HI Gino,
Yes all the parts are getting way out of control and it gets to the point unless you're restoring for one's self its just not worth it. Just look at the price of a cutter sprocket and the transfer shaft sprocket which are regularly worn out along with the chains. Now the clutch halves are up to over $90 retail and that's just going to have more 45's going to scrap, thus when I was buying used machines I wouldn't pay over $50 for one as most of them were all suffering the same issues and big $$ had to be spent. Every now and again I'd fall across one that had a badly flogged chassis and a whole heap of new parts installed and those were the heaven machines where the chassis was off to the next world and the parts were great for replacements on far better prospects.
I'd love you to make me a 20 inch catcher but sadly the freight is what drives up the price, especially from WA.
Now looking at those two bearings laying there side by side I think that you'll find that the races both inner and outer on the original are stronger than most standard bearings and that would've been done purely for shock resistance with the rear rollers having to traverse up and over concrete edges during their lifespan.
How do you feel that sounds ?
Cheers,
BB.
