A "ballooned" converter CAN NOT wear the thrust bearing unless it's also pushing against the trans pump gear. As long as there's clearance between the converter hub and the pump, the "ballooned" converter is free to slide rearward instead of applying forward pressure to the crankshaft thrust bearing.
If you wipe the thrust bearing but DON'T damage the trans pump...the converter isn't ballooning (enough to cause a thrust-bearing problem.) Consider how much clearance you have from converter fully rearward, to the flexplate. That's how much the converter would have to expand in order to harm the thrust bearing. This does not mean that a somewhat-ballooned converter won't cause stall-speed, vibration, or power-loss problems--just that it won't overload the thrust bearing.
However, the converter can thrust forward under hydraulic pressure as stated--which could wipe the thrust bearing but NOT damage the trans pump.
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