I appreciate the banter, and assure you there are many ways to skin the proverbial cat. My choices for completion at the least will include grade 8 fastners, (those compeled to look up shear and or tensile strength please feel free)[ I personally use the Machinery Handbook], or welding, (with the previously mentioned UNHOOKED welder, so that's a while out also) the extensions to the axle and replacing the hex with a stud/washer/lock nut to set and hold bearing preload. As also stated earlier, I will be moving to the new house and will not be set up for frame modifcation anytime soon. So it will be some time before I provide fodder for further "disc-ution".
Differences, and ideas, are what make groups like this a good place to teach AND learn.