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| | | | | Motorized Bicycle General Discussion Topics on bicycle engine kits, help articles, repair and modifications for your motorized bicycles | chain tensioner modification Discussion at Motorized Bicycle Engine Kit Forum in the Motorized Bicycle General Discussion forum. Originally Posted by machiasmort
Mike,
Looks like a nice set up but a little close to the rim!!! Tire looks ...  | | 
09-19-2008, 06:12 AM
|  | Master Motorized Bicycle Builder | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cropwell Alabama
Posts: 143
| | Re: chain tensioner modification Quote:
Originally Posted by machiasmort Mike,
Looks like a nice set up but a little close to the rim!!! Tire looks a little off balance, tread is not concentric(fatter on one side than the other). Not knocking the set up, killer job brother!
Norm, glad you can take a joke!, and know when to not take me serious! | Yea, the marks on the tire came from a different set up. I have not ran this idler yet. I think I may need to load the spring a little more. We'll see this weekend. Thanks for your view.  | 
09-19-2008, 02:49 PM
|  | Senior Motorized Bicycle Builder | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Littleton, Colorado
Posts: 78
| | Re: chain tensioner modification On every MB I've seen or pictured here, a wheel or roller is used for the tensioner. Has anyone ever tried a sproket instead. Where I work there are lots of high speed conveyors, filling and capping machines and many are chain drive. All of the tensioners I see on these machines use sprokets as opposed to rollers. I can see where the alignment with a sproket would be more critical than would be required with a nylon roller but there are some very nice bearing style sprokets available, (one or two might be scroungable). Is it a no-no or has anyone tried it?
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09-19-2008, 06:05 PM
|  | LORD VADER Moderator | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: pampa texas
Posts: 1,354
| | Re: chain tensioner modification I laugh everytime I look at this post I think its one of the funniest ones on here and we have some good ideas too.  I've seen some sprocket used I think we don't see more if they may cost more. Heck I found my skate board wheels for my bike laying in the road just the wheels on a busted truck laying in the road. I saw that and said son of a B there is a God in Heaven. I stopped and picked them up.
Norman and Rufus
Last edited by Norman : 09-19-2008 at 06:09 PM.
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09-20-2008, 12:47 PM
|  | Master Motorized Bicycle Builder | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cropwell Alabama
Posts: 143
| | Re: chain tensioner modification Quote:
Originally Posted by Biker Mike Here is a tensioner I put together for under $3.00  . I used the kit roller and part of the bracket. The springs are 2 in a pack for $1.00 and the 2 metal pieces are .80 cents each. .40 cents for the center bolt.  | Well, it looked good and seemed like a good idea at the time. It worked ok, but I don't like the spring I used. It did not put enough tension on the chain and when i let off the throttle, the chain gets a lot of slack on the top side because the tensioner drops down from the pressure. I do not want to take any chances on the chain jumping off. I may still experiment with different springs and see what happens. I am considering attaching a spring above the idler and have it PULL up. I'll update if I figure it out.
A work in progress...  | 
09-20-2008, 01:19 PM
|  | Master Motorized Bicycle Builder | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Posts: 645
| | Re: chain tensioner modification Thanks for the cat pic! My dog saw it and now I have a mess to deal with 
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09-20-2008, 03:25 PM
|  | Master Motorized Bicycle Builder | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: CT, U.S.
Posts: 622
| | Re: chain tensioner modification Great thread! You folks are a joy 2 know. When you guys veer off unexpectedly, I either learn the answer to a question I didn't know I had yet or laugh out loud. Just saying thankx.
Have no pics yet, but have a caloricly challenged cat named Ethel who is dating a skunk and has a pet blind mouse who she eats with. The mouse sneeks in to the house to partake of her food bowl. "Bill" the blind mouse didn't run so she didn't chase him down and eat him. Hart warming to watch them share a meal. I have never found any mouse poop and he eats very lil, so whats the harm. (Except it drives the Baby's Momma crazy)
Side note; I finally got around to removing my tensioner and shortened the well stretched chain on my point beach. 2 links less, and is perfect! Next day, flat tire and couldn't ride. snork
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09-24-2008, 04:42 AM
| | Motorized Bicycle Builder | | Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 30
| | Re: chain tensioner modification Biker Mike
Before you rework the whole thing!!!! I like the mount!!! Try walking arround a good hardware store or two...
Look at Rat trap springs and other springs of similar nature! I've been doing some thinking myself. I want to see this thing work for you safely! You seem like the kind of guy who will give feed back... And are also 1 step ahead of me. I thought of one of those springs that hold screen doors shut. The kind that are not long(snake like) but C shaped that rock stationary and snap (hold tension) on the door when closed.
Are you familiar with what I'm describing or should I send a pic? The spring is small like the chain tensioner but snappier. It has two rubber rollers (one on each end).
Please be carefull. Chain derailment is no joke! | 
09-24-2008, 04:58 AM
| | Motorized Bicycle Builder | | Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 30
| | Re: chain tensioner modification Dan
About your saying. A street sweeper, the good Lord looks down and sees you following his word in a day of unbelievable greed. He'll put a gold coin on the ground!!! Follow your heart for the Lord's will is enscribbed upon it. It took a long time for me to learn that there is no shame upon this planet. Nothing has happened here our Lord hasn't already seen. God will bless thoose who live life in his obediance.
I'm still tryin to figure out why he put this wrench in my hand and then gave me a broken back??? It's my calling, I do the best I can. Plenty smart enough to be a lawyer for right to life. Maybe he new the fight would bother me too much? Who are we to question? | 
09-24-2008, 04:59 AM
| | Motorized Bicycle Builder | | Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 30
| | Re: chain tensioner modification Norm
The skateboard wheel is a great idea!! Can't wait till I get a chance to mess arround. | 
09-24-2008, 09:27 AM
|  | Master Motorized Bicycle Builder | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: WEST FRANKFORT, IL
Posts: 236
| | Re: chain tensioner modification I TOOK THE STOCK TENSIONER AND BY BENCH GRINDER AND MADE IT NOT SO EYE SORE-ISH AND WELDED IT TO BIKE SO IT WOULD STAY OUR OF THE SPOKES
and when i painted bike and started reassembly i couldnt find my tensioner so i went to rural king and found a half link and chain has worked fine ever since
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