Barwelle,I think your hard to start problem is coming from overpriming.Be careful not to overprime it.Look at the fuel line to carb.When fuel arrives carb when u flip to prime then only one more flip is normally enough priming.Dont bother with the fuel if gets back in fuel line.
Put the glow driver on and flip to start at high idle.I dont think front bearing is a problem for you because no problem for idling of that engine.