OK, what do we know about the thrust bearing on the #2 cap - dose it have to be welded in place or is it pressed in, in some fashion?

There aren't any thrust bearings in our motors to my knowledge.

Mentioning the #2 cap though..that would be an endcap bearing. They simply sit in the groove and mate up with the rod side of the bearing.

No force should be needed to put it into the endcap.