Parts for your 2009 Mazda Premacy-Centre bearing

2009 Mazda Premacy centre-bearing — is it even a thing on this model?

Short answer: for a typical 2009 Mazda Premacy (CR series, also known as Mazda5), a tailshaft-style centre-bearing isn’t used. Technical sources including the Mazda 5 (CR) Workshop Manual (Driveline/Axle), factory specifications, and the Mazda Electronic Parts Catalog show the vehicle is front‑wheel drive and has no propeller shaft, so there’s no centre support bearing in the driveline. Instead, the layout uses a transaxle with two front driveshafts and, on the right-hand side, an intermediate shaft supported by its own carrier (intermediate) bearing. That’s a different part to a tailshaft centre-bearing found on many rear‑wheel drive or all‑wheel drive setups.

Why it’s not used comes down to the platform design. The Premacy’s engine and transmission are mounted transversely, sending drive straight to the front wheels. Without a long, two‑piece prop shaft running down the car, there’s nothing that needs a centre support bearing in the middle. The job of managing angles, torque reaction and smoothness at the front is handled by the CV joints and that right‑hand intermediate shaft bearing.

Worth noting for completeness: a limited number of Japan‑domestic‑market Premacy variants were offered with 4WD around this era. Those vehicles use a propeller shaft to the rear and may have a centre support bearing. They’re uncommon in Australia and New Zealand, where most 2009 Premacy/Mazda5 examples on the road are FWD imports. If there’s any doubt, checking the VIN build data or a dealer EPC lookup will confirm the driveline type.

So if someone’s chasing a “centre-bearing” to cure a rumble or shudder on a 2009 Premacy, it’s usually the wrong target on a FWD car. More relevant suspects are the RH intermediate shaft bearing, inner CV joints, engine/trans mounts, or even out-of-round tyres and wheel balance. The Mazda 5 (CR) Workshop Manual’s Driveline/Axle section details inspection of the intermediate shaft bearing and CVs, while the factory parts catalog lists the intermediate shaft assembly and bearing as service items—again reinforcing that a tailshaft centre-bearing isn’t part of the standard FWD kit.

• FWD Premacy (most AU/NZ cars): no tailshaft centre-bearing fitted.
• JDM 4WD Premacy (less common): may use a prop shaft and a centre support bearing—confirm by VIN.

Popular questions about the 2009 Mazda Premacy centre-bearing

Does a 2009 Mazda Premacy have a centre-bearing?
On FWD models (the vast majority in Australia and New Zealand), no. There’s no prop shaft, so no tailshaft centre-bearing. These cars do have a right‑hand intermediate driveshaft with its own carrier bearing, which some people loosely call a “centre-bearing,” but it’s a different part and location.

What’s the difference between the intermediate shaft bearing and a centre-bearing?
The intermediate shaft bearing supports the short right‑hand driveshaft on a FWD transaxle. A centre-bearing (centre support bearing) supports the middle of a long, two‑piece propeller shaft on RWD/AWD cars. The Premacy’s FWD layout uses the former, the classic tailshaft centre-bearing isn’t part of the standard setup.

Feeling vibration under load — could it be a centre-bearing?
On a FWD 2009 Premacy, a worn intermediate shaft bearing or inner CV joint is more likely. Also check engine/trans mounts, wheel balance and tyre condition. If the car happens to be a rare JDM 4WD model, then a prop shaft centre support bearing could be in play, but that should be verified by VIN before ordering parts.