I'm going to be installing a 2 inch lift in my 2004 TJ.  I see some kits come with a track bar relocation bracket, and some don't.  How far off will the track be with a 2 inch lift?  Should I make sure that I get a bracket if the kit I choose doesn't come with one?  Thanks for any help.  

yep, ya need both... front and rear especially if your using stock wheels w/10.5 or 11.5 rubber or even 4.5" backspacing w/12.5 wide rubber

nth degree parts has a good one for the rear or us an adjustable bar..

heres what'll happen to your new tires from the spring bucket.... it's a 32x11.5 that was on a stock 5.5" backspaced wheel, 2" lift, no track bar relocation.

 

The Nth degree rear track bar bracket won't work for a 2" lift. It has provisions for 3.5", 4.5", or 6".

Most extention brackets also seem to have a twist in them so you can rotate the housing to run a cv drive shaft. So find one that only raises the track bar (no twist).

Also, does anyone know about the Tri-Country gusset that reinforces the track bar tower bracket using the diff cover bolts?  

the 2" still needs the pinion angle adjusted to avoid the t-case drop. nth did have a bracket for the 2.5 which would work... on top of the tube here is a rancho relocation bracket for the 2.5....

 

At this point AEV is only rolling out Nth's long arm stuff. I kind of doubt they will roll out the short arm stuff but I don't know.  

I just finished installing the 2 inch Pro-Comp springs on my 05.  You will need an adjustable track bar for the rear (notice my tire that Mudb8 posted).

The left rear will rub the upper spring pocket if you are using the stock wheels (5.5 inch backspacing) and 32/11.5s.

I used the Teraflex adjustable rear track bar and after everything is centered I have about an inch clearance on each side (not great but it works).

The front clearance is pretty good and I didn't have as much axle shift as the rear.  

I was told that a 2in boost on my 06 wrangler wouldn't need an adjustable track bar, but I've always noticed the right rear sticks out farther than the left.  I never use the front sway bar, and flex this Jeep out on a daily basis.  Now when I stand beside the Jeep and push it from side to side, I can hear and feel popping from under the Jeep.  When checking everything out, on the beach, I noticed the tracks in the wet sand, and sure enough, the rearend is tracking about 1.5 inches to the right.  Is this do to the stock wore out track bar and 2in lift, or is there something more to it?  Need to know before I invest $$$ in a more extreme lift.  

nothin to do with worn out,other than the noise, just needs an adjustable track bar for the front and the rear...

what they shoulda meant is you can get away without one, not that you don't need one..


BTW.... what happened to your avatar?  

Restoring the track bar to it's original more horizontal position using a track bar tower extension bracket is a better and less expensive option.

An adjustable track bar does nothing to fix geometry, only centers the axle. And by making the track bar longer to center the axle only makes the geometry worse.

Fix the geometry and center the axle, use a bracket!  

Break it down for me please!  If I center the axle  via an adjustalbe track bar and not the relocation bracket, how will the geometry be off?  Will it "dog track"?  I'm in the market for a 4in long arm lift that can take my abuse.  What do you recomend.  I have a 44 and 30, and I'm locked, 456's with 33-12.5-15 TSL's.  

I don't know what happened to my avatar of mater....it disappeared back when I was still in Afghanistan.  I need to get a pic of my jeep on here pretty soon.  

All of your suspension arms travel in an arc as the suspension moves. Changing the length of any arm causes the travel arc to change for that member.

All of the travel arcs for all the suspension arms intersect each other in a three dimensional relationship. This intersection, coupled with the tire contact patch is called "instant center".

When the instant center changes, it affects the handling characteristics, maybe positive, maybe negative.

Anyway, do a search on "instant center", "roll center height", "anti squat", and "rear stear". There is a lot to it.

It's easy to build an adjustable track bar. It takes some effort to design brackets that not only work geometrically, but also don't come loose or break off.

And work cost money. Need I say more.

One last thing. The best track bar is a solid track bar. Adjustable track bars are not as rigid, they wear out, break, and bend.  

the adjustable is great on the rear...

the geometry problem comes in on the front in the form of bumpsteer when the angle of the track bar isn't the same as the drag link  

I agree, but his question wasn't just about the current 2 inch lift. He wants to grow more in the future.

It does not make that much difference for the 2" lift, except that a bracket is cheaper.

But growing more starts to affect things more. Most handling improvements will be acheived by addressing the deficiencies in the way the rear is commonly lifted.

Most people I talk to hate their 4" short arm lift and wished they stayed at 2 or 3. And they all have adjustable track bars, front and rear.

Adjsutable track bars are a compromise, (read cheaper) alternative in most suspension lift kits.  

the front adjustables that come in the cheap kits are just that cheap.... I've had and bent an re, rancho, and a rough country track bars, the nth has survived so far.
an alternative for the 2" lift is using a grandcherokee  trackbar. another is to have the factory rebent/streched. one of the options nth degree used to offer for the 2-3" lifts...

the screw in adjustable joint is actually the weak link not the tube itself.

a good rear adjustable is specifically bent to be used with a tall lift to eliminate the need for the extention bracket that can tear off the factory mount from additional leverage. they don't have bad handling problems in this form. the high center of gravity and short wheelbase is the problem there.

I have yet to drive a tj that has a triangulated upper link that eliminates the rear track bar.. they seem scary to me, I often wonder how they feel on the hwy.