Greetings Everyone and welcome to 2026!

As an upcoming project, I need to fix a leak in my transfer case. This first started when my vent tube melted on the manifold, causing pressure that compromised the input shaft seal...I think. It's not leaking from either output seal, maybe the input gear cover or the bearing housing to case. I have a spare LT230 box and seal kit, so I wanted to seal it back fresh and swap out the one in the car.
On the input cover + bearing housing + case, pictured below, I see where a gasket goes between the cover and the bearing housing. Between the bearing housing and case, is that a fit without a gasket? The spare did not have one, guessing the one in the car does not either. The factory manual says the input shaft needs to be shimmed for preload in the bearing housing. Which makes sense there is not a gasket here as it would mess up the spacing. So...
No gasket between these two surfaces?
If I reassemble this way, the preload should be OK?

 

Great question as I have a worn LT230 spare myself that I would like to learn to strip down and rebuild.

I have this Youtube link saved for when I do this during the summer. I see the poster used a gasket in minute 27 of his video:

 

That's a great rebuild video and thanks for sending. He does not address the pre-load in his rebuild and adds the gasket as normal. I was planning to just reseal the box I have, but now think I might try to refresh it bearings and all. I do not have a bearing press, so that needs to be sorted out.