Parts for your 2007 Nissan Maxima-Centre bearing

2007 Nissan Maxima centre-bearing — what’s actually fitted

The 2007 Nissan Maxima (A34) is a front‑wheel drive sedan with a transverse V6 and a transaxle, so it doesn’t use a traditional centre-bearing (centre support bearing) on a propeller shaft. That part lives on vehicles with a two‑piece, longitudinal driveshaft — typically rear‑wheel drive or all‑wheel drive utes, wagons, and vans. Because the Maxima drives only the front wheels and has no long prop shaft running down the middle, there’s no centre-bearing to fit, service, or replace.

Technical sources back this up: the Nissan Factory Service Manual (FSM) for the 2007 Maxima (Driveline/Axle sections) specifies a transaxle with left and right front drive shafts only, and the Nissan FAST electronic parts catalogue lists no propeller shaft or centre support bearing for this model. What the Maxima does have is a right‑hand intermediate (stub) shaft with a carrier/support bearing mounted to a bracket on the engine block. That bearing is sometimes confused online with a “centre-bearing”, but it’s a different component serving a different layout.

Why a centre-bearing isn’t used on the 2007 Maxima:

• Front‑wheel drive layout: no longitudinal prop shaft to support.
• Packaging and weight: the transaxle sits beside the engine, driving short half‑shafts.
• NVH optimisation: fewer spinning parts through the chassis tunnel means fewer resonance paths.

If a driver is chasing symptoms that sound like a worn centre-bearing — rumble under load, vibration on acceleration, or a droning that changes with speed — on a 2007 Maxima it’s smarter to check parts that actually apply to this drivetrain. Usual suspects include the right‑hand intermediate shaft carrier bearing, CV joints and boots, front wheel bearings, engine and transmission mounts, and even out‑of‑round or flat‑spotted tyres. The intermediate shaft bearing, if noisy or loose, can mimic that “centre-bearing” vibe, it’s pressed onto the shaft and housed in a bracket, and replacement involves removing the RH driveshaft/intermediate assembly, pressing off the old bearing, fitting the new one square and to spec, then reinstalling the bracket to the block with proper fastener prep and alignment. After any driveline work, a road test under light and moderate load helps confirm the fix.

For parts lookup or workshop chat, using the correct term — “intermediate shaft carrier bearing” for the RH side — will get the right component in Australia and New Zealand and avoid ordering a centre support bearing that the Maxima simply doesn’t run.

• Does a 2007 Nissan Maxima have a centre-bearing? No. It’s front‑wheel drive and doesn’t have a two‑piece prop shaft. There’s nothing down the centre of the car to support.
• What noise can be mistaken for a bad centre-bearing on a Maxima? A droning or vibration on acceleration is more likely the RH intermediate shaft carrier bearing, a worn CV joint, or a tired engine/trans mount.
• Is there a carrier bearing on the passenger‑side driveshaft and how is it serviced? Yes — the RH intermediate shaft uses a carrier bearing in a bracket on the block. Replacement is a press job on the shaft with bracket removal and refit.

FAQs

Does a 2007 Nissan Maxima have a centre-bearing?
It doesn’t. The 2007 Maxima is front‑wheel drive with no longitudinal propeller shaft, so there’s no centre support bearing in the driveline. The driveline uses two front half‑shafts instead.

What noises might be mistaken for a bad centre-bearing on a 2007 Maxima?
Common red herrings include a droning from the right‑hand intermediate shaft carrier bearing, a clicking or humming from a worn CV joint, or vibration from perished engine and transmission mounts. Tyre cupping or wheel bearing wear can also present as a steady-speed hum.

Is there a carrier bearing on the Maxima’s passenger‑side driveshaft and how is it serviced?
Yes. The RH intermediate shaft has a carrier bearing in a bracket bolted to the engine block. Servicing involves removing the RH driveshaft/intermediate shaft assembly, pressing off the old bearing, pressing on the new unit square and to depth, and refitting the bracket and fasteners to spec before a road test.