Home made bb type tensioner
lef-t said:
I made my own dh type chain tensioner. I made the bracket that's held on with the bb cup shoulders. Wheel removal was easier and it never chain slaped.
I miss the sticky mud in northern arizona. It's one reason I went to single speed. Nothing works as good as a single speed in sticky clay.
Winters in the bike shop in Show Low, Arizona were pretty slow. I did a lot of napping, reading and surfing the net.
I used an old cassette to pop rivet a thick aluminum plate to. I left the teeth on to adjust with a chain wipe after you torque down the right bb cup.
I had to file away three little tabs on the cassette before it would fit over the cup.
The thin cassette cog doesn't throw the chain line off as much as a manufactured bb chain tensioner.
I used a MSR roller, they are about $10, they have two cart. bearings and roll very smooth.
The grove in the roller is cut off set so you can get optimum chain line by reversing the roller.
The big advantage is easier wheel removal and no chain slap. Looks clean too.
I works best in the push down mode, otherwise the roller sits too low underneath.
Once it's in the right place you can adjust the tension on the chain by sliding the roller up and down the long slot.
Cassette teeth are too hard for my drill so I used the existing holes to rivet the plate to it.
