Parts for your 2018 Toyota Land cruiser-Thrust bearing

2018 Toyota Land Cruiser thrust-bearing — is it used?

Short answer: a clutch thrust-bearing isn’t used on the 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series. Technical references such as Toyota’s New Car Features (J200), the 2018 Owner’s Manual, market specification sheets, and Aisin service data for the AB60F/AA80F automatic transmissions confirm these models were automatic-only. Because there’s no manual clutch assembly, there’s no clutch release/thrust-bearing to service or replace.

What the Land Cruiser does have is a torque converter bolted to a flexplate, driving an Aisin heavy-duty automatic (AB60F in many diesel markets, AA80F in petrol markets). In an automatic driveline like this, a thrust-bearing for the clutch simply isn’t a component. These sources also note the front suspension is a double-wishbone setup rather than a MacPherson strut, so there’s no strut-top thrust bearing either.

If someone is searching “thrust-bearing” for this model, they’re almost always thinking of the clutch release bearing used in manual transmissions. That part isn’t applicable on a 2018 LC200. While the engine itself (1VD-FTV diesel or 3UR-FE petrol) does have internal crankshaft thrust bearings integrated into the main bearing set, those are internal engine components addressed only during a rebuild—not routine servicing items and not what parts catalogues generally list as a “thrust-bearing” for consumer replacement.

For owners chasing smooth take-off, refined shifting and long transmission life on a 2018 Land Cruiser, the more relevant servicing is:

• Use the correct Toyota WS auto trans fluid and service in line with local duty/severe-use schedules.
• Check for software updates, cooler condition, and driveline mounts to keep shifts tidy and avoid shudder.
• Inspect flexplate bolts during major work if the transmission is ever removed.

Note for completeness: some LandCruiser 70 Series utes and wagons sold in Australia and New Zealand in 2018 are manual and do use a clutch release (thrust) bearing—but that’s a different model family to the 200 Series covered here.

• Popular questions

Does a 2018 Land Cruiser 200 have a clutch thrust-bearing?
No. The 2018 LC200 is automatic-only, using a torque converter instead of a manual clutch. With no clutch assembly, there’s no clutch release/thrust-bearing to replace.

Could “thrust-bearing” mean something else on this vehicle?
Some people use the term for strut-top bearings or engine crankshaft thrust washers. The LC200’s front suspension isn’t MacPherson, so there’s no strut-top bearing. The engine’s thrust bearings are internal parts dealt with during an engine rebuild, not routine servicing.

Which LandCruisers in 2018 did use a thrust-bearing?
Manual-transmission LandCruiser 70 Series models (e.g., VDJ76/78/79) use a clutch release bearing. That’s separate to the 200 Series, which is auto-only in this era.