Parts for your 2010 Toyota Camry-Centre bearing

2010 Toyota Camry centre-bearing — is it fitted, and what should owners know?

Short answer: a traditional centre-bearing (centre support bearing for a two-piece prop shaft) is not used on the 2010 Toyota Camry. Technical sources back this up. The Toyota Repair Manual (TIS) for the 2010 Camry (XV40 series) covers Front Drive Shaft and Transaxle service, with no Propeller Shaft or Centre Support Bearing section. The Toyota Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC) for ACV40/GSV40 Camry lists front axle shafts and an intermediate (right-hand) drive shaft support bearing, but no prop shaft centre-bearing. The Toyota New Car Features (NCF) documentation for the XV40 platform also describes a front‑wheel‑drive layout and notes no AWD variant for 2010, so there’s no long prop shaft that would need a chassis-mounted centre-bearing.

Why it’s not used comes down to drivetrain layout. A centre-bearing is a rear- or all-wheel-drive thing, where a long, two-piece propeller shaft runs to the rear differential and needs mid-span support. The 2010 Camry is front-wheel drive, with a transaxle and two front drive shafts (CV shafts). On the right-hand side there’s an intermediate shaft with a bracket and support bearing bolted to the engine block. Some people casually call that a “centre bearing”, but it’s a different part and job: it supports the short intermediate shaft to help keep torque steer down and maintain CV angles, rather than bracing a long prop shaft down the middle of the car.

If an owner’s chasing vibrations or droning noises and thinks “centre-bearing”, the more relevant checks on a 2010 Camry are:

• Right-hand intermediate shaft support bearing for play or roughness
• Front CV joints and boots for wear, splits or loss of grease
• Engine and transmission mounts for collapse or tearing
• Tyre condition, balance, and wheel alignment

Servicing-wise, the intermediate shaft support bearing isn’t a scheduled replacement item, but it can wear. Signs include a humming that rises with road speed, vibration under load, or grease seepage at the bearing. A workshop will usually confirm by raising the vehicle safely and checking for radial play or rough rotation with the shaft unloaded. Replacement involves removing the right-hand drive shaft assembly, unbolting the bearing bracket from the block, and pressing off/on the bearing as required, it’s a straightforward job for a mechanic and typically paired with fresh transmission seals and CV shaft circlips if there’s any doubt. Sticking with quality parts and correct torque specs from the Toyota Repair Manual keeps things sweet for the long haul.

• Does a 2010 Toyota Camry have a centre-bearing?
  No. It’s a front‑wheel‑drive car and doesn’t run a two‑piece prop shaft, so there’s no traditional chassis-mounted centre support bearing.
• What’s the part people mix up with a centre-bearing on this model?
  The right‑hand intermediate shaft support bearing. It supports the short shaft between the transaxle and the RH CV shaft and is bolted to the engine block.
• What should be checked if there’s a vibration at highway speeds?
  Inspect the RH intermediate shaft bearing, both CV shafts, engine/trans mounts, and tyres/wheel balance before chasing less common causes.