Parts for your 2009 Toyota Blade-Centre bearing

2009 Toyota Blade centre-bearing: is it actually a thing?

Short answer: a centre-bearing isn’t used on the 2009 Toyota Blade. The Blade is a front‑wheel‑drive hatch (both the 2.4L AZE154H CVT and the V6 “Blade Master” GRE156H with 6‑speed auto run an FF layout), so there’s no two‑piece propeller shaft and therefore no prop shaft centre support bearing to service or replace. This isn’t guesswork—Toyota’s Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) for the 2009 Blade has no Propeller Shaft or Centre Support Bearing category for these model codes, and Toyota’s repair manual (TIS) drivetrain sections for Blade cover a transaxle with left/right drive shafts only, not a prop shaft. Factory specs and brochures for the JDM Blade list FF (front‑engine, front‑drive) driveline, not AWD.

Why it’s not used: centre-bearings live on vehicles with a split propeller shaft, typically rear‑wheel drive or all‑wheel drive. The Blade shares its E150 platform with the Auris/Corolla hatch and was sold as FWD only. Even the grunty V6 Blade Master G didn’t get AWD from factory, so there’s nothing down the middle of the car to support—hence no centre support bearing.

Worth noting: some parts listings and workshop chatter loosely call the right‑hand intermediate driveshaft support a “centre bearing”. On the Blade, that component is a driveshaft carrier bearing mounted to a bracket on the block/trans. If there’s a speed‑related hum, shudder on throttle, or vibration that feels like it’s coming from under the floor, that carrier bearing—and the CV joints and wheel bearings—are the usual suspects, not a non‑existent prop shaft centre‑bearing.

• What to check instead on a 2009 Blade:
  • Right‑hand intermediate shaft carrier bearing for play, noise, or torn rubber isolator.
  • Outer and inner CV joints for clicking, grease loss, or boot damage.
  • Front wheel bearings for growl that changes with road speed.

If the carrier bearing is noisy, replacement involves removing the RH shaft/intermediate shaft assembly, pressing the bearing off, and fitting a quality part to spec. Always torque the bracket fasteners to the values in Toyota’s repair manual, and recheck alignment of the shaft to avoid recurring vibration. Fresh transaxle fluid (where applicable per service schedule) and intact CV boots go a long way to keeping everything happy over Kiwi and Aussie kilometres.

Popular questions

Does a 2009 Toyota Blade have a centre support bearing?
No. Toyota’s EPC and repair documentation for 2009 Blade models (AZE154H, GRE156H) show an FF layout with no propeller shaft or centre support bearing. What you can service is the right‑hand driveshaft carrier bearing.

What’s usually mistaken for the centre-bearing on a Blade?
The RH intermediate driveshaft carrier bearing. It sits on a bracket off the engine/trans and keeps the long shaft steady. If you hear a mid‑car hum or feel vibration on acceleration, that bearing, a CV joint, or a front wheel bearing is more likely at fault.

Was there any AWD Blade that would use a centre-bearing?
No factory AWD Toyota Blade was sold. All 2009 Blade variants are FWD, so none use a prop shaft centre support bearing. If a listing suggests otherwise, it’s probably mixing Blade with other Toyota models or misnaming the driveshaft carrier bearing.