The function of constant-velocity joints, or CV joints, in a vehicle is to let power be transferred from the transmission to the wheels while allowing for a range of motion.
Unlike other types of joints, CV joints maintain a consistent rotational speed even as the suspension moves up and down and the wheels turn.
This allows for smooth power delivery without the vibration or “binding” that can occur with simpler joints.
You will find CV joints in virtually all front-wheel drive vehicles and most newer rear-wheel drive vehicles which have independent rear suspension.
All-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive vehicles also utilize CV joints in their drivetrains, often in multiple locations.
Here are the different types of CV joints found in modern vehicles along with how they work.
Types of CV Joints
#1. Rzeppa CV Joint.
The “Rzeppa” outer CV joint is the most common joint type in vehicles today. Invented by Alfred H. Rzeppa in 1926, with an improved design following a decade later, this joint transmits power through 6 spherical balls positioned between the outer and inner races.
These balls are secured by small windows inside a cage assembly that sits between the races.
The joint works by having the balls cut the operating angle in half, similar to a bevel gear but with torque transmitted by the balls moving against tracks in the outer and inner housings rather than through gear teeth.
Rzeppa joints are primarily used as outer CV joints in front-wheel drive vehicles because they handle the high operating angles needed for steering while maintaining smooth power delivery.
They’re identifiable by their rounded, bell-shaped outer housing and six balls when disassembled.
Advantages
- Can operate at angles up to 45-50 degrees while maintaining power transfer
- Highly durable design typically lasting 100,000+ miles with proper maintenance
- Excellent for high-torque applications with minimal vibration
Disadvantages
- Limited axial movement (cannot compress or extend)
- More complex design makes them more expensive to manufacture
- Requires regular lubrication; boot failure can lead to rapid joint deterioration
#2. Tripod Joints (Plunging).
These types of joints feature either a tripod or central drive. The tripod, or spider, contains 3 trunnions which have needle bearings with spherical rollers, along with an outer housing or tulip.
Some tripod joints have a closed outer housing with roller tracks completely inside, while others have an open tulip with machined roller tracks.
Plunging tripod joints are most commonly used as front-wheel drive inner CV joints, typically at the interior end of drive shafts.
They include a 3-legged spider with mounted barrel-like rollers that fit into a cup with 3 matching grooves connected to a differential.
These rollers are mounted 120° apart from each other and can slide forward and backward on their tracks within the tulip.
This plunging capability is crucial for accommodating suspension movement, allowing the half-shaft to change length during operation while still transmitting power smoothly.
Advantages
- Excellent axial movement capability (can compress and extend)
- Simpler design makes them less expensive to manufacture than Rzeppa joints
- Good for moderate operating angles up to 25-30 degrees
Disadvantages
- Cannot handle as extreme angles as Rzeppa joints
- May produce more vibration at high angles
- Larger and heavier than some other joint designs
#3. Fixed Tripod Joints.
Front-wheel drive applications will sometimes use a fixed tripod joint as the outer joint. The outer housing has the trunnion mounted onto it.
Then, the input shaft has an open tulip in which 3 roller bearings will turn against. The joint is held together by a steel spider that locks it.
Unlike plunging tripod joints, fixed tripod joints don’t allow for axial movement (compression or extension). They’re designed specifically for locations where angular movement is needed but axial movement isn’t required.
While less common than plunging tripod joints, fixed tripod designs are favored in certain vehicle models for their balance of cost-effectiveness and performance.
They’re typically used in positions where the suspension design already accounts for the movement that would otherwise require a plunging joint.
These joints are identifiable by their three-pronged internal design similar to plunging tripod joints, but with a configuration that prevents sliding movement along the shaft axis.
Advantages
- More cost-effective than Rzeppa joints for certain applications
- Good torque transfer capability at moderate angles
- Simpler design than Rzeppa joints with fewer moving parts
Disadvantages
- No axial movement capability
- Cannot handle extreme operating angles like Rzeppa joints
- Less common, which can make replacements harder to find for some vehicles
#4. Ball-Type Plunging Joints (Cross Groove and Double Offset).
Ball-type plunging joints come in two styles: cross groove joints and double-offset joints. Cross groove joints have a doughnut-shaped, flat outer housing with angled grooves, while double-offset joints feature a cylindrical outer housing containing straight grooves.
These joints function similarly to Rzeppa joints but are specifically designed to allow for axial movement (plunging).
This makes them suitable for applications requiring both angular and axial movement, though they’re less common than tripod-style plunging joints in most modern vehicles.
Cross groove joints use ball bearings that travel in intersecting grooves on both inner and outer races.
As the joint rotates, the balls follow these paths, allowing for both angular and axial movement. Double-offset joints use a different groove configuration to achieve similar movement capabilities.
These joints are typically found in certain European and high-performance vehicles where their specific characteristics provide advantages for handling and drivetrain performance.
Advantages
- Combines angular movement with axial plunging capability
- Generally smoother operation than tripod joints at similar angles
- More compact design than some plunging tripod configurations
Disadvantages
- More complex and expensive to manufacture than basic tripod joints
- Less common, making replacements potentially more costly
- Typically have less plunge travel than tripod designs
#5. VL Joints (Variable Length).
VL joints are a more specialized and advanced type of CV joint found in newer vehicle designs, particularly European and luxury models.
Engineered specifically to accommodate significant axial movement while maintaining smooth power transfer at varying angles.
Unlike traditional plunging joints, VL joints incorporate sophisticated design elements that reduce friction and provide more precise control over axial movement.
They typically feature a combination of ball-bearing and roller elements in a unique configuration allowing for greater articulation range.
These joints are particularly valuable in vehicles with sophisticated suspension systems where precise power delivery is critical for handling and performance.
The variable length capability helps manage drivetrain forces during aggressive cornering, acceleration, and braking.
VL joints represent an important evolution in CV joint technology that addresses the increasing demands of modern vehicle performance, providing superior control in high-performance applications where traditional plunging joints might not deliver optimal results.
Advantages
- Superior axial movement with minimal friction
- Excellent vibration control even during extreme suspension movement
- Designed for high-performance applications and improved handling
Disadvantages
- Significantly more expensive than traditional CV joint designs
- More complex to repair or replace
- Primarily found in premium or performance vehicles, limiting aftermarket options
#6. Double Cardan Joint.
The Double Cardan Joint consists of two universal joints connected by a centering yoke (or intermediate shaft).
Unlike traditional CV joints, this design uses two universal joints positioned in a specific arrangement to cancel out the speed fluctuations inherent in single universal joints.
The design features two cross-shaped universal joints with needle bearings, connected by an intermediate shaft that maintains the proper phase relationship between the two joints.
This configuration allows the Double Cardan to operate at varying angles while maintaining nearly constant velocity transmission.
Double Cardan joints are commonly used in rear-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles, especially in driveshaft applications where high articulation angles are encountered.
They’re particularly valuable in lifted trucks and off-road vehicles where driveline angles can become extreme during suspension travel.
These joints can be identified by their distinctive dual-joint appearance with a connecting center yoke between the two universal joints, creating a more complex and larger assembly than standard CV joints.
Advantages
- Can operate at higher angles than single universal joints
- Excellent for driveshaft applications in modified vehicles
- More durable than single U-joints in high-angle situations
Disadvantages
- Larger and heavier than standard CV joints
- Not as smooth as Rzeppa joints at extreme angles
- More complex to manufacture and install
#7. Tracta Joint.
The Tracta Joint is one of the earliest constant velocity joint designs, originally developed in the 1920s by French engineer Pierre Fenaille for use in Tracta automobiles.
This mechanical joint uses a unique fork and sliding block arrangement to transmit power at a constant velocity through varying angles.
The design consists of two forks, each connected to a shaft, with a pair of sliding blocks between them. As the joint rotates and articulates, the blocks slide in specially shaped grooves in the forks, maintaining a constant velocity relationship.
This sliding action ensures that power transmission remains smooth even as the angle between input and output shafts changes.
Though less common in modern vehicles than ball-type CV joints, Tracta joints are still used in certain specialized applications due to their relative simplicity and durability.
They’re particularly valued in some heavy-duty and industrial applications where their heavy duty design provides reliability under harsh conditions.
Tracta joints can be identified by their fork-like appearance and the absence of ball bearings typically found in other CV joint designs.
Advantages
- Simple, robust design with fewer moving parts
- Good durability in harsh operating conditions
- Relatively easy to manufacture compared to ball-type joints
Disadvantages
- Limited axial movement capability
- Generally bulkier than modern ball-type CV joints
- Not commonly used in modern passenger vehicles
#8. Weiss Joint.
The Weiss Joint is a specialized constant velocity joint design that uses a unique arrangement of curved tracks and ball bearings to transmit torque at constant velocity through varying angles.
Patented in the 1920s by German engineer Hermann Weiss, this joint operates on geometric principles that allow for smooth power transmission.
The design incorporates a set of curved tracks machined into both the input and output members, with steel balls that roll along these tracks during operation.
The specific curvature of these tracks ensures that the balls maintain equal spacing around the joint’s center, regardless of the operating angle. This equal spacing is what allows the joint to maintain true constant velocity operation.
While not as common as Rzeppa or tripod joints in modern automotive applications, Weiss joints have found use in certain specialized vehicles and industrial equipment where their unique characteristics provide advantages.
The design is known for its efficiency at moderate angles and relatively compact packaging compared to some alternative CV joint types.
Advantages
- Compact design with good packaging efficiency
- Excellent torque transmission at moderate angles
- Low vibration characteristics even under load
Disadvantages
- Limited maximum operating angle compared to Rzeppa joints
- More complex to manufacture precisely than simpler joints
- Less common in modern vehicles, limiting replacement options
Inboard vs. Outboard Joints
In the drivetrains of FWD vehicles, every half shaft has 2 CV joints. The inner joint (inboard) is the one closest to the transaxle and the outer joint (outboard) is the one closest to the wheel.
In RWD vehicles which have independent rear suspension, the inboard joint is the one closest to the differential, while the outboard joint is the one near the wheel. This positioning creates different operating requirements for each joint type.
Outboard
Outboard joints must accommodate the steering angle of the wheels (in front-wheel applications) and therefore need to operate at much greater angles (often up to 45-50 degrees during tight turns).
This is why Rzeppa joints are most commonly used in the outboard position, as they excel at maintaining smooth power delivery at extreme angles.
Inboard
Inboard joints, by comparison, typically operate at much smaller angles (usually less than 20 degrees) but need to accommodate the up-and-down suspension movement of the vehicle.
This axial movement (compression and extension) is critical as the distance between the transaxle/differential and the wheel changes during normal driving. This is why plunging-type joints (typically tripod designs) are most commonly used in the inboard position.
Main Differences
- Outboard joints prioritize high-angle capability for steering
- Inboard joints prioritize axial movement for suspension travel
- Failures in outboard joints often manifest as clicking during turns
- Failures in inboard joints may cause vibration or shuddering during acceleration
All-Wheel Drive Applications
All-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles utilize more complex CV joint configurations than their FWD or RWD counterparts.
These systems require additional CV joints to transfer power to all four wheels while maintaining the flexibility needed for steering and suspension movement.
In most modern AWD vehicles, you’ll find:
- Front Axle Configuration: Similar to FWD vehicles, with outboard Rzeppa joints and inboard plunging joints (typically tripod style).
- Rear Axle Configuration: Similar to independent-suspension RWD vehicles, using a combination of fixed and plunging joints.
- Center Driveshaft CV Joints: Many AWD vehicles incorporate CV joints in their center driveshaft to accommodate the different angles created between the transmission/transfer case and the rear differential during suspension articulation.
- Transfer Case Connections: Some sophisticated AWD systems use specialized CV joints at the transfer case connection points to help manage torque distribution and accommodate the different rotational speeds between front and rear axles.
The design complexity increases substantially in vehicles with advanced AWD systems that allow for significant off-road articulation.
These may incorporate double-cardan joints (a variation of universal joints) or specialized high-angle CV joints at critical pivot points in the drivetrain.
SUVs and crossovers with AWD typically place even greater demands on their CV joints due to their higher ground clearance and greater suspension travel.
This is why many premium AWD vehicles incorporate the more advanced joint types like VL Joints or Rzeppa joints with axial cushioning.