That is what I found as well.
And yes the design sucks.
It is all about making them cheaper on the shop floor.
Unfortunately people now days have less than no idea about how to shop.
All of these Gravleys & the identical Ariens should have stayed on the dealers floor for a few seasons and those spindles may have vanished.
FWIW They are not the only company who does this
Remember when you could buy a $ 2 headlight globe , now days it is a $ 100 assembly.