Parts for your 2011 Toyota Blade-Centre bearing

2011 Toyota Blade centre-bearing: is it a thing?

Short answer: a traditional driveline centre-bearing isn’t used on the 2011 Toyota Blade. The Blade (model codes AZE154H for the 2.4 and GRE156H for the 3.5 V6) runs a front‑wheel‑drive transaxle, so there’s no rear propeller shaft and therefore no centre support bearing to hold a two‑piece tailshaft. This layout is confirmed by Toyota service literature and parts catalogues for the E150‑series platform, which show no “propeller shaft” section or centre support bearing listing for Blade variants (Toyota TIS Repair Manual/NCF and Toyota EPC for E150: AZE154H, GRE156H).

Why it’s not used on this model:

• Front‑wheel‑drive package: The transmission and differential sit up front as a single transaxle unit, sending torque to the left and right front driveshafts. A centre-bearing is a rear‑drive or AWD solution to support a long, two‑piece prop shaft—something the Blade simply doesn’t have. (Ref: Toyota New Car Features and Repair Manual for E150 FF layout.)
• Different bearing altogether: Many Blades have a right‑hand (driver’s/passenger’s side, market‑dependent) intermediate drive shaft with a small carrier/support bearing mounted to the engine block. That’s an “intermediate shaft bearing,” not a prop‑shaft centre-bearing. In Toyota EPC it appears with the front drive shaft assembly, not under any propeller shaft group, which again indicates no centre-bearing is fitted to the vehicle’s driveline.

What owners sometimes hear referred to as a “centre bearing noise” on a Blade is usually either the intermediate shaft support bearing or a front wheel hub bearing grumbling. If there’s a humming or droning that rises with road speed (especially from the right‑hand side) a technician will typically check the wheel bearings first, then inspect the intermediate shaft support bearing for play or roughness. Replacement of that support bearing involves removing the shaft and pressing the bearing off/on, or swapping the intermediate shaft assembly complete—both are standard FWD service procedures covered in Toyota’s Repair Manual.

Technical sources referenced: Toyota Global Service Information (TIS) Repair Manual and New Car Features for E150‑series FF layout, Toyota Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC) for AZE154H/GRE156H, which includes front drive shaft and intermediate shaft components and no propeller shaft/centre support bearing for Blade models.

• Does a 2011 Toyota Blade have a centre-bearing?
  No. It’s front‑wheel drive with no propeller shaft, so there’s no centre support bearing in the driveline. If you’ve been told it needs a “centre bearing,” they likely mean the intermediate shaft support bearing on the right‑hand front drive shaft or a wheel bearing.
• What’s the bearing bolted to the block near the right‑hand driveshaft?
  That’s the intermediate shaft support (carrier) bearing. It supports the shaft to help equalise driveshaft lengths and reduce torque steer. It’s serviceable separately or as part of the intermediate shaft assembly per the Toyota Repair Manual.
• What noises point to a bad bearing on a Blade?
  A steady humming or growl that changes with road speed can be a wheel hub bearing or the intermediate shaft support bearing. A mechanic will road‑test, load each side while cornering, and check for play to pinpoint which bearing is crook.