A joint for a motor vehicle is provided with a housing (5), a bearing shell (4) arranged in the housing (5), a bearing journal (3), which has a bearing area (1) and a pivot area (2) and which is mounted pivotably and/or rotatably in the bearing shell (4) with the bearing area (1). The joint has at least one tensioning device (33), which is arranged in the housing 5, is designed as a solid body and by which a mechanical stress exerted by the bearing shell 4 on the bearing area 1 can be changed. The bearing shell 4 is springy at least in some areas and is deformable by the tensioning means 33 in a springy manner.