tremolo set up help on a Sterling AX40D

I recently bought an “open box” sterling AX40D and I noticed the tremolo is not sitting flush with the body. Instead, it’s sitting at an angle where its further up towards the pickups and only part of the back of the tremolo is touching the body. I tried to lower the posts to have it sit flush, but the strings are too close to the frets and cause buzzing on the upper registers of the neck. Is there a good way to set this up? It may have been originally set up high like that from the factory as I highly doubt someone that owned it prior or a tech messed with it before being sold to me. Thanks!!