Just finishing various tasks with the tranny out on my 2003 Ranger xlt 2.3; Noticed the input shaft bearing (front bearing) of the 5sp man transmission seems sloppy. On this transmission can those be replaced without a full rebuild? And while I'm at it, how does the input shaft end (where it sits in the pilot bearing) look to you? Should it have those two grooves? What's the design diameter? I want to decide if its too worn for reuse. Also, don't really know how to read the numbers... the label says 1L54-AA.... is that the "R1HD" that I see floating around elsewhere? Thanks

 

M5OD-R1HD was only used with 4.0l SOHC V6, 2001-2011
M5OD-R1 was in everything else, 1988-2011

Have to pull out the transmission's guts to replace input shaft bearing
But doesn't look like its leaking fluid so probably OK?

Slots in the input shaft end looked machined so are suppose to be there, in my opinion, but never pulled the trans on a 2.3l Duratec Ranger
Stock pictures of replacement input shafts don't show the slot, but they are "stock photos" not a picture of the actual part