Constant Velocity joints (CV joints) are used on both ends of
front-wheel drive (FWD) axle shafts (also called halfshafts).
The CV joint is the flexible coupling that allows the outer
wheel to steer, and the shaft to follow the up and down motions
of the suspension as the vehicle travels down the road. The
outboard CV joint (the one that connects to the drive wheel)
typically has a much wider operating angle than the inboard CV
joint that connects to the transaxle. This is because the outer
joint may have to turn up to 50 degrees off center when the
front wheels are steered. The inboard joint, by comparison,
rarely sees an operating angle of more than about 20 degrees.
Consequently, different types of joint designs may be used for
the inner and outer joints. Outboard joints that do not plunge
in and out are called "fixed" joints. RZEPPA CV JOINTS The most
common type of outboard CV joint is the "Rzeppa" style. This
type of joint was invented way back in 1920 by a Dana engineer
named Alfred H. Rzeppa. His desi