Parts for your 2012 Toyota Bb-Centre bearing

2012 Toyota bB centre-bearing — is it used?

Short answer: a centre-bearing isn’t used on the 2012 Toyota bB. The model runs a front‑wheel‑drive transaxle, so there’s no long, two‑piece propeller shaft that would need a centre support bearing. This is backed by technical documentation: the Toyota bB (QNC20/21/25) Repair Manual lists Drivetrain/Axle – Front Drive Shaft procedures and contains no Propeller Shaft or Centre Support Bearing section, the Toyota Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) for QNC20/21/25 (2012) shows front drive shafts and, where applicable, an intermediate shaft assembly, but no centre support bearing, and Toyota’s New Car Features (NCF) material for the QNC2# platform identifies the FF (front‑engine, front‑drive) layout.

Why it isn’t used comes down to the bB’s layout. Centre-bearings are typical on rear‑wheel‑drive and four‑wheel‑drive vehicles with long, two‑piece prop shafts (utes, vans, big SUVs). The bB drives the front wheels directly from a transverse transaxle using short half‑shafts with CV joints. There’s simply no long shaft running down the car that would require a hanger/centre support. Some FWD cars do employ an intermediate shaft with a support bearing to equalise left/right shaft lengths, on the bB platform, the EPC lists the intermediate shaft as an assembly. That bearing, if fitted, is a support for the intermediate shaft on the engine side, not a prop‑shaft centre-bearing.

Chasing a vibration or droning noise on a 2012 bB and thinking “centre-bearing”? It’s worth checking the usual FWD suspects instead:

• Front CV joints and boots for play, clicking on lock, or split boots.
• Intermediate shaft support bearing (if fitted) for roughness or free play at the bracket.
• Tyre balance, cupping, and pressures, rotate if there’s uneven wear.
• Engine and transmission mounts for collapse or cracking.

Servicing notes: there’s no centre-bearing service item on this model. As part of routine servicing, a quick check of the front shafts, CV boots, wheel bearings, and mounts every 10,000–15,000 km keeps things sweet. If the intermediate shaft support bearing is fitted and noisy, replacement usually involves removing the right‑hand driveshaft and the shaft bracket, then pressing the bearing off/on (or replacing the intermediate shaft assembly as per the repair manual). Always follow the Toyota torque specs in the bB Repair Manual and renew any staked nuts or circlips as required.

Technical sources referenced: Toyota bB (QNC20/21/25) Repair Manual, Drivetrain/Axle – Front Drive Shaft, Toyota Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) for QNC20/21/25, 2012 model year, Toyota New Car Features (NCF) for bB QNC2# platform FF layout. These sources contain no propeller shaft or centre support bearing content for this vehicle.

Does a 2012 Toyota bB have a centre-bearing?

No. The bB is front‑wheel drive and doesn’t use a two‑piece prop shaft, so there’s no centre-bearing in the driveline. Any “centre-bearing” listings for this model are usually mismatched catalogue entries.

What causes driveline vibration on a 2012 bB if there’s no centre-bearing?

Most often: tyre/wheel balance, worn CV joints, a rough intermediate shaft support bearing (if fitted), or tired engine/trans mounts. Start with tyre balance and CV boot condition, then check the intermediate shaft bracket area for bearing noise or play.

Is there an intermediate shaft support bearing on the bB, and can it be replaced?

Some variants have an intermediate shaft with a bracketed support bearing on the engine side. It’s not a prop‑shaft centre-bearing. Replacement is possible, depending on the parts listing, the bearing may be serviced with the intermediate shaft assembly. Follow the factory repair manual for removal, press work, and torque specs.