I got the wheel and chassis back from the Powder Coaters, although the wheel had only been sandblasted for now. I intend to re-spoke anyway, but the hub was another matter.... I knocked the bearings out, cleaned them up a lot, cleaned the numbers etc up so as to be read, and I found that, although they are rare, they are still available, sort of, but they are hellish expensive.
I sourced just one of the two wheel bearings from Europe. Now I am not one to complain here, but profiteering on this level is impossible to believe. For just one of these bearings, just for the sum of money asked, I can buy a complete, new, powder coated wheel rim, all tricked out with Stainless Steel spokes, a brand new rim tape, a tube, plus brand new tyre that is suitable for a sidecar, new Metric bearings, plus seal..... (I did not buy one because they are rough but..) To say I am a little annoyed is an understatement of the highest magnitude. The situation goes on.... I sourced a well made, brand new hub assy, thinking that a new custom axle could be made after the wheel was rebuilt.... The E.U. company refused to deal with myself, but chose a more local company to trade..... The British company have more than doubled the cost than originally asked, then the E.U. company put the price up as well, so it then became impossible to trade.....
I then went with Speedway bike hubs, they are too smaller bearing dimension, the Harley Sportster type hub, maybe is still and option, or the Dyna Wideglide front hub maybe. The better part of £150 + postage etc might just pay for one...... so now I am back with the original hub, and a possible machining job to modify to Metric sized bearings instead. I want to be able to replace them whenever, without all this sourcing dilemma... we shall see..... it is annoying though, all this holdup.
Then we have the weather, snow over a few days, but then the rain.... everything is a mud bath now, also the Covid plague regime bites so much, purchasing stuff is near on impossible, so I sit here banging out emails on a crazy research commitment......
I did source another hub assy in Australia, then another in New Zealand, but on further research, I found that the New Zealand one was actually being bought from the Australian one, then with their near on 80% price increase, plus postage etc, I was about £400 out of pocket had I done the deal.... back to the drawing board again, but I remain undaunted, it is certainly a challenge of monumental proportions thus far.... still summer is on its way...!!!!