CV joint

A CV joint sits at each end of a driveshaft, where it lets the shaft keep turning the wheel smoothly even as the suspension moves up and down and the wheels steer. On front-wheel-drive cars the outer joint is at the wheel and the inner joint at the gearbox; rear and all-wheel-drive layouts use them too. Each joint is packed with grease and sealed inside a rubber boot, and that boot is the whole story: as long as it stays intact, the joint lasts; once it splits, the joint is on borrowed time.

A worn joint rarely fails without notice, but the clicking gets ignored until drive is lost altogether. A constant velocity joint that breaks up completely can strand the car, or trigger a dangerous loss of control at motorway speed, which is why the first click deserves a response:

• Clicking that tracks your steering: Sharper on full lock and louder the tighter the turn, the hallmark of a tired outer joint.
• A thud as you accelerate away: The inner joint announcing wear as it loads up.
• A speed-related shudder: Felt through the seat under power, worsening as you accelerate.
• Dark grease sprayed inside the wheel rim: Thrown out once the boot has opened up.
• A boot that's cracked or weeping: The root cause sitting behind almost every failed joint.

The first split is inner or outer, since the two joints do different jobs and don't interchange. From there the OEM number pins down the spline count, the boot and shaft diameter, and any ABS tone ring, all of which must match your hub and shaft. Side matters on some cars, and the drivetrain (FWD, AWD, or 4WD) changes the joint design, so a cv joint chosen on looks alone can easily miss.Enter your make and model on Parthunt24 and the results shrink to joints that suit your car. Open any listing and you land on the marketplace running it, where the seller handles the description and the payment.

• Vehicle make, model, and year: CV joint specifications vary between vehicle generations and facelifts.
• Inner or outer CV joint: These parts serve different functions and are not interchangeable.
• Left or right side: Some vehicles use different CV joints on each side.
• OEM part number: The most reliable way to confirm compatibility.
• Engine type and size: Different engine variants may use different driveline components.
• Transmission type: Manual and automatic versions may require different CV joints.
• Number of splines: The spline count must match the shaft and hub connections.
• ABS ring compatibility: Some CV joints include ABS tone rings that must match the vehicle system.
• Drive shaft diameter: The CV joint must fit the corresponding shaft dimensions.
• Drivetrain type: FWD, AWD, and 4WD systems may use different CV joint designs.

Head to the seller's listing and look at the boot before anything else. Grit and water get into a joint the moment its boot tears, so a boot shown clean and whole in the photos tells you more than any other detail on the page.

• Photos: The joint, the boot, the splines, and the ABS ring if fitted.
• Seller reputation: Ratings, reviews, and trading history.
• Compatibility: OEM number, side, and spline count against your car.
• Included components: Bare joint, or with boot, grease, and circlip?
• Condition: Split boot, joint play, corroded splines, worn tone ring.
• Testing: A note that the joint turns through its full angle smoothly, with no graunching.
• Warranty and returns: A clear policy if the joint arrives worn or wrong.
• Shipping: Wrapping that shields the splines and keeps the boot from crushing.
• Documentation: Donor vehicle details and proof of removal.

Happy with the boot and the splines? Place the order on the seller's marketplace.

CV joint price depends on the side, the drivetrain, and whether it's a bare joint or a kit with boot and grease. Used outer joints for common cars sell around €15-€40, inner joints and kits with fresh boots fetch €40-€90, and joints for AWD or premium models climb past €130.CV joints online start on Parthunt24 from as low as 22.50.What moves a CV joint price up or down:

• Position: Inner joints usually cost more than the faster-wearing outers.
• Kit vs bare: Joints supplied with a boot, grease, and circlip cost more.
• Drivetrain: AWD and 4WD joints outprice simple front FWD units.
• Vehicle rarity: Joints for common cars stay cheap; specialist models climb.
• Condition: Joints with intact, unsplit boots take the premium.

Line every seller's CV joint up on one Parthunt24 page and the best value option is obvious at a glance.

A failing joint rarely sits alone, and a split boot often means the damage has already spread along the shaft. The joint and its boot wear first, but the parts around them share the same loads, so look them over before ordering. Browse these on Parthunt24:

• Drive shaft: Often replaced complete when both joints are worn.
• Wheel hub: The outer joint splines into the hub; check the bearing for wear.
• CV boots: A fresh boot and grease kit is the cheapest fix on a sound joint.
• Ball joints: Share the corner and wear at a similar rate.
• Tie rod ends: The other usual knock-and-wander suspect alongside the joint.
• Strut bar: Worth inspecting on performance setups during the same job.
• Wheel bearing: Often replaced with the hub while access is open.

A CV joint is a small part with serious consequences when it fails, which makes a careful, well-priced buy worth the few minutes it takes. Parthunt24 pulls the major used-parts marketplaces onto a single page, marking inner or outer, side, and condition on every CV joint in the results, for FWD, AWD, and 4WD cars across European marques. See what each seller charges side by side and buy the cheapest sound joint with confidence. Compare prices, find the best deal, and buy a CV joint for your car today on Parthunt24.