Picked up the "new to me" transmission today, out of a 2001 Forester. This one looks good... some gunk on the drain plug, but not much. No one inch long chunks of metal, either.

 

Problem is, the input shaft has a snout sleeve on it, so the throw out bearing I had sitting on the shelf won't work. The inner diameter is too small, and it won't fit over the sleeve. My bet is that the one coming in the clutch kit tomorrow isn't going to fit, either.

 

I do have the TO bearing that came with the transmission; it's not noisy, but it does have some slop in it. I'm not keen on installing it, then having it die six months down the road. Are these sleeves a standard size, so I can go hunting for an oversized TO bearing fairly easily? Or do I need to hunt down a set of calipers to measure the sleeve or the old bearing, and find a bearing that fits?

 

If it ain't one thing, it's another...

If you cut a couple small slots in the end of the sleeve you can roll the end back like a sardine can and pull the sleeve off. Chances are it didn't really need it.

That crossed my mind, too. My '97 OBW had a bit of wear on the input shaft from a TOB secured by only one clip. Never had a problem with it. Suppose it depends on what it looks like under the sleeve, huh? ;oD

If it looks bad order a new TOB with a sleeve. I know rockauto carries them, and you can get them from some auto parts stores but its hit or miss.

Got the sleeve off. That's on my list of things I've done before and have no interest in doing again. Used a Dremel with a cut-off wheel to make a slot, than tapped away at one side... just to watch a section break off clean. Whatever material that sleeve is made of, it's brittle. I tapped off a few more sections, then realized I had to change my tactic.

 

Ended up grinding down a section about an 1/8" wide, from one end of the sleeve to the other, just as thin as I dared go. Then I tapped a sharpened putty knife down the length of the thinned section. The sleeve parted along that line, and I was able to pry the sleeve up and off.

 

I did end up boogering the shaft cover a bit towards the "inner" end... the end closer to the transmission. Doubt it'll matter much, since the bearing would have to occupy the same space as the fork to hit the boogered section. The rest of the shaft wasn't that bad, I thought. I gently ran some 2000 grit sandpaper over it anyway, just to make myself feel better.

 

Time will tell. I'm trusting my gut right now, but I also know my gut is afraid the wife is going to take drastic actions in response to the tab I've run up, getting the Baja back on the road. 

Does anybody have a good idea of where i could find one of these sleeves or snout? The input shaft on my 05 leggy tranny is rather boogered so im looking for any kits with an oversized T/O bearing and sleeve?

Nevermind i found one 

Before you order a sleeve kit make sure you CLEAN the quill shaft to bare metal. The grey lubricant they use at the factory can look just like aluminum but will wipe off with brake cleaner. I actually go around them with a small plastic scraper tool to scrape the grey stuff off. That stuff can dry into globs that make the quill look like its all chewed up, when its really fine.