dont believe that.

The wheels were not at any strange angle or anything like that either...they looked aligned fine.

Any ideas?

 

Are the a-arms resting against the bumpstops? Maybe the torsion bars are broken. It seems weird that both would break. What did the driver say?

 

It turned out to be the torsion bars, somehow they were installed on the wrong sides, so they basically got stretched out.

The strange thing is, the driver did not say anything. We washed vehicles last friday and he was parked in front of the shop (the front end nearly touching the ground). I pointed it out to my boss, after the guy had already parked it. I dont think he ever mentioned it to his supervisor. And how he drove the truck like that and did not think it necessary to say anything, I have no clue...it had to ride like crap.
I guess he was afraid he'd get blamed for it??? Of course, this is the same guy whos air filter weighed TWELVE POUNDS because he never checked it (although its on our weekly checklist). No wonder the thing kept dying on him

They got a new set of bars in today, but apparently they were about 3.5" too long when our mechanic went to put them on. Good job to the local dealership

 

Oh and in case anybody is wondering how you can get an air filter to get 12 pounds of crap in it...we drive around cotton fields every day checking traps. LOTS of dust.