I have a 2002 F150 FX4 super crew, lariat package with the 5.4. I previously had a 99 supercab off road and I had put 285 70 17 cooper at3 tires on it along with 17x8 american racing Baja wheels, I never touched the torsion bars at all, I just shaved roughly 1/4" off the lower valance of my bumper and I never had a single rub or clearance issue. Sadly, that pickup was totaled and I was able to salvage the wheels and tires with no damage done to them. After replacing my '99 with the '02 crew cab mentioned above, I put my wheels and tires on and I am having extreme clearance issues. I shaved some off the lower valance as I did before, didn't help at all. Just looking at it, you can see easily the front end sits quite a bit lower. I went to turn my torsion bars as opposed to buying aftermarket keys and I could only get roughly 1/2"-3/4" inch and that was with the stock keys maxed out. I do not want to buy the aftermarket keys at all, but I want my pickup to sit level and not have any clearance issues (which I'm still in shock that it had any to begin with). So my question is, if I were to buy aftermarket keys and turn them just to the amount needed to level with the rear (roughly 1 1/2"- 1 3/4") would I be ok and avoid potential issues that comes with the aftermarket keys? This is my last resort, but I just couldn't get anything out of the stock keys. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Depending on the angles, you could be okay. Just keep an eye on the cv axle, tie rod, and ball joint angles while doing it. You may not get all the way to level, but you may get a lot closer while still keeping the angles in check.

 

I'm surprised you couldn't get the level you needed out of the stock keys. I had an 02 FX4 SuperCrew as well and thats what I did. I had 305/55/20 tires on 20x10 wheels (pretty sure with 4.5" backspacing). Thats a bummer you can't get what you need from them.

 

Also, the Supercrews had the "softest" torsion bars to increase ride quality. It is very possible that your torsion bars are "sagged out".

 

This is what I was thinking as well.