Huffy,
If you have the bolt spacing on a 1 1/4" adjustable cassette, that would really help. If they would bolt up, that would be the ticket, if not, like I said earlier, If I choose to go through with the axle change, I could always drill new holes in the hangers to accept the adjustable cassettes. Still, a bearing that would swap right in would be the simplest route.
I do know that standard 1" axle bearings have a smaller O.D than a 1 1/4" bearing. We just got another mower with a 1-1/4" axle that I got new bearings for, and they are obviously (to the eye) bigger. I also know the bolt spacing on the aluminum cassettes in this mower (non adjustable) are farther apart than the bolt spacing on the cassettes in my mower.
Now that our season is completely over, I'll begin tearing my mower down, and getting ready for 2012. I'll report back when I get the O.D. of the 1" bearings.
Thanks for the input.