If you're talking about side to side play, that's normal.

The input shaft is held onto another shaft (can't recall part name)
with a small stud. There is a gear/sleeve that slides over both, but
my guess is that even with that gear, there's still enough play to
allow side to side movement.

Some images of what I mean (this is an air cooled, but same idea):

https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/InputShaftRRDKAirCooledTransmission#

Neil.

On Tue, Nov 6, 2012 at 9:18 PM, Tabe Johnson
<greentabe-vanagon@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I was looking at a (used) manual transmission today and it had maybe 1/8" to 1/4" of play at the end of the input shaft.  How much is normal/acceptable?
>
> tabe johnson/90MV

--
Neil n

65 kb image Myford Ready For Assembly  http://tinyurl.com/64sx4rp

'88 Slate Blue Westy to be named.

'81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"  http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/

Vanagon VAG Gas I4/VR Swap Google Group:

http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines