OCP Level 1 Front Suspension & Steering Refresher Kit
Nissan NP200 2008-2024 10-Piece Front-End Refresher Kit
The NP200 may no longer be rolling off Nissan's Rosslyn production line, but thousands of these hardworking bakkies are still earning their keep on South African roads every day.
Discontinued does not mean disposable. If your NP200 front end has become loose, noisy or unstable, CAKT6510 gives you the major front suspension and steering wear components required to start putting that workhorse back together properly.
A South African Workhorse Worth Keeping on the Road
The Nissan NP200 replaced the legendary Nissan 1400 in 2008 and went on to become part of the South African motoring landscape in its own right.
Built locally at Nissan's Rosslyn plant near Pretoria, the NP200 survived long after the Ford Bantam, Chevrolet Utility and other compact bakkies had disappeared from local showrooms.
Even near the end of its life the demand was remarkable. More than 12,000 NP200s were sold in South Africa during 2023 alone, placing the little Nissan among the country's best-selling bakkies.
Production finally ended in March 2024 after an approximately 16-year local production run. That did not suddenly make the vehicles already on our roads obsolete.
The reality for NP200 owners today:
The vehicle is discontinued, but the need for suspension, steering, braking, engine and service parts will continue for many years. Maintaining the vehicle properly is now more important than ever.
The NP200's European Connection
Here is something many NP200 owners do not realise: underneath the Nissan badge is engineering with deep Renault-Dacia roots.
The NP200 was developed from the first-generation Dacia Logan Pick-Up architecture. The Logan family was developed within the Renault group, and the South African NP200 shares numerous mechanical components and design principles with Renault and Dacia vehicles such as the Logan and Sandero.
That shared engineering heritage is actually good news for owners. Many suspension and steering components have established international OE and aftermarket cross-references rather than existing as obscure NP200-only parts.
In plain English: Nissan stopped producing the NP200, but the mechanical knowledge and replacement-parts ecosystem around the vehicle did not disappear with it.
CAKT6510 Level 1 Kit Includes
- 1 x Left Front Lower Control Arm
- 1 x Right Front Lower Control Arm
- 2 x Front Lower Ball Joints
- 2 x Inner Rack Ends
- 2 x Outer Tie Rod Ends
- 2 x Front Stabiliser Links
- Complete 10-Piece Level 1 Front-End Refresher Kit
Please note: Mounting bolts are not included.
Ten Components Working Around the Same Two Front Wheels
The NP200 uses a MacPherson-strut front suspension with lower wishbones. The control arms, ball joints, steering rack ends, outer tie-rod ends and stabiliser components all have different jobs, but they ultimately work together to control the position and movement of the front wheels.
When several of these joints are worn at the same time, replacing only the component making the loudest noise may improve one symptom without restoring the complete front end.
CAKT6510 takes a more systematic approach by refreshing major wear points on both sides of the front axle.
Remember What Most NP200s Have Spent Their Lives Doing
Many NP200s were not bought to spend their lives parked in shopping-centre basements.
They became plumbers' bakkies, electricians' bakkies, delivery vehicles, fleet vehicles, workshop runners and small-business workhorses.
Over years of service the front suspension has dealt with potholes, speed humps, kerbs, braking loads, countless steering movements and South African road conditions.
That does not mean every NP200 automatically needs a complete suspension rebuild. It does mean that on an older or high-mileage work vehicle, inspecting the front end as a complete system makes far more sense than looking at one joint in isolation.
Does Your NP200 Feel Like This?
- Knocking or clunking from the front suspension
- Rattling over smaller bumps or rough roads
- Steering feels loose or vague
- NP200 wanders instead of tracking cleanly down the road
- Constant steering correction is required at speed
- Front end feels unsettled while braking
- Play can be felt in the steering
- Vehicle no longer holds alignment properly
- Front tyres are wearing irregularly
Important: These symptoms are not unique to the components in this kit. Tyres, wheels, shock absorbers, wheel bearings, brake components and the steering rack itself can produce similar symptoms. Proper inspection should always come before replacement.
1. Lower Control Arms
The lower control arms form one of the principal locating members of the NP200 front suspension. They connect the front suspension to the vehicle structure and help maintain the intended position of each front wheel as the suspension moves.
Worn bushes or damaged arms can allow unwanted wheel movement, affecting steering feel, braking stability and the ability of the suspension to maintain its geometry.
CAKT6510 replaces both the left and right lower control arms so that the repair is not performed on only one side of an ageing front axle.
2. Lower Ball Joints
The lower ball joint connects the control arm to the steering knuckle while allowing the suspension and steering to articulate.
Once wear develops in this joint, unwanted movement can appear at the wheel. Depending on severity, symptoms can include knocking, looseness, poor directional control or irregular tyre wear.
CAKT6510 includes two separate lower ball joints, one for each side.
3. Rack Ends + Outer Tie Rod Ends
Your steering wheel does not directly turn the front wheels. The movement travels through the steering rack, inner rack ends and outer tie-rod ends before reaching the wheel hubs.
Wear in these joints can introduce free play between what you do at the steering wheel and what happens at the tyres.
That can contribute to vague steering, wandering, knocking and difficulty maintaining accurate wheel alignment.
Why replacing inner and outer joints together can make sense: if both already show wear, the complete steering linkage can be repaired before the final wheel alignment instead of disturbing the alignment again later.
4. Front Stabiliser Links
The stabiliser system helps control body roll and links movement across the front suspension. Its links are constantly working as the wheels travel over uneven road surfaces.
Once wear develops, stabiliser-link joints can contribute to knocking or rattling over bumps.
CAKT6510 replaces both front links together.
Suspension Wear Can Become a Tyre Bill
Fitting new tyres to a vehicle with loose steering or suspension components can become an expensive mistake.
Alignment settings only remain meaningful if the suspension and steering components can hold the wheels where the alignment technician sets them.
Excessive play in ball joints, bushes, inner rack ends or outer tie rods can allow wheel position to change as the vehicle brakes, turns or travels over uneven surfaces.
Before buying another set of front tyres: inspect the suspension and steering first. Repair any mechanical play, fit the tyres where required, and perform the final wheel alignment afterwards.
Already Refreshing the Front End?
Have the Front Shocks & Shock Mountings Inspected Too
CAKT6510 replaces major control-arm and steering wear components, but it does not include the MacPherson front shock absorbers / struts or their upper mountings.
A high-mileage NP200 requiring extensive steering and suspension work may also have tired shocks, upper strut mountings, bump stops or dust covers.
Ask OCP for matching front shocks and shock mountings if your mechanic has identified additional wear.
Do Worn Control Arms Destroy the Shocks?
Not automatically.
The shock absorber and control arm perform different jobs. The control arm locates the wheel, while the shock absorber controls spring and wheel movement.
We do not recommend replacing good shocks simply because you are fitting this kit. We recommend inspecting them because the vehicle is already being worked on and many NP200s have accumulated substantial age and mileage.
Have the shocks checked if you notice:
- Excessive bouncing after bumps
- Excessive nose dive under braking
- Poor wheel control over rough surfaces
- Oil leaking from the shock absorber
- Cupped or scalloped tyre wear
- Knocking around the upper shock / strut mounting
Before Checkout: Inspect the Rest of the NP200
This is where a proper refresher kit saves money.
We are not suggesting that you blindly replace every suspension component on the vehicle. We are suggesting that while the NP200 is already on the lift, the mechanic inspect the related wear items and identify everything that genuinely needs attention.
- Front Shock Absorbers / Struts
Check damping performance and inspect for oil leakage.
- Front Shock Mountings & Bearings
Inspect for deterioration, knocking or excessive movement.
- Bump Stops & Dust Covers
Particularly sensible to replace if the front struts are already being dismantled.
- Front Stabiliser Bar Bushes
CAKT6510 replaces the links. The rubber mounting bushes should also be inspected for cracking, compression or movement.
- Steering Rack & Rack Boots
While the rack ends are being replaced, inspect the steering rack and protective boots for leakage, damage or contamination.
- Front Wheel Bearings
Check for noise or play. Replace only where necessary.
- Front Brake Discs & Pads
Inspect them while the wheels are already removed.
- Rear Axle Bushes & Rear Shocks
If the rear of the NP200 feels loose, noisy or unstable, remember that a front-end repair cannot correct worn components at the rear.
- Tyres & Wheel Alignment
Perform the final alignment only once all identified steering and suspension wear has been repaired.
Why Did Nissan Stop Making Such a Popular Bakkie?
Importantly, the NP200 was not discontinued because South Africans suddenly stopped buying it.
It had reached the end of an unusually long production lifecycle, and Nissan had originally planned a successor. Nissan South Africa later explained that those replacement plans were disrupted after the Renault-Nissan Alliance exited the Russian market, affecting the viability of the planned replacement programme.
So while the production line stopped, demand for a small, affordable bakkie did not.
That Makes the NP200 More Valuable, Not Less Useful.
For an owner or small business that already has a paid-for NP200 doing its job, maintaining the vehicle can make far more sense than replacing it simply because the model disappeared from the new-car showroom.
The Aftermarket Will Help Keep the NP200 Alive
Genuine Nissan parts may still be available for certain repairs, but as the NP200 fleet ages, quality aftermarket replacement parts will become increasingly important.
This is where the vehicle's Renault-Dacia engineering heritage becomes an advantage. Many chassis components have established cross-references across international Renault, Dacia and Nissan applications.
OCP's goal with the NP200 Refresher range is therefore simple: identify sensible groups of wear components and make it easier to repair the vehicle properly.
Important Steering Fitment Check
Different steering rack / inner rack-end specifications are catalogued for NP200 applications. Before dispatch, OCP may request your VIN or details of the existing rack end to confirm the correct steering components.
If requested, please provide the complete 17-digit VIN so that fitment can be checked before installation.
Installation & Wheel Alignment
Steering and suspension components are safety-critical parts and should be fitted by a competent technician using the correct workshop procedures and tightening specifications.
A professional front wheel alignment should be carried out once all steering and suspension repairs are complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Nissan NP200 really related to the Dacia Logan?
Yes. The NP200 was developed from the first-generation Dacia Logan Pick-Up architecture and shares numerous Renault-Dacia mechanical components and cross-references.
Why was the NP200 discontinued if it was still selling?
The NP200 had reached the end of its extended production lifecycle. Nissan had planned a successor, but the replacement programme was disrupted after the Alliance's exit from Russia. Demand for the NP200 itself remained strong right up to the end of production.
Does CAKT6510 include the ball joints?
Yes. Two separate lower ball joints are included together with the left and right control arms.
Does the kit include the inner and outer steering joints?
Yes. CAKT6510 includes two inner rack ends and two outer tie-rod ends.
Can worn suspension components cause tyre wear?
Excessive movement in worn ball joints, bushes or steering joints can prevent the front wheels from maintaining their intended position under load and may contribute to irregular tyre wear.
Are front shocks included?
No. Front shocks / struts and upper mountings are separate. Have them inspected and replace them only where wear, leakage or poor damping has been identified.
Do I need a wheel alignment after installing this kit?
Yes. Because CAKT6510 includes inner rack ends, outer tie-rod ends and major suspension components, professional wheel alignment is required after installation.
My NP200 is still working every day. Should I replace everything anyway?
No. Replace components because inspection shows wear, not simply because of the vehicle's age. This kit is intended for vehicles requiring a broader front-end refresh rather than unnecessary preventative replacement of healthy components.
KEEP THE WORKHORSE WORKING
Nissan Stopped Building the NP200. That Doesn't Mean You Have to Stop Driving Yours.
CAKT6510 brings together 10 major front suspension and steering components in one practical Level 1 Refresher Kit: both control arms, both lower ball joints, both inner rack ends, both outer tie-rod ends and both stabiliser links.
Repair the mechanical play, protect your tyres, complete the alignment and get the little bakkie back to doing what made it one of South Africa's favourite workhorses in the first place.
Before checkout, ask OCP about matching front shocks, shock mountings, stabiliser-bar bushes, rear axle bushes and related NP200 service parts if your mechanic has identified additional wear.
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