Parts for your 2005 Toyota Camry-Centre bearing

2005 Toyota Camry centre-bearing — is it a thing?

Short answer: a centre-bearing isn’t used on the 2005 Toyota Camry (XV30 series — ACV36 4‑cyl and MCV36 V6). This generation is front‑wheel drive only in Australia and New Zealand, so there’s no two‑piece propeller shaft running down the car, and therefore no centre support bearing to hold one up.

Why’s that important? A centre-bearing is a support for a long, two‑piece tailshaft, which you’ll find on rear‑wheel drive or some all‑wheel drive utes and sedans. The 2005 Camry packages its gearbox and differential together as a transaxle up front, then drives the front wheels via left and right CV axle shafts. No tailshaft, no centre-bearing — simple as that.

• Driveline layout: FWD transaxle with two front driveshafts
• No propeller shaft: nothing to support mid‑body
• What people mix up: the Camry’s right‑hand intermediate shaft support bearing isn’t a centre-bearing

A quick note on that last point. The longer right‑hand driveshaft on many FWD Toyotas uses an intermediate shaft with a bracket and support bearing on the engine block. Some folks casually call it a “centre bearing”, but it’s a different job and location. If there’s a rumble that changes with road speed, or vibration under load, technicians often check front hub bearings, CV joints and that intermediate shaft bearing before chasing anything else.

For owners and workshops: if the intermediate shaft support bearing shows play, roughness or torn dust shields, it’s a replace‑the‑bearing job (press work) with the shaft out, always torque the bracket fasteners to spec and recheck CV boots, seals and wheel hub nuts. Wheel alignment isn’t normally required for this repair, but it’s smart to road‑test for NVH after.

Technical sources supporting the above:

• Toyota Camry 2002–2006 Repair Manual (Drivetrain/Axle): shows FWD transaxle with two front drive shafts, no propeller shaft or centre support bearing
• Toyota Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) for 2005 Camry ACV36/MCV36: lists RH intermediate shaft and its support bearing, no centre support bearing
• Toyota New Car Features (NCF) for XV30: front‑wheel drive layout, no AWD offering in this market year

Popular questions

Does a 2005 Toyota Camry have a centre-bearing?
No. It’s a front‑wheel drive setup with no tailshaft, so a centre-bearing isn’t part of the car. Any mid‑car vibration is more likely tyres, wheel balance, or engine/trans mounts — not a missing centre-bearing.

What’s the bearing partway along the right axle on a Camry?
That’s the intermediate shaft support bearing. It braces the longer right‑hand shaft to cut vibration and torque steer. If it wears out, you’ll often hear a growl with road speed or feel vibration on throttle.

What noises can mimic a “bad centre-bearing” on this Camry?
Common culprits are front hub bearings, inner CV joints under load, cupped tyres or the RH intermediate shaft bearing. A road test that loads and unloads the drivetrain while cornering helps pinpoint which.