Brake lever as Chain tensioner or Pizza Cutter

Technocyclist · #1 01-10-2009, 05:01 AM

Hi Guys and Gals,

I have the shifter kit, and noticed that the chain on the left side can sometimes touch the crankcase at the lower part where a bolt goes through. So I needed a chain tensioner that would not affect the alignment of the jackshaft. I have an old shifter which I removed because I'm now using an internal gear hub. I also have brake levers. So I disassembled one of the sprockets on my old shifter and tried fitting it into one my old brake levers. And viola!!! instant chain tensioner. It fits so perfectly together... Oh yeah, it does look like a pizza cutter... who knows... maybe you can also use it to cut pizzas...

I used 2 pieces of 3.5" Hose Clamps to mount it. Now, the chain rolls sooooooooo smoooooth. Oh yeah!!!

I also inserted nylon tubing into the hose clamps so it would not ruin the paint on my seat tube.

I also inserted 4 washers or spacers to align the sprocket with the chain.

With this tensioner it will also enable you to install bigger sprockets on the jackshaft for more torque...

BTW, better ask Paul or Ghost of SBP before installing. It may void your warranty...

I think this chain tensioner can be used in many ways and not only on the shifter kit.

So? what you think? Chain tensioner or Pizza Cutter? or both?

Spunout · #2 01-10-2009, 06:50 AM

nice work!

its amazing what a guy can drum up, when he has to do some thinkin'.

old motorbike · #3 01-10-2009, 07:15 AM

Great work... ingenious.

unraw · #4 01-10-2009, 09:45 AM

never thought of that. Good idea!

TexasDav · #5 01-10-2009, 09:59 AM

Wow I just love how the minds work on this forum, talk about thinking outside the box, I don't think you could put the people here in a box to begin with. They are too much free thinkers to fit into the regular population that is probly why we ride what we do instead of something already made for us like a scooter or motorcycle.

Spunout · #6 01-10-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasDav

Wow I just love how the minds work on this forum, talk about thinking outside the box, I don't think you could put the people here in a box to begin with. They are too much free thinkers to fit into the regular population that is probly why we ride what we do instead of something already made for us like a scooter or motorcycle.

excellent point.

TigerToothBikes.com · #7 01-10-2009, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasDav

Wow I just love how the minds work on this forum, talk about thinking outside the box, I don't think you could put the people here in a box to begin with. They are too much free thinkers to fit into the regular population that is probly why we ride what we do instead of something already made for us like a scooter or motorcycle.

I think you're absolutely right. Many would scoff at us and call us crazy. Others would take one look and say "can't be arsed" or "might as well buy one". But it never ceases to amaze me how chaps here come up with simple yet clever solutions to sometimes quite complex problems.
Some of the builds i have seen have been not only beautiful but also superbly engineered (sure you get the "death traps" now and then

).

Excellent work!

jasonh · #8 01-10-2009, 11:49 AM

Very cool idea.

I wonder....my right side chain on my shift kit is always loose (didn't bother to order their tensioner...oops), I wonder if I can rig up something like this for that chain...

Pablo · #9 01-10-2009, 12:04 PM

Technocyclist - Very ingenious, but your left chain should not be so slack in the first place. I'm wondering if you have an interesting variant engine or an alignment problem. Can you post or send more pictures of your installation?

JasonH - A proper movement tensioner and retainer is preferred to a contact tensioner. The roller and contact will rob (a small amount of) power.

Technocyclist · #10 01-18-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pablo

Technocyclist - Very ingenious, but your left chain should not be so slack in the first place. I'm wondering if you have an interesting variant engine or an alignment problem. Can you post or send more pictures of your installation?

Ok, so I have been using this chain tensioner for a week and it was'nt so stable as I thought. The sprocket tends to move sideways, so the side of the chain still touches crankcase. So to solve this sideways movement, I put a larger washer, a drawer washer to be exact. The larger washer rests on the bottom engine mount preventing the sideways movement. Going to test again... I also upgraded the jockey pulley sprocket to bigger ones with sealed ball bearings.

Pablo,

I found that the chain was loose at 15 links, so I tried installing a motorcycle chain with 15 links, but it was too tight. So I tried removing a half link - I am using halflink chains, could that be that the problem? -anyways, so I removed a half link, but it was also too tight. I also tried 16 link motorcycle chain, but it was too loose...

Here are some additional pics...