For my microcar round tube swingarm: anyone have a lead for a universal adjustable chain tensioner 415-420 chain size? No China junk from eBay.
Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
Nevermind I'll fabricate one like this
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
Typically tensioners on the pull side of the chain are not a good idea. Do you just need to keep the chain off the swing arm pivot? Looks like you probably shouldn't have clearance issues from the picture angle. You could also just put a hard mounted roller/slider
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
Skate board wheels and a nice chuck of steel. On top side you don't want a roller, it will break very fast due to the chain always pull down on it under load. A slider works much better.
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
The chain has 150 or so links in the microcar so it's long, stretches, and sags. There's no chain adjustment built in the microcar. Skateboard wheel is what I've been thinking too on the underside rather than on the top.
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
Tensioner needs to be on the bottom slack side of the chain period. Bolt or clamp on is going to be tough to find. Whatever you do mount it on the bottom with tension swinging up into the slack. Look at the derbi RD swing arm or any of the Puch pedal arm tensioners.
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
I’ve seen on motorcycles where folks will use a skateboard wheel mounted on a car belt tensioner. Gives ya a nice clean looking spring loaded arm. You could even polish the aluminum for some bling.
Most of the belt tensioners I’ve dealt with have a single bolt and a locating pin, all you’d have to do fab wise is weld an appropriate tab to your swing arm.
Might be overkill for the job though.
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
HDPE works really well as a slider material. Just add a chunk attached to a spring of some sort.
Leaf springs are perfect for this.
You can even melt bottles on the stove and pour the mix into a mold for whatever shape you want.
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
3-D print the shape you want.
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
There is a chain tensioner on a Triped. It works by adjusting the location of the engine mount to the frame. Reference taken from the manual:
Even with this, that chain will get thrown if you are putting a lot of power through it. I am working on a roller chain guide for that return travel path as well...keep up the great work!
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
Coincidentally I just emailed you about a couple of things. I think I'll start a new build thread. Other folks might be up against same issues as I am.
Re: Adjustable chain tensioner for round tube
You could use the bracket from this side stand and add a puch magnum style tensioner to it
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