Do You Need a Track Bar Correction Kit After a 2 Inch Lift?
This is the question I get more than any other. Someone puts a 2 inch lift on a KDSS 4Runner or GX, the truck feels a little off, and they want to know whether they actually need a correction kit or whether the internet is just selling them something. Here is my honest answer, including the case where you should not buy anything from me at all. I am Dom, I build these parts.
Do you need a track bar correction kit after a 2 inch lift?
Usually yes, but not always, and there is a measurement that tells you instead of guessing. A 2 inch lift is right at the edge where track bar angle starts causing real problems. Some trucks at 2 inches feel fine. Some feel loose immediately. The variable is where your track bar bolts actually sit, which differs between platforms and between lift brands.
So do not buy on a number. Measure.
How do I measure whether my truck needs one?
Park on level ground and compare your two track bar bolt heights. Measure from the ground to the center of the frame side track bar bolt. Then measure from the ground to the center of the axle side bolt. Subtract the smaller from the larger.
That difference is your bolt height difference, and it tells you two things at once:
- Under about 1.5 inches: your bar is still reasonably flat. You likely do not need a correction kit yet.
- 1.5 to 2.99 inches: correction is worth doing. Order the Shorty version, or run the bottom mounting hole on the Standard bracket.
- 3 inches or more: correction is not optional if you care how the truck drives. Order the Standard version and use the top hole.
Two minutes with a tape measure and you know. That beats every forum opinion including mine.
What does a steep track bar actually feel like?
It feels like the back of the truck is wandering underneath you, especially over bumps and expansion joints. Your track bar, or panhard bar, is a fixed length arm that holds the axle centered side to side. It swings on an arc. When the bar sits close to level, that arc is shallow and the axle moves mostly straight up and down as the suspension cycles.
Lift the body and the bar sits at a steeper angle. Now the same suspension travel drags the axle sideways as it moves. The truck feels unsettled and vague, it can dart when one rear wheel hits a bump, and your rear tires wear unevenly because the axle is no longer centered where the factory put it.
The correction kit raises the frame side pivot point so the bar goes back toward level. That is the entire idea. Simple fix, and the change from the driver's seat is not subtle.
Do I need anything else at 2 inches?
Probably not immediately, and I would rather you not spend the money until you need to. Front sway bar bushing bind typically starts around the 2 inch mark, which means at exactly 2 inches you are on the threshold rather than past it. If your truck cycles fine and your bushings look healthy, leave the front alone for now.
The one exception is if your factory sway bar straps have already failed. Those rubber and pressed metal retainers were never built for real off road use, and once they let go the sway bar can shift and let the KDSS shock body contact the frame. If that has happened, a pair of front billet clamps at $75 to $80 is worth doing regardless of your lift height. That is the cheapest part I make that prevents an expensive problem.
When should you not buy a correction kit?
If your bolt height difference is small and the truck drives straight, do not buy one. I would rather sell you nothing than sell you a bracket you do not need, because the second one arrives you will install it, notice no difference, and reasonably conclude I sold you junk.
Also, if what you actually have is KDSS lean, a correction kit will not fix it. Lean comes from an imbalance in the KDSS hydraulic system. It is not caused by sway bar position, link length, or suspension geometry, and no bracket changes that. Anyone telling you a drop kit corrects lean is misinformed. Contact me and describe what the truck is doing before you spend money on the wrong problem.
Standard or Shorty, and does it matter?
It matters, and your measurement decides it. The Shorty bracket sits lower and suits smaller bolt height differences. The Standard bracket is taller and gives you more mounting options as you go up.
One honest caveat. Standard height brackets can potentially contact the frame under full suspension cycle. That is not unique to mine, every bracket on the market has the same potential, and it is a function of geometry rather than manufacturing. The Shorty is not available for every model. If you are between sizes and planning to lift taller later, take the Standard, because it gives you room to adapt as the truck changes.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a bolt on install?
Yes, for the 4th and 5th Gen 4Runner, GX460, GX470, FJ Cruiser, and Prado 150 kit at $220. No welding, no drilling, factory mounting locations. The Gen 3 4Runner and Prado 90 kit at $200 is the exception, that one needs a drill for one hole and I recommend a rivet nut tool.
Do I need an alignment afterward?
Yes. You have just changed where the axle sits side to side. Get an alignment after the install. It is inexpensive compared to a set of tires worn on one edge.
Will this fix my uneven rear tire wear?
If the wear is caused by an off center axle from a steep track bar, then yes, recentering the axle addresses the cause. If the wear is from alignment, worn bushings elsewhere, or a bent component, it will not. Send me photos of the wear pattern and your bolt measurement and I will give you a straight answer.
What torque spec should I use?
Follow the spec on the product page for your specific kit rather than a video, because I have updated specs over time and old videos stay online forever. Use blue threadlocker generously. Recheck your torque after the first few drives.
Take the measurement first
Get your bolt height difference, then pick your version. If you are unsure, email me the two numbers with your platform and lift height and I will tell you which one you need, or tell you that you do not need one. Browse the B.O.T.C.K. correction kits, see the supporting hardware in KDSS components, or read how KDSS works for the background.