Hyundai i30 Pinion Gear
We source pinion gear for every i30 generation sold in South Africa, then check the fit against your VIN before it leaves the warehouse. Find quality Hyundai i30 salvage yard at our facility.

What Are Hyundai i30 Pinion Gear?
"Pinion" covers two entirely different parts, and on a Hyundai the answer usually depends on which wheels drive the car. The bulk of the range — i10, i20, Getz, Accent, Elantra, Creta and the front-drive Tucson derivatives — is front-wheel drive, so the crown wheel and pinion live inside the transaxle alongside the gears. A separate differential with its own pinion only appears on the rear-drive and all-wheel-drive cars: the H100 and H1, the Terracan, the Mighty and the AWD Santa Fe and Tucson derivatives. The third meaning is the pinion in a steering rack, which is a different part again. Tell us which noise you are chasing and we will tell you which pinion you are after.
Signs You Need New Pinion Gear
How we match pinion gear to your i30
i30 owners are usually surprised by how much turns on the generation code — FD, GD and PD all sold here.N Line and standard derivatives differ in brakes, suspension and bumper mouldings — the badge on the boot changes the parts list, not just the trim.
- 1
Find the generation code on your i30 — it appears on the VIN plate and on the original registration paperwork.
- 2
Confirm the engine family. The i30 ran Beta II 2.0 (FD), Nu 1.8 (GD), 1.4 T-GDi (PD N Line) and U-line 1.6 CRDi on selected derivatives in this market.
- 3
Send both to us with the pinion gear you are after , along with manual or automatic, the number of gears, and the engine it is bolted to. We match it before we quote, not after.
Sourcing note: the i30developed alongside the Kia Cee’d, with which it shares a great deal — which widens where we can look when local stock is thin.
In South Africa the i30 is mostly bought by drivers who wanted a more solid-feeling hatch, and now aging into the independent aftermarket where the Kia cross-reference becomes genuinely useful. That is the wear pattern we stock and source against.
i30 Pinion Gear: Common Questions
Will pinion gear from another i30 fit mine?
Not automatically. The i30 sold in South Africa as FD, GD and PD, and N Line and standard derivatives differ in brakes, suspension and bumper mouldings — the badge on the boot changes the parts list, not just the trim. Send us the generation code off your VIN plate and we will confirm it either way before anything is dispatched.
Can you source pinion gear for the i30 if local stock is dry?
Usually, yes. The i30 developed alongside the Kia Cee’d, with which it shares a great deal, which gives us a second catalogue to search when Hyundai-listed stock runs out. We will tell you what we are quoting rather than leaving you to guess.
What are the symptoms of a worn pinion gear on a Hyundai?
A rising whine under acceleration that fades on overrun is the classic diff pinion sign. On the steering rack it shows as notchiness at the straight-ahead point. Both get worse under load and often appear together with oil weep.
How much does it cost to replace a Hyundai pinion gear?
A full rack-and-pinion replacement fitted sits at R7,500-R18,550 at an SA specialist. Diff pinion rebuilds run higher because setup is specialist work. Pro Hyundai Spares sources used racks and complete diffs, often cheaper than rebuilding.
Why does my Hyundai make a whining noise when accelerating?
Whining under load usually means a worn diff pinion-crown mesh or dry gearbox bearings. The pitch rises with road speed, not engine speed. A proper drivetrain workshop isolates the source by clutch-in tests and oil sampling.
Can you repair just the pinion gear or do you need the whole diff?
Specialist drivetrain shops can replace pinion and crown as a matched set, but the setup work on backlash and preload is skilled. On most Hyundais a used complete differential through Pro Hyundai Spares costs less than a rebuild.
Where can I buy a Hyundai pinion gear in South Africa?
Pro Hyundai Spares sources used racks and complete differentials for i20, Accent, Creta and Sonata, with our supplier network carrying further drivetrain parts. Get a free quote with your VIN and transmission code.
Learn More About Hyundai i30 Pinion Gear
Tell us which i30 you have
The i30 sold here as FD, GD and PD, and they do not share one parts list. Give us the generation code and we will do the rest.