Parts for your 1997 Nissan Primera-Centre bearing

1997 Nissan Primera centre-bearing: what’s actually fitted

Short answer: on a typical 1997 Nissan Primera (P11) sold or imported into Australia and New Zealand in front‑wheel‑drive form, a tailshaft centre-bearing is not used. This comes straight from driveline documentation: the Nissan Primera P11 Factory Service Manual details only front driveshafts in the FAX (Front Axle) section for FWD models, with no propeller shaft or centre support bearing, a propeller shaft appears only in the PR/Propeller Shaft section for the rarer 4WD variants. The Haynes Owners Workshop Manual for Nissan Primera 1990–1999 and the Nissan FAST parts catalogue back this up, listing a right‑hand intermediate driveshaft and support (carrier) bearing for FWD, not a tailshaft centre-bearing.

Why no centre-bearing on most 1997 Primeras? The car runs a transverse engine and front‑wheel drive, so there’s no long, two‑piece tailshaft heading to a rear differential. Instead, it uses:

• Left and right front driveshafts with CV joints.
• A right‑hand intermediate shaft that’s supported by a bracket‑mounted bearing on the engine block (often called a carrier/intermediate bearing).
• No rear differential or propeller shaft on FWD models, so no need for a tailshaft centre support bearing.

There is an exception: some Japanese‑domestic‑market P11 4WD/ATTESA models (occasional used imports) do have a two‑piece propeller shaft with a centre support bearing. For those cars, centre-bearing inspection and replacement procedures apply as per the PR/Propeller Shaft section of the Nissan P11 FSM. But for the common FWD 1997 Primera, “centre-bearing” in the tailshaft sense simply doesn’t exist.

If a driver hears a droning or rumbling under light throttle and thinks “centre-bearing”, on a FWD Primera it’s more likely one of these:

• The right‑hand intermediate shaft support (carrier) bearing starting to wear.
• A front wheel bearing humming with road speed.
• An outer CV joint clicking on turns or an inner CV shudder under load.

Practical tip: during servicing, a technician should check the RHS intermediate shaft support bearing for play or noise, inspect CV boots for splits, and road‑test for wheel‑bearing hum. If the carrier bearing is noisy, replacement involves removing the RHS shaft assembly, pressing off the old bearing, and installing a quality unit to OE spec—much the same care as any precision bearing job.

FAQs

Does a 1997 Nissan Primera have a centre-bearing?
Most FWD 1997 Primeras do not have a tailshaft centre-bearing because they don’t have a propeller shaft. Only some 4WD/ATTESA imports use a centre support bearing on the prop shaft.

What’s the “centre” bearing people mention on a FWD Primera?
They’re usually talking about the right‑hand intermediate driveshaft carrier bearing. It supports the longer shaft to reduce vibration and torque steer. It’s different to a tailshaft centre-bearing and is mounted to the engine block.

How can someone tell if their Primera is 4WD and might have a centre-bearing?
Look underneath: a 4WD car will have a prop shaft running to a rear differential. Some have ATTESA/4WD badging and a rear diff housing visible from the back. The Nissan model code on the build plate or VIN data can also confirm drivetrain.