Does the bearing in the right handle side sideplate press all the way in where it is flush and does not stick out at all? Is there a metal insert that is pressed into the plastic where the bearing presses into. My friend the machinist said if the bearing only goes half way in then you probably have to hand lap the hole so the bearing fits in properly, not too tight and not too loose. Does that sound right? You sure don't want to use a dremel and eye ball it. It should be a precision fit should en it? What do you think Alan or anybody else in the know?
I would probably try a different bearing in the hole (after cleaning it) before I made any modifications to the sideplate.
Fishhead
After you get the bearing out you can GENTLY use a dramel to make the hole a little larger. The bearing has to be snug in the hole in order to work properly.
Mike
Be very careful. A piece of steel wool on the end of a pencil eraser is all you want to clean the compartment. You can mess up fast with a dremel. That bearing needs to just snap in place with a finger push to seat it with a little TSI 321 on it. I have some that will pop out if I tap the side plate on my bench and that is what I call a loose fit. Some I have to pull on just a little.
A sloppy fit serves no purpose and the spool will hit the SS inner rings if the bearing is sloppy. Not good.
Steel wool on the end of a pencil eraser sounds like the way to go. My friend who is a machinist said he could hand lap the hole slowly and carefully using a micrometer to check it frequently and checking the fit of the bearing at the same time. The bearing should not be too loose or too tight, a good press fit. Thanks for the good feedback.