side to side front wheel play

i have an odd problem and likely wont word it correctly and perhaps im missing the obvious but its bugging my nerves and OCD, i putzed with it several hours today.

the trike is vw, the front wheel is unknown brand steel rim and spokes aluminum hub, holes for brake rotor on one side, no front brake.

the axle is about 3/4 or 1" i didnt measure it, the forks are a homemade ( not by me ) springer,

the wheel has hub spacers that fit into both sides then when the axle is bolted tight the spacers cant turn,

however here is the issue, there is about 1/8 " side to side play within the hub it appears to be on the hub end spacers im not sure why its limited to about 1/8th the bearings are very low miles but otherwise unknown, no bearing noise no other movement, not a tilt or canter movement just that hair of left to right slide on axle play,

it doesnt matter how much i tighten the axle it does it, so i think okay, if the spacers were 1/6" longer i guess it wouldnt do it, wrong guess i made shims one on each side and it did zero, slop still there,

so is this some way a bad bearing, or the spacer between the bearings inside the hub or what?

any ideas or opinions?

thanks all,

cheers

bats

If it was me, I would pull the wheel out and check the bearings. Could be the bearings have more wear than they should, especially I tightening the axle didn't help at all.