23-06-2021, 07:04 AM
Your wheel spokes should all be sound (free of damage or deep corrosion) and under tension. The traditional way to check spoke tension was to jack the wheel off the ground and spin it, then trail a stick or similar implement against the spokes and they should all 'ring' with a similar note. The odd duff note indicates a loose spoke which needs tightening. If all ring clear with similar sound it suggests they are evenly tightened. There should be no discernable slack or play, if you think there is I suggest showing them to a specialist (or at least an enthusiast with more experience). When the wheel is spun check by eye (crouch behind or in front) that it runs reasonably true - few are perfect but it shouldn't be far out. The rim itself should be sound, it's hard to quantify but there shouldn't be any areas holed or weakened by corrosion, nor any noticeable dents or kinks. If using standard A7 wheelnuts also check the conical seats are clean and sound. A wheel collapsing under load could cause a serious accident.