Hi all.

Air cooled transmission is now out so I measured things. Seems the
worn groove on WBX input shaft will be near or at the middle of the
pilot bearing.

The groove is .4 mm deep and obviously smooth

Pilot bearing is 15 mm sealed type.  (FWIW, that grease "star" was
likely due to my own ignorance. Likely added Moly to bearing. D-oh!
Wrong!)   Pic:

http://tinyurl.com/y9au9hb

Groove on WBX input shaft

http://tinyurl.com/yf8lxk6

Will the groove harm the pilot bearing needles? If so, will an air
cooled input shaft fit a WBX transmission?

Much thanks and I promise to pay it all back with pics and text of
transmission upgrade.

Neil.

On Wed, Mar 31, 2010 at 2:16 PM, Scott Daniel  - Turbovans
<scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> sure, if the forward portion of your wbxr trans input shaft is worn there
> the pilot bearing goes ..
> ( it needs to be pretty smooth there for the pilot bearing ) ...
> do cut that off and turn it into a useable diesel vanagon input shaft.
>
> conveniently, it's about the distance that's thrashed on your wbxr
> shaft...the amount you want to cut off.
> VW must have planned for that !
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "neil n" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 1:56 PM
> Subject: WBX Input Shaft Worn. Ok to Cut To DV Length?
>
>
>> Hi all.
>>
>> Am upgrading my '81 to a WBX (AB) transmission. Was going to install
>> DK shortened input shaft so I could keep the WBX shaft at original
>> but....
>>
>> The WBX input shaft is worn (by PO). Pic:
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/yf8lxk6
>>
>> OD at pitted section (good part of shaft further in almost same OD):
>> � �14.8 mm
>> OD at groove worn on shaft: � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 14.4 mm
>> OD midpoint of taper section near end: � � � � � � � � 14.3 mm
>> From shaft end to groove worn: � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �18 mm long.
>>
>> Is shaft worth saving as is? If not, maybe cut shorter to the DV
>> length? (for my Jetta engine swap). By my math, wear at groove is .4
>> mm.