>On a similar note, is it possible to put a cap on the end of the transmission
>shaft.  The tip of mine was chewed up pretty good the last time my pilot
>bearing went south.  Can I machine the shaft without taking the transmission
>appart?               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>

Sounds like you already did! <grin>

You'll need to turn the shaft in a lathe, and it needs to be setup 'true' 
before resurfacing begins, ie. this is a real machinists job. The lathe 
should be in decent shape also, tight headstock etc. You could machine 
enough away to pressfit a ring over, then machine that to exact diameter. 
This would be ideal, since stock bearing would fit, or you could find a 
bearing with same OD and smaller ID that would fit your newly reduced 
diameter shaft. The next owner would really curse you when they encountered 
the same problem years later....
tim s.

PS: get your bearing from a bearing supplier, not VW, just take in the old 
one and say 'gimme one like this'. The numbers are faintly visible, etched 
into the surface of the casing, one reason why not to pretzle it! (I slagged 
one out with an oxy-acet. torch once in a fit of frustration)