Second Hand Ford Escort CV Joints

Yes, CV joints are a genuine part on the Ford Escort because all Mk3 onwards Escorts (from 1980) were front-wheel drive, meaning they use driveshafts with CV joints to transfer drive to the front wheels. Every front-wheel-drive Escort variant — from the basic Popular to the XR3i and RS2000 — will have inner and outer CV joints on both driveshafts. Earlier Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts (1968–1980) were rear-wheel drive and used a different arrangement, so if you have one of those, you're looking for something different — confirm with a breaker what you actually need.

The Mk4 and Mk5 Escorts share the same floorpan and running gear, so CV joints from a Mk4 (1986–1990) will generally cross over to the early Mk5 (1990–1992). Engine size can affect the driveshaft and CV joint spec, so make sure the engine size matches — a 1.6 unit is not necessarily the same as a 1.3 or 1.8. Always confirm the exact part against your registration with the breaker before ordering.

Ford carried over much of the Escort's running gear through the early-to-mid 1990s, and CV joints often cross the 1992 facelift boundary, but this is exactly the kind of detail where you should not assume. The engine size fitted to your car is the most important thing to match, as larger-engined variants such as the 1.8 can use a heavier-duty driveshaft assembly. Quote your registration to the breaker and let them confirm compatibility before buying.

Trim level alone does not affect CV joint fitment — an LX and a Ghia of the same generation and engine size will use the same joints. What does matter is the engine size, since a higher-output engine like the XR3i's 1.6 or the RS2000's 2.0 can mean a different driveshaft specification compared to a standard 1.3 or 1.4. Focus on matching generation and engine size rather than trim name, and your breaker can cross-reference the exact part needed.

Yes, side does matter for the complete driveshaft assembly, as the nearside (NS, left) and offside (OS, right) driveshafts are often different lengths on front-wheel-drive Escorts due to the position of the gearbox. If you only need the CV joint boot or the joint itself rather than the full shaft, the inner and outer joints are sometimes the same across sides, but not always. Always tell the breaker which side you need and whether you want the inner or outer joint, and confirm against your registration.

The Ford Orion was the saloon version of the Escort and shared the same front-wheel-drive platform, so CV joints from an Orion of the same generation and engine size will typically be the same as those on the equivalent Escort. The generation and engine size must still match — an Orion 1.6 pairs with an Escort 1.6 of the same era, not a different capacity. Confirm the exact match with the breaker using both registrations to be sure before purchasing.