Wheel bearing life

[whatscooking]

What do you guys do when it comes to wheel bearing replacement time. I know to feel for roughness and play but do you just go ahead and replace them when you get a new to you bike that you want to keep? And then do you trust what All Balls has to sell? I have had a bike with eight thousand miles on it that needed bearings and another with many more miles still tight.

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

When the wheels come off for tire changes i check the bearings.
They have always felt fine, currently at 30k miles on the '81.
The only time i changed bearings was when i had to remove them for powder coating.
I do not use a power washer when cleaning the bike.

[asacuta]

I changed the rear bearings (first time) a few years ago. They didn't really need it, but I was changing sprockets and chain, so I figured, "Why not?" The fronts are original and feel fine. I wash my bike with a high-pressure steam cleaner, but I set it to a low temp. As long as you don't nail sensitive areas with a narrow stream, the bike tolerates the scrubbing; however, one day I did get carried away and stripped the paint off the left engine cover (oil filler).

[Joner]

I replaced my wheel bearings when I changed my tyres the last time, but only because my mate could supply me good quality bearings for free.
The Bike has done in excess of 55000 miles and they still felt fine.

Cheers
Chris J.