Date:         Thu, 12 Jun 1997 11:13:07 -0400 (EDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Lon Herman <herman.40@osu.edu>
Subject:      Advice needed:4 spd. transmission questions-Vanagon Air-cooled

My Vanagon tranny has a bad input shaft, discovered when we pulled it to
replace the clutch. It is not really badly banged up, just enuf to cause
questions...
    
    If the only cost-effective option is for me to get the input shaft of my
4 speed tranny replaced, (in all other aspects the transmission was
functioning fine before the clutch died), I have a few technical questions:

1) does removal of the input shaft entail anything beyond removal of the
bellhousing,
removal of the carrier bearings on either side of the shaft, the ring gear,
and then getting the snap ring loose?  This procedure was suggested to me by
a transmission person in central Ohio I don't know too well.

2) Will the input shaft from a later (water-cooled vanagon) tgransmission,
or earlier transmission from other vehicle work?

3) I might be able to get the existing shaft tig welded, and then reground,
if I can do this cost-effectively.Any thoughts here?

I don't know what caused the shaft to get bunged up, but do worry a bit
about other bearings getting loose that might have caused this. A valid concern?

Please, if you can shed any insight, please give me a call, or e-mail  9614)
587-0852

Lon Herman
Granville, Ohio