Drive Chain tensioners

wasn’t there some MX bikes of old that used chain tensioners or rollers of some sort?
I’m curious to see if there may be something I can adapt to my now modified KZ900?
or even the concept that i could follow?

Some possibilities---




www.renold.com/Products/TransmissionChai...ockets/Roll_Ring.asp

www.freepatentsonline.com/3834246.html

www.husqvarna-parts.com/DRIVE_CHAIN_COMPONENTS.html

www.recmotor.com/productDetail.php?partID=429

i see some interesting stuff there. i'll have a look though it.
Thanks.

ddp=delete double post.

leon holmes

mark,the atv dragracers have to use spring loaded tensioners to keep from throwing the chains on the stretched out swingarm bikes.they are typically for 520 chains but could be modified or have a custom roller built.
remember the bottom of the chain is where the slack is,the top run is the one with the torque on it.

hth,
leon
p.s. here is the link
www.g-forcepowersports.com/ztrchte.html

here is one for half the price(although not as pretty)on ebay,hth.
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CHAIN-TENSIONER-...035882QQcmdZViewItem

leon holmes

That looks like it would work. Thanks Leon.

i think the tensioners are more geared for the long travel suspension, kinda redundant on our bikes. my KLR calls for about 1.75 inches of chain play but when it is fully compressed it takes up almost all the slack, you would think it is real loose when you look at it but it has something like 10-11 inches of travel in the back. the MX bike now have more than that. the tensioner keeps the chain a little tight when they are going over the jumps and all that so it does not pop off. are you having trouble with the chain or why do you want the tensioner?

the Shocks are a little long right now. this causes the swing arm to have a greater droop angle. as the shocks compress the chain gets very tight. I think this is causing excess chain stretch.
I feel that if I run a little more chain slack, that it will cause less stress on everything. the extra slack causes the chain to drag, top, and bottom. Therefore I am looking for options.
I could just buy shorter shocks, but right now I am tiring to figure out what is the best, swing arm angle, and shock angle.
anyone know of an option, for the top chain slack, during decal?
How would u best setup the bottom roller? I’m thinking u would have the rollers bottom most position, just bellow a tight bottom chain line. Then the spring would bring up the slack from there?

531blackbanshee wrote:

mark,the atv dragracers have to use spring loaded tensioners to keep from throwing the chains on the stretched out swingarm bikes.they are typically for 520 chains but could be modified or have a custom roller built.
remember the bottom of the chain is where the slack is,the top run is the one with the torque on it.

hth,
leon
p.s. here is the link
www.g-forcepowersports.com/ztrchte.html

This would be sooooo easy to make. all i need to find is the spring. any ideas are welcome.

mark i doubt a spring will be strong enough to give enough tension,
i suggest you think a hydrolic piston controlling the tension of the chain.

Leon seems to think it will work.
He said:
mark,the atv dragracers have to use spring loaded tensioners to keep from throwing the chains on the stretched out swingarm bikes.they are typically for 520 chains but could be modified or have a custom roller built.
remember the bottom of the chain is where the slack is,the top run is the one with the torque on it.
:side: