Tire Chain sprocket HELPPPP!

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MB-Monkey

MB-Monkey

New Member
Nov 19, 2008
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Manchester TN USA
Ok after all of this reading and days upon days of not getting this thing together i have everything on the bike. now with the 2.125 tires on and the sprocket on the rim pointing out the motor needs to be offset for the sprockets not to bind. The $64,000 question is would i be better off getting a 26 X 1.9 Tire reversing the sprocket back or would i be better off or would making a custom front mount be the way to go. If i line the motor front and back up to the frame the chain binds and will not roll free. if i allow slight movement in the motor mount the sprockets line up and i can cinch down the rear.
 
Venice Motor Bikes

Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
7,271
1,810
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Los Angeles, CA.
I run fat tires on all of my bikes. The sprockets never line up perfect...
The chain tensioner should "feed" the chain straight onto the rear sprocket.

Easiest way to fix it (for you) might be "sprocket dished in, & skinny tires"
 
MB-Monkey

MB-Monkey

New Member
Nov 19, 2008
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OK I called my local guy i bought the motor from and getting an eye on it i see the back tire is not aligned properly so of course the chain is binding but still the question remains would the smaller tire and dish in setup actually be better? unfortunately for me this won't be the only time i build one of these. I am going to build a frame up bike with sick bike parts transmission for the summer. BTW i am in Florida i don't have to wait till spring to ride i am just frustrated. this really is still a bit of fun.
 
Bikeguy Joe

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
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up north now
Run the chain loose.....3/4-1" of free play. If using the stock chain, it doesn't have to line up perfectly, there is enough play in it to allow some mis-alignment.
 
R

Rogwillsie

New Member
Oct 28, 2008
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Seattle, WA
I solved my chain/sprocket alignment problem by turning my sprocket over, with the teeth nearer the wheel and the curve of the sprocket out. Of course, you need to use both fiber washer, one on each side of the spokes with the sproket on the outside. I removed the studs on the back motor mount and replaced them with longer ones to allow spacers on the studs to move the engine forward. You may also have to remove some links from the chain. I did. Doing these things I was able to align the chain and the sprockets and get enough tension in the chain to do away with the tensioner. Oh, yes, I also lubricated the chain well with chain oil.
 
Andyinchville1

Andyinchville1

Manufacturer/Dealer
Dec 26, 2007
502
1
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Scottsville, VA
Hi,

If you need to offset the sprocket even more than simply flipping the sprocket over (for sprocket with an offset), I have heard of people using washers on the back side of the sprocket to push them further from the spokes.

Of course I've also heard of people simply running the bikes and letting the chain cut the knobs off the knobbies until everything works ;-O

Have fun and ride safely!

Andrew
 
MB-Monkey

MB-Monkey

New Member
Nov 19, 2008
462
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Manchester TN USA
this was an old post of mine during my first build. everything ended up being just fine the advice from everyone was great. I hadn't mounted the engine in the front as i did not want to drill the frame. after i used the ol' muffler clamp and made my own little twist to cinched everything up the chain was aligned enough to work. the idler pully does a good enough job of guiding the chain on the rear sprocket. I did however wear out the original 2.125 tire and dropped to a 1.95 road tire and have been much happier with the ride.

I just figured i would update the post in case others have found it and wanted to know if it ever worked out.

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

Jeff
 
x-soldat

x-soldat

New Member
Jan 26, 2009
14
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Eschenbach, Germany
hiker472 said:
I had to offset mine and I used a scotch-brite pad for the inner gasket behind the sproket. It gave me the clearance I needed and never had another problem with it.
Click to expand...
Didn't the material degrade or breakdown over time?...Just helped a buddy finish his in frame kit and he also had "fat tire" issues, I made a second washer out of a bias tire sidewall...worked great wont compress or degrade over time...
 
hiker472

hiker472

Member
Nov 6, 2008
653
3
18
Ontonagon County,Upper Michigan
It hasn't yet, but it's also one of those industrial pads as used with disk sanders. It has a real tight grain pattern, so it's not the chintzy stuff the wife uses on her pans. But hey, if it's gonna go, that should be about the time I get new wheels anyhow.
 
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