Spindle Needle Bearing Replacement/Service Question

[OwnerCS]

While working my project to refresh the 99 LX's front suspension with new ball joints, CV axles, tie-rod ends, I pulled the knuckle. The previous owner did a good job of replacing the wheel bearings and seals. The bearings were nice and smooth.

From what I can tell, the CV axle and spindle bearings are original. The spindle bearings were greased, though when turning them I can tell they need to be serviced or replaced. Unfortunately, I don't find a lot of information around the net about replacing spindle bearings or the brass bushings for a 100 series. I may not be using the correct terms for my search.

I'm not sure if I need to replace the spindle bearings as preventative maintenance (235,000) miles or should I just clean up the existing bearings and look wear and grease? I ordered the Slee 54mm spindle bearing grease tool. Also, I saw no spindle bearing wear marks on the original CV axle that I just removed.

What would you do?

 

[badlander]

I replaced mine as preventive maintenance at around 180k but only because I was in there replacing an axle - and because I'm anal!
If you see no wear marks on the axle surfaces and the needles look nice and smooth and silver colored, not blackened (over heated), they are probably fine until the next bearing service.
But, with that said, I'm sure those new axles would love to run on brandy new needle bearings! That's really the only reason I replaced mine. Saved the old perfectly good ones for trail spares.

 

[2001LC]

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[abuck99]

^^ @2001LC - I was writing when you posted- lol

Anyway I think consensus is that the bearings are very long lasting, and seldom require replacing unless drowned in mud or salt water due to a bad seal. However the bushing wears, and this wear is revealed through maxing out the axle stub snap ring thickness. Once you exceed the gap with the thickest snap ring, time to change the bushing; which at that point its probably worth doing the bearings at the same time.