Confusing problem, plz help

[OceanBUcks]

Ok so when I start to ride my bike, everything works then i go to release the clutch to start the engine and then the chain tension adder (not sure what its called) goes into my bike spokes locking the back tire and sending me over the handlebars. What should i do? i have tightened it as much as i can. Here are some pics

 

[decoherence]

are your pics flipped from left to right?
you have the engine on the wrong side if it isn't

some people like the chain idler.

i say that you never hear about someone who didn't use an idler say they got an idler in their spokes.

i know you have spent a lot of time getting your bike together.
take a few hours & mount the engine so you don't have slack on either chain.
you might need to get a half link for the peddle chain.

while you are @ it get some good chain from tractor supply. then you won't have a thread about how your chain broke.

 

[OceanBUcks]

They are flipped, its on the correct side

 

[OceanBUcks]

I have already mounted the engine, it worked for about 2 hrs then this happened

 

[rohmell]

Put the tensioner in a vise and flatten out the curved sections that go around the frame, then reinstall.

 

[OceanBUcks]

I have hammered it out to almost flat then reinstalled and the same thing happens

 

[decoherence]

let's see.

the idler pulley went through the spokes.
flattened it out & it did it again.

the idler pulley is not needed except when it is impossible to get the chain taught with out using one.

i know you already mounted the engine.
i have remounted mine too many times to count.
once i gave up the idler pulley & gave it a great chain i have had 0 issues & don't need to remount it.

anyway the pulley is extremely ugly & makes it look extremely cheap.
the design is bad it uses tension & only tension to hold it on a cylinder that it is trying to rotate on.
it uses crap steel & parts.

using the idler pulley is like being in a abusive relationship.
it ruins your spokes, breaks chains, ruins riding & makes your bike look not as good.

 

[wayne z]

Some people move the wheel to adjust the motor chain and use the idler on the pedal chain

 

[wayne z]

There are many ways to stabilize the tensioner. Here's an easy one.

 

[ddesens]

Maybe remount the tensioner and drill a small hole through it and install a bolt and nut to keep it from rotating.

 

[ddesens]

There are many ways to stabilize the tensioner. Here's an easy one.

View attachment 40472

wayne z- that is a great idea. I would use this method rather than my suggestion.

 

[wayne z]

I have stopped using the aluminum angle lately. I discovered that using some screen type sanding sheet in the clamp that the fricton is increased dramaticly and have had no problem with tensioner movement on the last 3 builds.

 

[rohmell]

Maybe a combination of half-links and moving the wheel back and forth in the dropouts, you can eliminate the tensioner entirely.

 

[vincent713]

On my mountain bike I took off the tensioner and adjust the front motor mount to line up the chain to the rear sprocket. I have about 1/2 inch play on the chain and its running fine without the tensioner.

 

[motor_bike_fanatic]

I made my engine chain short enough to not need the pulley. of course, this ended up putting too much slack on the pedal chain. so I put the tensioner on the pedal chain. there is a tab on the bottom right chainstay for mounting a chain guard. I removed the chain guard a long time ago, so I mounted the pulley so the tab would be in between the two halves of the pulley, keeping it in place. we have given you several simple solutions. if they don't work for you, then best of luck.

 

[vincent713]

I forgot to mention I did took out 2 links of chain.

 

[syates234]

What would happen if I removed the chain tensioner would i have to shorten my chain or is it possible to remove it? would it f*** everything up? Another question, my motor wouldn't turn over so I replaced the mag and the cdi and it still won't turn over and suggestions?

 

[DuctTapedGoat]

There's a few things I did to solve that. The reason I needed to do this was that my chainstay tapers.

1. Purchased a chain tensioner from BoyGoFast. I'm not a fan of him - but the tensioners he sell have two brackets instead of one, this solves much of the problem of "drifting tensioners".

2. Replaced the bolts with grade 7 bolts so I could properly torque them without fear of snapping or stripping them out.

3. Took some 1" heater hose, slit the side lengthwise and fit it over the chainstay, the mounted the tensioner over it.

It's got the better part of a full season on it, and it's held up fantabulously since.

 

[maniac57]

simple fix is to install tensioner where it needs to be and ride(engine off) to nearest muffler shop and have them tack-weld tensioner in place to secure it. This way it cannot loosen up and turn into wheel. Worked for me!

 

[Morrow]

I use a piece of rubber tubing.