I just cleaned and re-greased, etc. my front and rear CK R45 hubs. They weren't that bad, but the front one was starting to make some noise, so I re-did everything on it, and everything on the rear one except for what requires the $188 tool (or a trip to a bike shop).

So, how do I know when it is time to do a complete overhaul of the rear hub, requiring the expensive tool? The on-line manual suggests every year or two, but that seems a bit excessive or paranoid. Is it a realistic schedule?

(I've managed to blow off hub maintenance for 20 to 30 years at a time on my Bianchi, which pre-dates stuff like sealed bearings, with no ill effect.)