i'm posting this in C&V instead of mechanics because of the vintage nature of my project.

i'm rebuilding some older araya 27" rims on suzue sealed bearing hubs that came off my 1985 shogun tourer. i've never torn down a hub with sealed cartridge bearings before. i don't know if i should replace the bearings or not. since they're cartridge-type, i have no way of inspecting the ball races. after thorough degreasing and close inspection, they seem to spin smoothly and freely, and there was no noticeable dirt buildup-- the old semi-hardened grease looked clean. how can i determine if they should be replaced? and should there be slight resistance from the rubber seal? because there is no resistance with these. they spin almost *too* freely, in that i think the rubber would no longer function as a proper seal. also there is the slightest, almost imperceptible axial play between the inner and outer "casings" (not sure what you would call them since they're not cones and cups). since i have never handled a new cartridge bearing, i don't know how these things should feel. i can replace them easily enough (fronts are 6000RS and rears are 6200RS), but i'd rather not have to spend $20 for a set if these are perfectly fine.