Skate wheel tensioner mod for Motorized Bicycles

[Bikeguy Joe]

Here is the skate wheel I keep talking about....

First pic is the wheel, after I've cut off the "tire" leaving the harder center "wheel" Not all skate wheels are like this, but be aware that some are....how do you think I figured it out? That's right, I started to "contour" the wheel on my bench grinder, only to have the tire carcass fly off and shoot acoss the shop.
The second photo is the skate wheel, after contouring, mounted on the stock tensioner bracket.

A couple of items are needed to make this mod....
(1) 5/16" x 2" grade 5 or equivalent bolt.
(1) Corrosponding nut.
(3) washers.
(1) skate wheel.
RED LOCTITE.

Bolt the wheel on the stock tensiner bracket using the 5/16" bolt. Turn the nut until it is just tight enough to hold the wheel on, no tighter! You are using the nut to tension the bearing, like a wheel bearing on a car.)
Use the high strength loctite to "loc it". The wheel will slide up and down in the bracket, don't worry about that. You slide the whole works back to tension the chain. The RED loctite will keep the nut from coming off. I tried to remove it just for kicks and usning 90% of my reasonable force I was unable to move the nut.

IF YOU PIN YOUR TENSIONER-
Drill a series of holes in the tensioner bracket and clean them up with a file to make a slot. (photo No. 3) You will need the slot because now instead of using the up and down slot and bolt in the wheel to adjust tension, you will be sliding the bracket rearward to tighten the chain....it works fine.
No comments on the extra hole in the chainstay please...

I ran this awhile last night, but I will put a good 25-++?? miles on it this afternoon and report back.

Just another take on the tensioner...be careful grinding off your skateboard "tire" since the one I used was a softer "tire" over a harder "wheel". Some are one piece, and may be a just a little more suitable.

This mod has a few hundred miles on it and no problems.