Toyota Land Cruiser: 60-series front birfield joints and knuckle service
60-series front birfield joints and knuckle service is a common suspension fault on the Toyota Land Cruiser on the 1980–1989 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $900 to $2,500 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 42 documented faults on the Toyota Land Cruiser.
- Vehicle
- Toyota Land Cruiser
- Years
- 1980–1989
- System
- Suspension
What you are looking at
No photograph available
What goes wrong
The solid front axle uses birfield constant-velocity joints packed in grease inside the steering knuckles, and they are a service item that almost nobody services. The grease dries out or gets contaminated with water through failed seals, the joint wears, and the truck develops a click or clunk on full lock. Left long enough a birfield can break, which leaves you without drive on that side. A knuckle rebuild is a proper day's work with new seals, bearings and grease, and it is the job that most separates a maintained 60-series from a neglected one. Grease weeping out of the knuckle onto the inside of the wheel is the giveaway.
What you would notice
- Clicking or clunking from a front wheel on full lock at low speed
- Dark grease smeared on the inside of a front wheel or the backing plate
- Steering that feels notchy or tight through the lock
- Vibration or knock when four-wheel drive is engaged
How to check it
Where to look. Front axle steering knuckles, behind each front wheel
In a car park with room, wind the steering to full lock and drive slowly in a circle both ways with the window down, listening for a rhythmic click that speeds up with the wheel — that is the birfield. Do it in both directions, because one side often goes first. Then crouch and look at the back of each front wheel with your torch: dark grease flung onto the inside of the rim or the backing plate means the knuckle seals have failed and the grease is leaving. Ask when the knuckles were last rebuilt; an owner who has done it will tell you in detail, and an owner who has never heard of it has answered the question too.
What it costs to put right
$900 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “When were the front knuckles last rebuilt or repacked?”
- “Is there any clicking on full lock?”
- “Do you use four-wheel drive, and does it engage cleanly?”
Now check the Toyota Land Cruiser 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.
Where this comes from
- JDMBUYSELL — Toyota Land Cruiser J60 buyer's guide
- IH8MUD Forum — 'FJ60 Problems' and knuckle-rebuild threads
Toyota Land Cruiser buyer questions
Is 60-series front birfield joints and knuckle service serious on a Toyota Land Cruiser?
We rate it major and common on the Toyota Land Cruiser. The solid front axle uses birfield constant-velocity joints packed in grease inside the steering knuckles, and they are a service item that almost nobody services. The grease dries out or gets contaminated with water through failed seals, the joint wears, and the truck develops a click or clunk on full lock. Left long enough a birfield can break, which leaves you without drive on that side. A knuckle rebuild is a proper day's work with new seals, bearings and grease, and it is the job that most separates a maintained 60-series from a neglected one. Grease weeping out of the knuckle onto the inside of the wheel is the giveaway.
How much does it cost to fix on a Toyota Land Cruiser?
$900 to $2,500 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 years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 1980–1989 Toyota Land Cruiser. 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.
How do I check for it before I buy?
In a car park with room, wind the steering to full lock and drive slowly in a circle both ways with the window down, listening for a rhythmic click that speeds up with the wheel — that is the birfield. Do it in both directions, because one side often goes first. Then crouch and look at the back of each front wheel with your torch: dark grease flung onto the inside of the rim or the backing plate means the knuckle seals have failed and the grease is leaving. Ask when the knuckles were last rebuilt; an owner who has done it will tell you in detail, and an owner who has never heard of it has answered the question too. Look here: Front axle steering knuckles, behind each front wheel