Spring Return Chain Tensioner

GoldenMotor.com

DEATH4OF4

New Member
Mar 22, 2009
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Green Bay, Wisconsin (Frozen Tundra)
Rynos63 Where Did You Get Your Roller At? I've Been Looking For A Setup Like That.
does anyone know if that Baja Motorsports Chain Tensioner Assembly roller has a bearing?


see if this works to view
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_135696_-1______14672|14680|135696?listingPage=true&Special=false
 
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Rynos63

New Member
Nov 18, 2008
17
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Strathmore, Ca
Rynos63 Where Did You Get Your Roller At? I've Been Looking For A Setup Like That.
does anyone know if that Baja Motorsports Chain Tensioner Assembly roller has a bearing?


see if this works to view
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_135696_-1______14672|14680|135696?listingPage=true&Special=false
Yes this is the same one I used... and yes it has bearings...
 

HoughMade

New Member
Apr 15, 2008
623
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Valparaiso, IN
I have had the parts for some time and I am planning on using the same design with my Honda 50 and Grubee box. I will still have to use the original wheel to guide the chain because of frame clearance issues, but not for tension.
 

Rynos63

New Member
Nov 18, 2008
17
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0
Strathmore, Ca
OK Question for those who have a spring return tensioner... Does anyone else seem to have a problem starting the motor? The reason I ask is because sometimes when I pedal to start the motor and release the clutch the chain is getting too slack and binding up going into the motor and causing the rear wheel to lock up. The only thing I have come up with is it might be the chain (#41) that I'm using. My other bike I'm still using the stock #415 chain that comes with the kit and I haven't had this problem. I know that the #41 is a little bit wider, but that seems to be the only difference. Is it just me... Thanks...
 
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Prasinos

Member
Dec 1, 2008
261
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California
Check your alignment Ryno. That used to happen to my buddy's bike because his chain tensioner was feeding the chain incorrectly, with the spring return tensioners, there is a much wider space in which the chain can rest so this is not a problem at all. I know of no negatives to this upgrade whatsoever.
 

freewheeling frank

New Member
Mar 10, 2009
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ridgway colorado
i got the baja motorsports gig and still had problems. the spring just isnt strong enough so when i decellerated the unit would slacken the chain and then the chain outran the drive sprocket causing it to bind. so i just lost the spring and adjusted to good tension very sweet, so quiet still gonna have to check it sometimes but this thing as a static tensioner is great. i swear ill get some pics up soon frank
 

DEATH4OF4

New Member
Mar 22, 2009
108
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Green Bay, Wisconsin (Frozen Tundra)
My Brother In Law Has That Set-up, Which Kinda Made Me Want To Get It. He Had A Problem Like That, So He Made A Screw To Push The Spring Which Made It Tighter. I Suppose We Could Try To Find A Thicker Spring If That Didn't Work.
I Ordered One Of Those Tensioners Today, The Picture I Saw At Tractor Supply Looks Different Than The One He Has, That's Why I Had To Check With You Guys On It. I May Have Problems Mounting Mine Though,i Don't Have That Much Clearance Between The Seat Post Part Of The Frame And My Rear Tire.
 

Prasinos

Member
Dec 1, 2008
261
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16
California
I did not use the spring sold at tractor supply because it is designed for the tensioner to be mounted to the right of the chain(reference to the bike). In order to use the origninal chain tensioner mount I bought a radial spring from a hardware supply store and bent the ends to fit the tensioner. I wish i could just show a picture, I can get some up in about a month. Also, if you have that problem try taking a file/belt sander to the tips of each sprocket. By sharpening each tooth you make the sprocket index the chain correctly even if the chain is slightly off line.
 

commander

New Member
Mar 19, 2009
205
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penn state
My chain tensioner broke on my third test ride. So I simply took 4 links out of my chain and of I went. My chain has become a bit looser since I've been putting a few more miles on it. Actually I am probably going to have to take a link or two out this weekend. Is there a downside to not using a chain tensioner? If so I would like to know before i take any more links off my chain. My friend is using the chain tensioner on his bike and we have noticed that mine running without one seems a bit smoother.
My tenshioner didnt break, but what happened was my chain had to much slack, so i removed to many links and I didnt want to use another chain so I removed the tensioner and off i went, I will see in time is I need to use one or not, but so far so good with out the use of a chain tensioner. Plus with out it , I got rid of some xtra noise they make.
 

Prasinos

Member
Dec 1, 2008
261
0
16
California
If you had enough slack in your chain to remove 4 links, you had way too long a chain. the only reason i use the chain tensioner instead of just keeping a taught chain is because my chain hits the bike frame near the wheel otherwise.
 

commander

New Member
Mar 19, 2009
205
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penn state
Yea Pras it was too long, and when I shortened it , it was to short. But later that day I went and cut my tenshioner down some and welded it to my frame, so now I will never have to worry about it hitting anything or making xtra noise. Problem solved
 

DEATH4OF4

New Member
Mar 22, 2009
108
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Green Bay, Wisconsin (Frozen Tundra)
I Bought That Roller And Spent Half Of Saturday Trying To Hook It Up... No Luck. I Was Pretty Frustrated Cause I Wanted To Ride And I Wasted Half My Day. I Ended Up Putting A Shim Behind The Motor. I Used A 1/8 In Piece Of Flat Stock. So Far It Worked Great After About 80 Miles. Anyone Want To Buy A Roller?
Than Again, I May Need It On Another Build...
 

Prof Fate

New Member
Aug 19, 2008
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St.Louis (Brentwood), MO
Add me to the long list of members that say dump the stock tensioner. Mine was pulled into the spokes about 20 minutes into my maiden voyage. Luckily, I was making a slow turn in a parking lot and didn’t get thrown off. But I still had a nasty bruise on my hip to show for the lousy design.

I don’t have a Tractor Supply nearby so I set about making a copy of misteright1 99’s design made from what I could find. I bought the ball bearing nylon roller from Spooky Tooth and used the same type of “T” bracket that that jasonh pictured above. I found mine at Lowe’s in the deck building section and cut it down with a hacksaw to the size I wanted. I clamped the bottom of the “T” in a vise and bent it over. With a little work using a hammer and the vise and I turned the bottom of it into a “U” shape to hold a bolt. The bracket was already snug around the bolt and I put some JB Weld on it to add a little extra holding power. For the tensioner arm I used a cheap stamped opened ended wrench with 2 washers glued on the outside of each end, again held with JB Weld. I went to 3 hardware stores looking for the right type of spring but didn’t find anything that was large enough to work. I finally hit upon the idea of using the spring off of a huge old fashioned mouse trap. Worked like a charm.

Mounting it to the frame was really simple because it required no extra fabrication. Just line it up on the 2 existing engine mounting bolts, drill 2 holes in the top of the “T”, slide on, and add lock nuts and you’re mounted. You’ll have to add/remove a handful of washers to the mounted bolt or roller to work out the best alignment.

A couple of things to keep in mind…as pressure is added to the spring, the inside diameter decreases so you’ll need to use a bolt that will move freely when spring is loaded. The tensioner arm needs to be long enough to tighten up the chain but not so long that it can rub against the back tire when under stress. My prototype is a little long but still works great.

 
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Sep 4, 2008
105
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Huntington, WV
Hey Prof, I'm sure you already know by now, but your chain looks like it is getting ready to come apart. In the last pic, just behind the motor, on the bottom part of the chain, it looks like there is a pin missing. By the way, nice job on the tensioner.