Rigid Drive Chain Slack?

[unfinished_projects]

Just welded up a TC Bros hard tail and ordered my 120 link chain. With a rigid, do you set up the chain adjusters with any slack in the chain? I know you need it with a rear suspension, but I am guessing minimal to no slack would be good for a hard tail. What is everyone doing? Thanks.

 

[TampaSVT]

That just saved me asking the same question...

I would assume very little slack if there's absolutely no movement in the suspension (since there is none).

F'Burg...

 

[Irish750]

monstercraftsman has some tensioners for sale, i think this may be what your looking for

 

[Patches]

Just welded up a TC Bros hard tail and ordered my 120 link chain. With a rigid, do you set up the chain adjusters with any slack in the chain? I know you need it with a rear suspension, but I am guessing minimal to no slack would be good for a hard tail. What is everyone doing? Thanks.

You dont want to over-tighten, that is not good. IMHO I put mine at about just under half inch of slack each way (up and down) when you push on it.. As the chain heats up it will loosen a bit.

 

[NickB]

Chain tensioners are great if you can budget one. The chain should be pretty tight make sure you leave some room to tighten it later as the chain will stretch a little the first few rides.

 

[unfinished_projects]

Thanks for the advice guys, appreciate it.

 

[Ironsled77]

The chain should not be tight. You need some slack or you are gonna tear up sprockets and your output shaft. 1/2 inch each direction is a good start. It will loosen and stretch. I run about an inch of travel but have a chain tensioner.

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[Hairyblackdude]

I have one of the spring loaded tensioners from monstercraftsman...

The initial shock of the price lessens alot after its installed & being used...

Even with a rigid frame, you would not believe how much the chain jumps around when shifting gears, letting off gas, starting from a stop etc...

Nice quality piece & Im glad I spent a little extra to get it.

If the chain is too tight like mentioned above, it will put alot of stress on the shafts & sprockets.. The spring tensioner is nice because it adjusts on the fly !

They dont pay me to say this, just stating my experiences..

 

[Dusty]

I hate using the chain tensioner. It slings oil from the chain all over my frame. This is why my next bike will have a black frame.

 

[Beau]

You are better off running a tensioner. Most sprockets are not perfectly round and chains also have imperfections. So you will have tight and loose spots.

As the bushings wear and break in the chain "stretches" (not really) and the tensioner will help take that out, eliminating wheel adjustments.