No worries, this is all much easier the third time around.
And this time, I have all the parts called for in the manual, having replaced the missing bolts and washers from when someone else worked on it.
The only difference between men and boys . . . we have said repeatedly on this site over a decade how much fun it is to tinker with a Rocket being much of the appeal for many, and well, this is my time to be doing it -- the weather is decent -- I have all my 'family' here -- and have a reason to do it when I should otherwise leave well enough alone.
Of course in time, as this takes longer than expected, a new objective will replace the old: that is, to get this baby on the road.