Old Car and Bike rambling

Preparing to remove 2.38mm from each side I got some time to myself and decided to get the cb750c up on the center stand to remove the swing arm. (It's getting harder and harder to hike the old girl up in my old age, so I needed my son to help me)  I figured I was done riding for the season anyway. Working as methodically as possible and keeping parts together so I could remember to put them back properly at some point I got the swing arm out and was disappointed to discover the nighthawk swingarm was 4.76mm wider than the cb750c swingarm with the dust caps attached. Carefully measuring both swing arms, I calculated that I need to remove approximately 2.38mm from each side of the swing arm pivot to make the NH swinger fit.  This is not a lot and I'm hoping I can still use the oem dust seals (new seals already in hand) pushed in a little further after grinding the pivoting area of the swingarm. I used my calipers to mark the swing arm and my air grinder to slowly

I got a dirty swingarm for a decent price with free shipping. I guess nobody really wants Nighthawk parts. I had some free time over the weekend so instead of letting the swingarm just sit there until winter, I decided to hose it down and degrease it.  When that was done, I still had time to kill so I started to remove the swingarm pivot bearings.  There is an unsealed round bearing on the right side and a needle bearing on the left side. I decided to replace both even though only the needle bearing appeared to need replacement (it was gritty and had some play in it before I started wacking on it). Although the round bearing came out pretty easily with a few wacks from the other side with a nice rod I had laying around from repairing my garage door, the needle bearing would not move because it was recessed in the cavity essentially evading the prodding from my smooth rod.  I tried some penetrating spray and discovered that a threaded rod with a skirted nut could give me enough of a c