so i want to share with you how to make a spring loaded chain tensioner for less than 14 dollars. this is a decent diy upgrade to any motorized bicycle this is a set it and forget it deal once its dialed in. theres no reason to spend 30 bucks on a special made part when you can make the same thing for far less.
things you will need
flat stock i buy it buy the foot ussally i get like 2 feet? its about 8 bucks
a spring for the spring loaded part you can get 2 for like 2 or 3 bucks or less
2 longer bolts to replace the short one in the clutch cover like maybe 2 bucks
washers of a couple sizes. maybe 2 bucks
the stock bolts and idler wheel off your old tensioner
a sharpie to mark ****
a hand saw or hack saw or electric saw if you have it
a power drill with a couple sizes of bits
okay so step one put the flat stock up to the case and position it where there just a little over hang at the top of the clutch arm cover.
then look at the bottom and mark its about an inch or more down from the bottom of the clutch arm cover try to the over hang wider than the width of your flat stock. mark the line with a sharpie and cut that piece off with your hack saw.
take the piece you cut off and place it back on the clutch arm cover
line it up in the spot you want it then slid it to the right till you can see the bolt holes then use a sharpie to mark the holes on the metal flat stock
put about a the width of a sharpie in between the edge of the piece and where the hole will be drilled and mark it.
get your drill with a bit thats a little bigger then the bolt that hold the cover on and drill the two holes out.
now mount the piece to the clutch arm cover and bolt it in with the 2 longer bolt you picked up at the store
stick your flat stock up to the botttom of the over hang and get thend ends flush then see about how much length you want to put on the arm dont worry if you go to long you can cut it down or add holes for different tensioner positions plus the holes look cool
mark it where you want the end of the tensioner arm to be and cut it off with your hack saw save the extra flat stock for your next build
with the two piece held together flush put a straight line down the right side of the 2 piece of flat stock on the tensioner arm
then take the arm and put it ontop of the support arm thats on the
cover raise it up about an inch and mark the support arm for the center then using those marks put the center on the tensioner arm
once you have your holes marked on both piece get a drill bitas big as one of the stock bolts for the stock tensioner then drill the holes out
after drilling the holes put the pieces together on the outside you should do a lock washer and a flat washer then on the inside where the 2 pieces touch put 2 or 3 flat washers then a lock and a flat on the nut side put on a nut and bolt it down snug but make sure the arm is loose enough that it can move up and down freely
next step locate where you want your idler wheel to sit mark and rill that hole with a approiate bit put 2 flat washers in between the wheel and the metal arm then a lock and a flat on the nut side bolt it down snug but make sure it still spins freely
final step is to get a small drill bit and drill a hole next to the idler wheel for the spring try to get it as close to the front of the arm as possible then do the same thing on the top of the case flat stock piece and hook your spring up
optional
file the sides and curve the edges with a handle file and paint balck or silver to match your engine
if you need any help refer to my pictures
http://imgur.com/a/mYmcA
things you will need
flat stock i buy it buy the foot ussally i get like 2 feet? its about 8 bucks
a spring for the spring loaded part you can get 2 for like 2 or 3 bucks or less
2 longer bolts to replace the short one in the clutch cover like maybe 2 bucks
washers of a couple sizes. maybe 2 bucks
the stock bolts and idler wheel off your old tensioner
a sharpie to mark ****
a hand saw or hack saw or electric saw if you have it
a power drill with a couple sizes of bits
okay so step one put the flat stock up to the case and position it where there just a little over hang at the top of the clutch arm cover.
then look at the bottom and mark its about an inch or more down from the bottom of the clutch arm cover try to the over hang wider than the width of your flat stock. mark the line with a sharpie and cut that piece off with your hack saw.
take the piece you cut off and place it back on the clutch arm cover
line it up in the spot you want it then slid it to the right till you can see the bolt holes then use a sharpie to mark the holes on the metal flat stock
put about a the width of a sharpie in between the edge of the piece and where the hole will be drilled and mark it.
get your drill with a bit thats a little bigger then the bolt that hold the cover on and drill the two holes out.
now mount the piece to the clutch arm cover and bolt it in with the 2 longer bolt you picked up at the store
stick your flat stock up to the botttom of the over hang and get thend ends flush then see about how much length you want to put on the arm dont worry if you go to long you can cut it down or add holes for different tensioner positions plus the holes look cool
mark it where you want the end of the tensioner arm to be and cut it off with your hack saw save the extra flat stock for your next build
with the two piece held together flush put a straight line down the right side of the 2 piece of flat stock on the tensioner arm
then take the arm and put it ontop of the support arm thats on the
cover raise it up about an inch and mark the support arm for the center then using those marks put the center on the tensioner arm
once you have your holes marked on both piece get a drill bitas big as one of the stock bolts for the stock tensioner then drill the holes out
after drilling the holes put the pieces together on the outside you should do a lock washer and a flat washer then on the inside where the 2 pieces touch put 2 or 3 flat washers then a lock and a flat on the nut side put on a nut and bolt it down snug but make sure the arm is loose enough that it can move up and down freely
next step locate where you want your idler wheel to sit mark and rill that hole with a approiate bit put 2 flat washers in between the wheel and the metal arm then a lock and a flat on the nut side bolt it down snug but make sure it still spins freely
final step is to get a small drill bit and drill a hole next to the idler wheel for the spring try to get it as close to the front of the arm as possible then do the same thing on the top of the case flat stock piece and hook your spring up
optional
file the sides and curve the edges with a handle file and paint balck or silver to match your engine
if you need any help refer to my pictures
http://imgur.com/a/mYmcA
