A 2 inch lift kit is springs and shocks. On some vehicles that is genuinely the whole job. On others, the springs and shocks are the easy part, and the vehicle that leaves the workshop with nothing else fitted will click at full lock, eat CV boots, wear its brake hoses or sit on its bump stops long before the springs do. This guide lists every supporting part a 2 inch lift can call for, explains what each one is protecting, and tells you how to work out which apply to your 4WD. It is the companion to our guide on upper control arms, panhard rods and caster correction, which covers the steering-geometry fixes.
Which parts you need depends on what is under the vehicle, not on the brand of kit:
Lifting an IFS vehicle raises the body and the front differential with it, but the wheels stay on the ground. The driveshafts from the diff to the hubs now run at a steeper angle, which loads the CV joints at full droop and full lock. At 2 inches most vehicles are at the edge of what the CVs tolerate; the symptoms are clicking on tight turns, torn boots and, eventually, a failed joint. A diff drop kit lowers the differential on spacers so the driveshaft angle returns toward standard.
Whether you need one at 2 inches depends on the vehicle. The Hilux N70 and N80, Fortuner, Prado, LandCruiser 200, Ranger and BT-50 benefit from one at 2 inches, especially if the vehicle is driven hard off road. Kits such as the Roadsafe diff drop kit for Hilux, diff drop kit for LandCruiser 200, diff drop kit for Everest and BT-50 and diff drop kit for Amarok are model-specific. If you go beyond 2 inches, a diff drop stops being optional; see 2 inch vs 3 inch lift kits.
The upper ball joint on an IFS vehicle runs at a steeper angle after a lift and can bind at full droop, which is hard on the joint and can pop a boot. Extended upper ball joints, such as the Roadsafe extended upper ball joints for Hilux or the extended ball joints for Prado and FJ Cruiser, restore the working angle. If you are fitting aftermarket upper control arms they usually include a heavy duty joint already, so you need one or the other, not both.
Flexible brake hoses are made to a length that suits factory travel. Add 2 inches of lift and more droop, and on some vehicles the hose is pulled tight when the axle hangs at full extension - over a ditch, on a hoist, or with one wheel in the air on a track. A stretched hose can pull out of its fitting, and the first you know about it is a soft pedal.
Coil-sprung solid-axle vehicles are the ones that need this most: the Tough Dog extended brake hose kit for LandCruiser 80 and 105 is a standard part of a lift on those wagons. Many leaf-sprung utes get away with relocating the hose bracket rather than replacing the hose - the rear brake line relocation kit for D-Max is a good example. Check ABS sensor leads and the rear breather hose at the same time; both can be caught short.
A lift changes the angle of the sway bar links. On most vehicles a 2 inch lift is fine with standard links, but on solid-axle vehicles the links can end up preloading the bar, which stiffens one side and can cause the vehicle to lean or bind. Extended links, such as the Roadsafe upgraded sway bar links for Patrol GQ and GU or the rear links for Patrol GU and Navara NP300, restore the geometry. On the LandCruiser 200 with KDSS, sway bar relocation brackets do the same job.
If you disconnect sway bars on the tracks, disconnect pins make it a two-minute job.
A lift raises the chassis, but the bump stop is still where it was, so the axle now has 2 inches more travel before it touches. That sounds good until you realise the shock may now be the part that stops compression - and a shock bottoming out internally is how shocks die. Bump stop spacers, such as the Roadsafe bump stop spacer for Hilux and FJ Cruiser, restore the correct gap so the stop, not the shock, takes the hit. Check this on every lift by measuring bump-stop clearance at full compression against the shock's compressed length.
On a leaf-sprung rear, an extended shackle is a cheap way to add height, but it is not a substitute for a lifted leaf pack. It changes the spring angle and can reduce the leaf's effective rate. Used with a lifted leaf pack to fine-tune height, an extended shackle such as the Roadsafe extended shackles for Ranger PX and BT-50 or the extended shackles for LandCruiser 76, 78 and 79 is fine. Used alone to lift a tired standard pack, it is a compromise. Our coil springs vs leaf springs guide covers the trade-offs.
Coil strut spacers, such as the 25 mm strut spacers for Hilux, Fortuner and Prado, add height above the strut without changing the spring. They have a place for levelling a vehicle a few millimetres or fine-tuning rake, but they use up droop travel and push CV angles further. They are not a lift kit, and stacking them to reach 2 inches on standard springs is the wrong approach.
Lifting a coil-sprung solid axle pulls the axle sideways on its panhard rod and rotates it on its trailing arms. Adjustable panhard rods recentre the axle; extended lower trailing arms such as the Roadsafe extended trailing arm for LandCruiser 80 and 105 or the extended trailing arm for Patrol GQ and GU correct pinion angle and wheelbase. At 2 inches on a Patrol or 80 Series, a panhard correction is usually needed; trailing arms become important past that.
Whatever else is fitted, finish with a full wheel alignment showing caster, camber and toe on both sides, with the vehicle carrying its normal load. If the aligner cannot reach the caster spec, that is what aftermarket upper control arms are for. See how a lift kit is installed for the full sequence.
| Vehicle type | Usually needed at 2 inches | Worth checking |
|---|---|---|
| IFS wagon (Prado, LC200, Everest, MU-X) | Upper control arms, alignment | Diff drop, ball joints, bump stops |
| IFS ute (Hilux, Ranger, D-Max, Triton) | Upper control arms, alignment | Diff drop, brake line relocation, shackles, bump stops |
| Coil solid axle (Patrol GQ/GU, LC80/105, Jimny) | Panhard correction, extended brake lines, alignment | Sway bar links, trailing arms, bump stops |
| Leaf solid axle (LC79, D22) | Alignment, brake line check | Shackles, u-bolts, bump stops |
All of the supporting parts above live in suspension components, the complete kits in 2 inch lift kits, and the model-specific lists in the parts finder - for example Hilux N80, Prado 150 and Patrol GU wagon. Tell us the vehicle, the kit you are fitting and how it is used, and we will list exactly which of these it needs. For the basics, start with what a suspension lift kit includes and check lift kit legality in Australia for your state.
On most IFS 4WDs it is recommended rather than essential at 2 inches, and essential beyond that. If the vehicle is driven hard off road or the CVs are already worn, fit one with the lift.
On coil-sprung solid-axle vehicles, usually yes. On IFS and leaf-sprung utes, often a bracket relocation is enough. Check the hose at full droop before deciding.
On some vehicles, yes. On most IFS vehicles you will also want upper control arms for caster, and on most solid-axle vehicles a panhard correction. Skipping them gives you a vehicle that wanders and wears tyres.
No. They add height without changing the spring rate or shock, and they use up travel. They suit small levelling adjustments, not a full lift.
Related guides: how to choose 4WD coil spring rates | Toyota Prado 150 lift kit buying guide
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