Yes the main shaft looks the same. When i took the shaft out the threads are just a hair tighter than the threads on the gears.
Guess they have to get ya somewhere...HA
Not trying to bash or call anyone down, just trying to help.
And being most helpful you are! Certainly no offense taken by any means, Sen Se. (Hands folded reverently, head respectfully bowed)
I can see it now, Mister smart aleck here, gets his metal gears to replace the stupid plastic ones he should have avoided in the first place, disassembles his stuffer, installs the new metal ones, and whamo. They don't work!
At that moment the appropriate response would be, "Shucks (insert the generally accepted lingustic response here), I should have listened to Nepas!" LOL