As far as them Oliver end caps go, yes they were likely supplied from the factory with wood liners, and most likely white oak. Since they are broken anyway, I would just take them, as part of a load, to the scrap-yard. All you have to do for your new end-caps, is box in two sections, from 1/4" or so flat-plate steel (a lot easier to weld than iron, and run 4x4, square bearing liners of white oak, thru which you can drill holes, about 1/16" larger than the diameter of your axle. Being able to get grease into them bearings after each use, definitely extends the bearing life considerably. For the axle, just cut down the old one, on one side, to the width you need. The end sections on the axles are likely worn down significantly, and should also be cut off and sent to the scrap-yard. Cut your new axles from the inner, constant diameter sections of the old axle. I always have made my bearing liners from 4x4 section of white oak, and about 6-8" long. Drill and install a bolt above and below the axle hole (I use (2) 3/8 bolts here), thru each side of your 1/4" steel frame, and the 4" bearing liner. I tried treated pine here a few times but it definitely does not last as long as white oak. I can tell you with certainty, that I have never even seen any noticeable wear, in about 25 years of relatively hard use, on 40 acres of crop-land, with greased, white oak bearing liners.
Some folks like double cultipackers better, but I think that is mostly with ones that are on the wide side, as the second roller, helps to flatten the "gaps" a bit that are left by the first over un-even contours. Of all the cultipackers I have used, a single roller, narrow (4 foot) with large diameter wheels, has done the best job. The drawback of that one was just more passes and time required. A 6-7 foot wide single is a real good compromise between time taken and quality of work. I especially like my single, 7 footer because, hooked behind my 6 foot wide 3-point drag, I get a real nice "cultimulcher", and that combo always does a fine job in preparing the ground for planting my favorite deer crop - FIELD CORN. When "cultimulching" (drag and cultipacker combined), it is always nice for the cultipacker to be, just a little bit wider than the drag.
Now I will try and answer some of your other questions, and don't worry about offending me (I have some thick of skin and I will always forgive any attacker, because I know that there is nothing to gained from holding a grudge). As for the case of beer trade. You are right that there was some drinking involved prior, and that fella has been a beer-drinking buddy of mine, at the local bar, down at the end of our road, for a long time. He is an older, retired gentleman, and probably the most successful deer hunters that I know. His farm is across, and at the opposite end of the bar, on our road, while mine is near the center. He had no use for, and was very happy just to get that thing out of his hedge-row. I still recall the beer brand, both his and my own favorite, which he still enjoys today, (Genesee Cream ale). That is also my favorite, but unfortunately I am taking some drugs now due to some recent, major surgery, and my doctor wont let me drink any beer, maybe up to another couple of months. We both like to support our local Upstate NY brand, rather than the foreign stuff that most others seem to like these days.
