Home made chain tensioner

very nice. Althogh, you may want to turn it around so it trails the chain instead of pointing it against direction of travel. It would be a big supprise if you were really getting on it, and the wheel flipped rearward.
 
It's still going strong after a year since I made it. I ride this bike pretty hard and it has always performed well. No wear on the wheel as far as I can tell and tension is still taught.
I tried positioning it the other way at first but the fender and tire were in the way. I cant flip it over with the chain, but it will stand almost straight up if I force it by hand. I'm pretty happy with it. Hope some of you guys have tried it. If so, post some pics! :)
 
sounds secure enuf then. On the mount. Does what would have been the stop for the peg that keeps it from flopping down,(if it were still a peg) still there? This almost seems like a better idea than monster's tensioner that CAN go over.
 
I know this is an old post but just thought I would say thanks for the idea. Needing to redo mine bad and some reason cant justify paying over $100 for something that can easily be made. Thank you. :)
 
Did you make one? Mine is still holding up after all these years :)

Sure did but my first attempt to do one like you did failed. The spring that I had with my old foot peg had no where near enough tension so that got tossed in the scrap pile and I started from scratch. Best part was, I had the skateboard wheel laying around and was brand new (Still going to get a wider one eventually), the steel I had laying around here along with the 2 bolts I cut down to fit, and the spring cost me under a dollar at the local hardware store. I did cut about 3-4 coils off the spring to fit and work. But here are the pictures. Never mind the super dirty bike. Its been washed since and is nice and clean now. haha

20150828_185657_zpsrjcuomcz.jpg


20150828_185646_zpsp4y0rh0j.jpg


20150828_185737_zpslvhns8ic.jpg


20150828_185748_zpseazw6kus.jpg


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It works AMAZING and no more sloppy chain. I am eventually going to redo it a bit so it looks cleaner on the frame but for now, it works and I am riding!!! Riding season is almost over here so I didnt get to crazy with it in the looks department. That will happen over the winter. :)

Anyways, I hope that helps someone else also. I prob have $15 tops into it if you include the cost of the wheel. Also, the arm the wheel is mounted too, I might redo it and make it a little longer so I can move the mount back a bit for a cleaner look if I cant figure something else out with how its mounted now. Took me all of an hour to make once I settled on a design/idea. :bike:
 
Sure did but my first attempt to do one like you did failed. The spring that I had with my old foot peg had no where near enough tension so that got tossed in the scrap pile and I started from scratch. Best part was, I had the skateboard wheel laying around and was brand new (Still going to get a wider one eventually), the steel I had laying around here along with the 2 bolts I cut down to fit, and the spring cost me under a dollar at the local hardware store. I did cut about 3-4 coils off the spring to fit and work. But here are the pictures. Never mind the super dirty bike. Its been washed since and is nice and clean now. haha

20150828_185657_zpsrjcuomcz.jpg


20150828_185646_zpsp4y0rh0j.jpg


20150828_185737_zpslvhns8ic.jpg


20150828_185748_zpseazw6kus.jpg


20150828_200154_zpsk9pb0l6n.jpg


It works AMAZING and no more sloppy chain. I am eventually going to redo it a bit so it looks cleaner on the frame but for now, it works and I am riding!!! Riding season is almost over here so I didnt get to crazy with it in the looks department. That will happen over the winter. :)

Anyways, I hope that helps someone else also. I prob have $15 tops into it if you include the cost of the wheel. Also, the arm the wheel is mounted too, I might redo it and make it a little longer so I can move the mount back a bit for a cleaner look if I cant figure something else out with how its mounted now. Took me all of an hour to make once I settled on a design/idea. :bike:

May I suggest that when you do decide to redo it, that you make it so that the tensioner wheel trails in the direction that the chain is travelling, and not lead head-long against the direction of travel. The way you have it, any strong snap of the chain could result in your tensioner over-centering and flop over dead. Just an observation. :)
 
There is no way for it to over center the way it is and with that set up and spring. Trust me, I took that into account. Main reason I did it this way is cause of the fender. I couldnt have it the other way without cutting into the fender to clear everything the way I would have liked or with everything on the outside. I have put it through its paces (about 500 miles on it) and so far not a single issue and works like a champ!
 
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