GB,
Yes, I understood you to me vertical.
Swarfy,
I found the related diagram in my parts book. Of course, I hadn't paid attention to the plunger diagram (having two swingarms). So, I guess the bearings don't press onto the plunger tube. Does that mean the tube is there to set the horizontal distance between bearings? If not, this brings me back to why it is needed at all, and again, I'm thinking grease. With the tube in place grease is not required to fill the entire inside volume of the hub and (he said repeating himself, hoping to stumble on reality) the notches are required to allow grease to reach the balls (truly a quotable statement).
Richard L.