MajorCommonTransmission

Toyota Land Cruiser 70: V8 clutch shudder and premature clutch wear; short 5th gear on pre-2017 trucks

V8 clutch shudder and premature clutch wear; short 5th gear on pre-2017 trucks is a common transmission fault on the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 on the 2007–2024 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $2,200 to $4,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 20 documented faults on the Toyota Land Cruiser 70.

Vehicle: Toyota Land Cruiser 70
Years: 2007–2024
Fuel: diesel
Gearbox: manual
System: Transmission

This page covers the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Toyota Land Cruiser 70 faults20 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Clutch yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The V8 70 Series' factory clutch is marginal for the engine's torque, particularly on towing/farm trucks or anything tuned or chipped - owners report shudder on take-off and replacements well before 100,000 km, and early examples had a clutch-related recall/replacement history. Heavy-duty aftermarket kits (NPC etc.) are the standard fix in the AU/NZ 4WD trade. Separately, pre-2017 H150-series gearboxes run notoriously short 2nd/5th ratios, making highway driving loud and revvy; Toyota revised the ratios in 2017, and gear-set conversions exist but are expensive - it's a live-with trait, not a fault, but buyers should know.

What you would notice

Shudder or judder pulling away, especially uphill or towing
Clutch slip - revs rise without speed in 4th/5th under load
High, heavy clutch pedal
Engine buzzing near 3,000 rpm at 100 km/h on pre-2017 trucks (normal but tiring)

How to check it

Where to look. Clutch and flywheel between engine and gearbox; symptoms felt through the clutch pedal and heard/felt on take-off

On the test drive, pull away on a slope and load the clutch gently - feel for shudder through the pedal and driveline. In 5th at 90-100 km/h, floor it briefly and confirm revs and speed climb together (no slip). Ask whether the clutch has been replaced and whether a heavy-duty kit was fitted, and whether the engine has been chipped/tuned - a tune on the stock clutch shortens its life badly.

Parts involved: Clutch.

What it costs to put right

$2,200 to $4,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the clutch been replaced, at what km, and was it a heavy-duty kit?”
“Is the engine tuned or chipped?”
“Does it tow regularly, and does it ever shudder taking off?”

Now check the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

ExplorOz forum: 'Clutch problems with VDJ 79 V8 ute' (recall replacement at 30,000 km, shudder again at 90,000 km)
4X4 Australia: Heavy duty clutch kits explained (VDJ79 factory clutch won't hold tuned torque)
4X4 Australia: Regearing a Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series gearbox (2017 ratio change to 2nd/5th)

Toyota Land Cruiser 70 buyer questions

Is v8 clutch shudder and premature clutch wear; short 5th gear on pre-2017 trucks serious on a Toyota Land Cruiser 70?

We rate it major and common on the Toyota Land Cruiser 70. The V8 70 Series' factory clutch is marginal for the engine's torque, particularly on towing/farm trucks or anything tuned or chipped - owners report shudder on take-off and replacements well before 100,000 km, and early examples had a clutch-related recall/replacement history. Heavy-duty aftermarket kits (NPC etc.) are the standard fix in the AU/NZ 4WD trade. Separately, pre-2017 H150-series gearboxes run notoriously short 2nd/5th ratios, making highway driving loud and revvy; Toyota revised the ratios in 2017, and gear-set conversions exist but are expensive - it's a live-with trait, not a fault, but buyers should know.

How much does it cost to fix on a Toyota Land Cruiser 70?

$2,200 to $4,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Toyota Land Cruiser 70 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2007–2024 Toyota Land Cruiser 70. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.