Living in the Past
SILVER Star
View attachment 2472873
Maybe you can tell by the one I have disassembled that the splines help in keeping the tire carrier rattle free. The shaft is a pressed fit. I think to loosen everything in order to be able to remove it would only make the noise level worse than the current problem.
Are you adding brass bushings? If so where did you get them? Was looking at 40 series for sale in Australia and seen one with tube style carrier on the right side as well as the left. I thought about cutting a left tube style apart and reverse for the right side. My biggest complaint with the plate style is the dent it causes on the barn door/tailgate. Don't have everything adjusted tight the spare rattles. Right it puts a round sent in the door/tailgate. Arizona has a lot of washboard roads. Great for causing rattles and stress cracks.
As for the riding lawn mower I would look on Craigslist for a cheap used shed. I take it now the mower is in front of the cruiser which is why it doesn't fit in the garage?