Reefer extrusion bearing replacement

[dodger]

I have a Harken II reefer, size unit 0, about 1990. The boat is a '84 Pearson 34 with masthead rigged Isomat spars. It has always been impossibly hard to reef while close hauled above 10 knots true. Two riggers have looked at it and found no reason for it. Many calls to Harken also. Both swivels are free, foil rotates freely under no load, the reefer line pulls at the right angle, etc.

When I bought it 8 years ago, the upper swivel was 14" below the top of the foil and the pull angle was 30 degrees to the mast, instead of 10-12degrees. When I sighted up the headstay with moderate wind, the foil was deformed sharply at the swivel (goes back to straight at rest). I fraised the swivel and fixed the pull angle the first year but it didn't help much. I am guessing the 20 years of grinding the foil and or the nearest bearing into the 9/32" 1x19 cable, with slack headstay and a proper or high halyard tension may have created a lot of damage.

Is there a practical way to break the top swage, pull the headstay down enough to undo/assess/replace the upper most bearing? Also assess if the stay is galled. Then re-swage it without throwing the stay away and or having to dissassemble each foil connector.

Thanks so much for running a great forum.