Hey folks,
Hopefully the last thread I'll start on this topic - after one rebuild attempt, the transmission was popping out of fifth gear, so I've pulled it again and put in a new countershaft fifth gear.
My last question before full rebuild and assembly is about the input shaft play: after the first rebuild, the input felt very solid, only a hair of play was noticeable.
After the second rebuild, with all main shaft/input shaft parts the same, there was noticeably more play. I did do some pounding on the countershaft nut during removal, so parts may have shifted/settled.

I'm following the manual instructions for setting input shaft play and using a depth micrometer and calipers which I've checked against each other. I also have a shim kit.
When I install the shim that should only have 0.002" play, there seems to be a lot of movement, which I can't tell if it's concerning.
The videos attached of the shaft play are with this shim.

If I put in shims that are ~0.002" thicker, the input shaft feels rock solid again, with no perceivable movement at the input/main shaft junction or at the input bearing. Only at a few points in the shaft's rotation is there any perceivable play, and it is minimal like how it felt after the first rebuild.

My question is whether I should trust the measurements, which I've rechecked an unhealthy number of times, or the feel of the shaft, and if anyone with experience can tell me if the play in the videos is obviously good or bad, I'd be extremely grateful.
Thanks y'all.

 

Are you talking about up and down play? Or in and out?

 

I can't seem to download the videos. But like stated above is it up and down? Or in and out? Up,down,and side to side play is no good in my opinion. I replaced my original m5od at Christmas time last year because it had a vibration, and would occasionally stay engaged...even with the clutch disengaged. Come to find out, the input shaft had side to side play. That caused the pilot bearing to fail, and then the input would wobble and jam in the crank. So sometimes the input would spin even with the clutch pressed and if you were in gear.... you couldn't stop.
The new one ( used with low miles) had zero in/out or side to side play.

 

Yeah it's side-to-side play, if I'm wiggling the end of the input shaft that goes into the pilot bearing there's so much play with the original +0.002" shim that the oil seal visibly flexes.
I get that there needs to be room for expansion when the transmission heats up, but it just feels sloppy.
At the same time, I don't want the bearings to wear prematurely because they're overly tight, and it's confusing when I'm getting consistent measurements that are on the tight end of the stated spec.