In case you didn't already know, you can just buy loose balls bearings from a whole lot of places. I don't remember the size, but it's common. I keep a bag of grade 5 around for those. That may be a bit overkill, but grade 5 won't cost you much, if any more than the lower grades.
Grade 5 are very round, rounder than lower grades. It sounds weird spelling it out, saying it out loud.
As long as the races are good, not indentations or major wear, new bearing balls are all you need. There may be some seals, but lets be real, even when new they weren't doing much. Steering bearings are a regular maintenance item anyway.
Good on you for keeping the chaincase. I'd prefer to leave them on everything, but some of the places I ride will just damage them anyway. Most, if not all of the hartails had some type of cush drive on the rear sprocket, and keeping as much dirt out of that as possible helps them live longer. The chains stay cleaner, except if going through a lot of deeper water.
Chain tension has to be regularly checked. A loose, sagging chain will wreck the lower part of the guard in a hurry. So will worn axle bearings, but they'll wear the dust guard on the axle into the chaincase, usually cutting a crescent shape in it.
Then there's the rubber plugs. On the OEM ones, if still there, and not in the heat of summer, I'll warm them up with a heat gun before removing or replacing, to make it easier but to also avoid damaging them.
To make life easier, I use only the highest quality chain. The less it needs adjusted, the less the risk of damaging the chaincase. Since it can't be seen, and lubing and adjusting is more involved than a typical exposed chain, there's a better chance the service intervals are going past what they should.
I have a small stack of them. Some need repair, some just need refinished. I really like them, but they're just not practical for much beyond farm work and very easy riding.
On the horizontal engine trikes, like a 110, I'll absolutely do everything I can to keep one on. Because of the way those are built, with the stamped steel frames, the chain is completely exposed. They also have a tensioner for adjustment and it's quick to use. Running one of those through tall grass, like through a pasture, without the chain cover, can allow the tall grass to build up around the axle seal and compromise it, shortening the bearing lifespan.
I'll say it's like what I call hub hair on a bicycle. Most people would be surprised how much hair collects around bicycle hub seals. That's typically more of an issue on a women's bike.
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