GKN Drivetech CV Joints

GKN Drivetech CV Joints: Where OEM Engineering Meets the Aftermarket

When it comes to constant velocity joints, few names carry as much weight as GKN Drivetech. As the aftermarket arm of one of the world's foremost driveline engineering companies, GKN Drivetech brings factory-level precision directly to the repair bay. The brand's CV joint lineup is a direct extension of the same technology that equips vehicles straight from the assembly line — and that heritage is difficult to overstate.

CV joints are among the most mechanically demanding components in any drivetrain. They must transfer torque smoothly through constantly changing angles as the suspension compresses, rebounds, and steers — all while surviving heat, road grime, and hundreds of thousands of rotation cycles. Getting this wrong means vibration, noise, and ultimately a failed axle. Getting it right means years of transparent, worry-free driving.

A Portfolio Built Around Joint Geometry

GKN Drivetech's CV joint range covers a broad spectrum of joint types, each engineered for a specific role in the driveline. Fixed Ball (AC and UF) joints serve outboard positions on front-axle applications, where articulation angles can reach up to 52 degrees during full steering lock. For inboard applications that must accommodate suspension travel, the lineup includes Tripod Plunging joints in both GI and AAR configurations — the AAR variant being notable for its especially low axial plunge forces, which directly benefit Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) characteristics. The VL Ball Plunging joint rounds out the family as a preferred inboard solution for rear-wheel-drive sideshafts, handling high working angles with minimal resistance.

Perhaps the most distinctive offering is the proprietary Countertrack™ joint, a fixed-ball design engineered to reduce internal stress and extend service life — a technology unique to GKN and unavailable from generic suppliers.

Complete Kits, Not Just Components

GKN Drivetech understands that a bare joint is only part of the repair story. Their CV joint kits are packaged with everything needed for a professional-grade service: the joint itself, a purpose-developed boot, boot circlips, tightening straps, bolts, nuts, spacers, and the correct quantity of specially formulated CV joint grease. The boots themselves are engineered specifically to match each joint geometry, ensuring optimal sealing and grease retention over the life of the repair.

OEM Pedigree You Can Trust

GKN's connection to original equipment manufacturing is not marketing language — it is structural. The company supplies driveline components to the vast majority of the world's automakers, meaning the replacement joint in a GKN Drivetech kit is often built to the same specification as the part it replaces. For European vehicles in particular — Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, and others — GKN Drivetech CV joints are frequently the closest thing to a factory repair available outside a dealer. That same motorsport-derived engineering, refined at events from the Dakar Rally to Le Mans, flows into the everyday components that keep daily drivers on the road.

For technicians and enthusiasts who refuse to compromise on driveline integrity, GKN Drivetech CV joints represent one of the most credible OEM-equivalent choices in the aftermarket. Browse the full selection to find the right joint, kit, or assembly for your application.