Parts for your 2008 Nissan Navara-Struts

2008 Nissan Navara (D40): Does it use struts?

Short answer: no. The 2008 Nissan Navara (D40) doesn’t use MacPherson struts. Up front it runs an independent double‑wishbone setup with a coil‑over shock absorber and separate upper control arm. Down the back it’s leaf springs with separate dampers. That means there are shock absorbers at both ends, not strut assemblies.

This is backed by technical literature: the Nissan Navara/Frontier D40 Factory Service Manual (2005–2015) identifies a double‑wishbone front suspension (FSU section) and rear leaf spring with shock absorbers (RSU section). Major parts catalogues used by workshops in AU/NZ (e.g., Nissan EPC, Monroe and KYB application data) list front and rear shock absorbers for the 2008 Navara, not strut cartridges or complete strut modules.

Why no struts? MacPherson struts double as a structural member and are common on passenger cars. The D40 Navara’s brief is different. A double‑wishbone design suits a ute that tows, carries loads and sees rough roads. It provides robust geometry control, better packaging around a front differential and CV shafts on 4x4 models, and it tolerates ride‑height changes (bull bars, winches, canopies) without the same compromises a strut tower can introduce.

What should owners service instead of “struts”? Focus on shock absorbers and the surrounding hardware:

• Front: shocks (coil‑over units), upper/lower control arm bushes and ball joints, sway‑bar links, tie‑rod ends, wheel bearings.
• Rear: shocks, leaf‑spring bushes, U‑bolts, shackle pins.

Tell‑tales of tired shocks include oil seepage, cupped or choppy tyre wear, excess bounce after speed humps, front‑end dive, rear‑end hop, or a skittish feel on corrugations. On vehicles that tow or see gravel, shocks can be past their best from around 80,000–120,000 km, sooner if worked hard. Replacing shocks in axle pairs keeps the vehicle balanced. After any shock, bush or ball‑joint work, a wheel alignment is a smart move to protect tyres and keep it tracking straight.

Technical sources referenced: Nissan Navara/Frontier D40 Factory Service Manual (Front Suspension “FSU”, Rear Suspension “RSU”), Nissan EPC (D40) component listings, AU/NZ shock absorber catalogues for D40 applications (which specify shock absorbers rather than strut assemblies).

FAQs

Does a 2008 Navara have struts or shocks up front?
It has a double‑wishbone front end with a coil‑over shock absorber, not a MacPherson strut. There’s an upper control arm, so the damper isn’t a structural “strut” like on many cars.

When should the front shocks on a 2008 Navara be replaced?
There’s no fixed interval, but many see noticeable wear between 80,000 and 120,000 km, earlier if the ute tows, carries heavy loads or drives lots of corrugations. Look for leaks, bounce, nose‑dive and uneven tyre wear, and replace in pairs.

What parts are commonly refreshed in the Navara’s front suspension?
Alongside shocks, workshops often replace upper and lower control arm bushes, ball joints, sway‑bar links and sometimes tie‑rod ends. An alignment after the work helps protect tyres and steering feel.