Free chain guide/tensioner

[Wevil Knievel]

I am by trade an artisan in a lost wax art foundry building art sculptures and because of current events have had to re invent my talents.

Today while dismantling an apparel moisture evaporation unit ( a clothes dryer) I came across a part that will def appeal to those of you who have the ability to fabricate parts from pre-existing items. The belt tensioner on the dryer is the almost the same exact thing that we have on our bikes for spring loaded chain tensioners.
What I did is I took the arm off the electrical motor mount and I ground it down a little bit and modified it to fit my bicycle to act as an anti-lash unit on my chain to keep it from bucking into the housing and getting caught up.

Nothing fancy but it works. See photos.

I used/use the kit tensioner as a lower guide in unison with a motor cover plate mounted after market spring tensioner and attatched the armature that I took out of the dryer to the back of the stock chain tensioner plate with a crush washer that is slightly thicker than the metal used for the roller arm mount on the dryer tensioner so as to allow it to swing freely to allow for extreme pressure from the chain on the roller.

I also replaced the stock aftermarket motor case mounted spring tensioner spring with the spring off of the swing arm from the dryer which is a lot more Stout.

I hope this helps someone besides me.

I think and of course I think God for giving me the intellect and the ability to do these things.

Ride safe!

 

[Wevil Knievel]

Sorry about posting in the wrong spot.

 

[digital_life]

Sorry about posting in the wrong spot.

You posted in the right spot, The only thing I would say about having a tensioner on the top of the chain is that every time you give it throttle it will put a lot of upward force on that top roller and cause it wear out real fast or bust it.

When I did this I thought I was going overboard with my spring tensioner on the motor and a roller at the back, Not any more LOL

 

[Wevil Knievel]

Its not riding on the chain itself. It only touches the upper wheel when it starts to back lash keeping it from allowing the chain to whip or buck up. It seems to work quite well now I am dealing with a moving back hub gear adaptor.

 

[Wevil Knievel]

And no, you are on the right track! Using the spring load to carry the chain and the frame mounted tensioner as more or less a guide is what Im doing with the added guide wheel on top to keep the back lash down along with the anti buck plate inside the drive gear housing.

 

[digital_life]

frame mounted tensioner as more or less a guide

Thats what I was thinking when I attached it that it would help make it go on the rear sprocket a bit more even and if the front spring loaded tensioner failed without bustin somethin the chain would not flop around as much and reduce the chance wrecking the rear sprocket and I would still be able to to tighten the chain for the ride home.