Used Mercedes-Benz G-Class CV Joints

Yes, the G-Class is a four-wheel-drive vehicle throughout its entire production history, and CV joints are a genuine fitment — they are found on the front axle driveshafts, where the steering and suspension articulation demands a constant-velocity joint rather than a simpler universal joint. The rear axle typically uses propshaft-style universal joints rather than CV joints, so if you are sourcing a rear driveshaft component, confirm with the breaker exactly which joint type your vehicle has. CV joints on the G-Class are a legitimate and commonly replaced part, particularly on the front axle.

The G-Class ran as the W463 generation from 1989 right through to the major redesign in 2018, when a substantially updated second-generation W463 (sometimes called the W463A) was introduced with a very different platform, suspension layout, and driveshaft geometry. Despite sharing the W463 code, CV joints from the pre-2018 car are very unlikely to interchange with those from the 2018-onwards model, as the front suspension changed significantly. Always confirm fitment against your exact registration with the breaker before purchasing.

On the G-Class, engine size and output can influence driveshaft and CV joint specification, as higher-torque variants such as the G63 AMG place considerably greater loads through the drivetrain than a standard diesel or petrol model. A CV joint from a lower-powered variant may not be rated for the torque of an AMG model even if the physical dimensions appear similar. Always tell the breaker your exact engine variant and registration so they can cross-reference the correct part.

Yes, side matters for CV joints on the G-Class front axle, as the driveshafts can differ in length between the nearside (NS, left) and offside (OS, right) due to the differential position and suspension geometry. Always specify NS or OS clearly when contacting a breaker, and double-check this against your vehicle rather than assuming the two sides are interchangeable. Ordering the wrong side is one of the most common mistakes with driveshaft components.

Trim level as a cosmetic consideration does not affect CV joint fitment, but what does matter here is that these trim names also reflect meaningfully different engines and torque outputs — the G63 AMG in particular has a substantially more powerful drivetrain than the G350d or G500. So while colour and interior spec are irrelevant, you should treat the AMG and non-AMG variants as potentially having different driveshaft specifications. Confirm the exact variant and registration with the breaker to ensure you get the correctly rated joint.

Both the 2005 and 2015 G-Class sit within the same long-running pre-2018 W463 generation, so there is a reasonable chance of compatibility, but the G-Class received various running changes over its unusually long production run and driveshaft specifications may have been updated. Engine variant also matters, as a G55 AMG from that era will have a different drivetrain specification to a G320 CDI even within the same generation. Have the breaker check both registrations against their parts data before committing to the purchase.