cheap spring loaded tensioner $5

gian · Mar 17, 2010

finally i made my own spring loaded tensioner....everyweek i always keep looking and looking for all the hardware shop...and then i found out that this thing can be use for spring loaded tensioner...
i have found a bolt which they call "carriage bolt" with a square shape at the head which fits right exactly on the metal bracket of the tensioner ,and i bought an extension spring, and 3 nuts and 2 washers......take note you cannot use the old nuts that includes in your tensioner bracket..
Carriage bolt is not the same thread as the one we uses "metric bolts". thats why you need to buy nuts. this nuts and bolts are stainless...better than the one that we uses
price carriage bolt -------- $1
3 pieces nuts ------- $1.25
2 washers -----------50 cents
extension spring ---------$2

gian · Mar 17, 2010

i forgot to say ,you gonna need a steel file to trim these 2 sides of the bolt. so it will move freely up and down the bracket .it tooks me about 5-10mins to trim it manually using steel file. As you can see the shiny portion of the bolt thats the side that i trimmed.

bairdco · Mar 17, 2010

and that actually works?

edit: i don't mean it sarcastically, but it just sounds and looks waaay too easy.

gian · Mar 17, 2010

aside from that you also need to cut or adjust the spring in your own desired tension.
or you can also use small turnbuckle for $2 so you have adjustments. i'm planning to put one but theres no space anymore so i didnt use my turnbuckle. the spring is attached to the carriage bolt and the other side to the bike frame....my bike frame has its screw at the rear side already where my finger is pointed thats why i didnt do any drilling.

gian · Mar 17, 2010

after you trim the bolt. put it inside the bracket and then put a washer and nut to lock the bolt.
test the bolt it should move freely up and down to the bracket apply small amount of grease on the bracket. and then after you tighten the nut put the other end of the spring. and then put the tensioner roller.. that its....tooks me 30mins

gian · Mar 17, 2010

yup its very easy to do ...the only hard thing that i did is to trim the bolt.
Just prepare plier, side cutter for the spring. and steel file for trimming the bolt
its works perfect for me i had this 2 days ago....im running at 50kmh and up and it runs smoothly. the only thing is i dont know when the bolt and the bracket will last long .coz there's a friction applied when moving up and down so there is a tendency it will wear out soon....

The 26incher · Mar 17, 2010

I dig the rear twist lace...

gian · Mar 18, 2010

i forgot what size is the bolt. Just bring the tensioner bracket to fit the bolt to make sure you get the proper size....

wildemere · Mar 18, 2010

Q. Whats that spoke patern called?

Crows foot or twisted coathanger?

Whats running on the front? More twists?

Seriously that looks dangerous, there will be to much chain slack when starting or on the over-run leading to a derailment on the rear or a bunchup in the front leading to a failed (lockup) start or 50ft skid (down a hill).

Failed start = 2 missing teeth

Big Skid = Loosing a lot of bark and possible hostpital time.

If it is a pull start It might be OK.

gian · Mar 18, 2010

oh i dont know about that spoke....i bought the bike 2nd hand. so its already twisted ...i dont know why they do that...its hard for me to align the wheel ...i really dont like that twisted spoke.
hhmm...seems that there is no slack because the spring takes out the slack...i use pedal start and pull start

wildemere · Mar 18, 2010

hhmm... get ready for a faceplant with that setup

Don't ask me how I know...

But your drive chain setup is critical for good health.

Seriously, get a better rear wheel and set it up without a tensioner with a well aligned chain.

That bike looks like it has the clearance for it with that sprocket.

bairdco · Mar 18, 2010

i just noticed the spokes.

it's called a "snowflake" pattern. mostly used for barely ridden, showbikes.

it's also the WEAKEST spoke pattern there is.

normally, i just give my opinion, and not straight out tell people what to do, but, in the interest of your safety, GET RID OF THOSE SPOKES.

wildemere · Mar 18, 2010

That wheel is not any laced to any known "fancy" patern bairdco, Its not like crows foot or snowflake or otherwise, some spokes are laced twice others thrice and some others quad or more. there also seems to be some soldering involved as well...

Thats why I called it "twisted coathanger crows foot".

BarelyAWake · Mar 18, 2010

Does it really matter if it's an "official" spoke pattern or not? Everyone agrees it's real name is Sketchy - even gian lol

So long as he replaces it *shrug*

bairdco · Mar 18, 2010

i've seen wheels laced like that before, and i've seen a guy's wheel crumble as he pedaled his bike 50 feet from his truck on his first ride.

basically, everything that spokes do to keep a wheel strong, round, and safe, is counteracted by lacing them that way.

i would be afraid to ride that bike a block to the store, without a motor.

i'm surprised it can hold it's own weight without buckling.

wheels are one thing you don't want to mess around with. and replacement 12g spoked wheels are under a hundred bucks. a lot less than than a casket. (although, costco has caskets on sale:Costco - Your search for "casket" produced 24 results)

camlifter · Mar 18, 2010

i'll give my experience's with spring loaded tensioners. i tried a bunch of differant ways to build them, although i was able to make some heavy duty tensioners that would hold up and keep the chain tight and lined up there is a major draw back to using a spring loaded tensioner on theses bikes, there bump started, that puts all the chain load on the bottom run of the chain when starting, the tensioner will take that load by compressing the spring and all the slack will be on the top run of the chain, sooner or later that slack will cause the chain to bind up in the front sprocket cover when bump starting, it will break the engine case in that area. if you use a pull start then that won't be a problem, if your bump starting it's best to use the stock style tensioner or none at all.
have someone start the bike so you can watch what happens to the chain with the loaded tensioner on start up. you'll see what i mean. sooner or later it will bind up in the case while trying to start.

gian · Mar 18, 2010

you're right camlifter.....the spring cannot take take off the slack if you bump start....i see what happens. The slack at the bottom move towards on top, but i havent encountered any problem during bump starting. i replaced my stock tensioner coz its really hard to align the rear sprocket. When you disengage the clutch and rotate the rear wheel check the tension, theres a portion that tension is to tight and sometimes loose. i dont wanna re-align the sprocket again. i use spring loaded to take off the slack while running..

Venice Motor Bikes · Mar 23, 2010

On top of bump starting, many of us use engine braking; & if the chain bunches up in the case @ high speed, it could lock the rear wheel & throw you! There just needs to be a second spring loaded tensioner for the top of the chain too!

camlifter · Mar 24, 2010

anything is possible if you work at it long enough, my thoughts are that 2 tensioners would be just twice as much trouble as 1 and would probably look cluttered and kind of ugly. a spring loaded tensioner is just a band aid for a sprocket that is installed poorly, get it concentric with the wheel and you don't need the spring loading. it's a given that the stock tensioner is a pos but a good replacement can be made with out going to spring loading, use a hard rubber wheel with a good bearing and weld the mount to the frame.

BarelyAWake · Mar 24, 2010

There's other advantages to a spring tensioner, helping to reduce chain whip and not needing to adjust it as frequently to account for chain & sprocket wear, even deliberately leaving enough slack to be taken up by the tensioner to help with removing the rear wheel - it also helps reduce felt vibration as there's just that one less bumpy thing hard mounted.

No kit sprocket is installed perfectly BTW - that's a flat-out impossibility lol

The only problems with the change in pull direction is if there's too much slack/travel in the sprung arm and/or there's no "hard stop" for that arm.

Still - it's prolly not worth the bother for 99% of the builds heh

cheap spring loaded tensioner $5

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