Chain Tensioner New chain tensioner- skateboard wheel

[macarollo]

I lost my original tensioner pulley, so I decided to call a skateboard shop and ask if they had an old used one.

I went and he had a spare parts box and gave me a free wheel with bearings.

I installed it and it works great so far. The wheel is pretty flat. Right now I have no groove carved into it, but I am not so sure that I will even need one. Ideally if I had something to carve a groove in it that would make it better.

If I do another built I may just get another skateboard wheel since it seems to work much better.

 

[kcmcf]

i took an inline skate wheel lathed a grove in the center and mounted it to a dynamo mount and put it as a top tensioner got tired of the chain flopping around. thought about doing the same to the bottom also.

 

[JE]

I did the same thing with a inline skate wheel.

 

[graucho]

I lost my original tensioner pulley, so I decided to call a skateboard shop and ask if they had an old used one.

I went and he had a spare parts box and gave me a free wheel with bearings.

I installed it and it works great so far. The wheel is pretty flat. Right now I have no groove carved into it, but I am not so sure that I will even need one. Ideally if I had something to carve a groove in it that would make it better.

If I do another built I may just get another skateboard wheel since it seems to work much better.

Great think'in macarollo. Great job. I'd have to groove one since my chain needs a little help with direction. graucho

 

[RedGreen]

You can mount the wheel on a spindle, tight, and then mount the spindle in a drill press and then all you need is turn it on and rub a file in the needed spot

 

[rafgram]

what kind of a spindle??

 

[RedGreen]

a bolt and set of nuts will work for a spindle, just as long as you can fit it into the drill press

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

I also used a fat longboard/skateboard wheel because inline wheel was too narrow for my purpose.

You just know that the wheel and bearing might last longer than the bike.

 

[rafgram]

Thanks for the advice on teh bolts and set of nuts, I did it and I just finished a nice skate board wheel tensioner, I'll post pics later..

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

My chain also needed encouragement to remain on track on my skateboard wheel. I used your suggestion, chucked the wheel into my 1/2" electric dril and grooved it with a half-round file.

Thanks for the tip, RedGreen.l