Chain Tensioners Maxed Out

[Buster1]

Guys and Gals,

My chain tensioners on my "new" Elgin are nearly maxed out. As far "in" as they will go. I have a few more turns until they will hit the stops. My skiptooth chain is pretty old...1939 probably. Do I need to pull a link somehow, and if so, how do I do that? Am I in any danger of having the axle too far back in the dropout?

 

[jpromo]

First, I'd check for a little thing called chain stretch. If your bike had a lot of miles put on it back in the day, then the pin holes can become slightly oblong. Spread a little bit across 56 links, it can add up. If it's enough, you will be able to feel it when you pedal; it's quite uncomfortable to ride as the teeth don't line up correctly with the links. You can also remove the chain and hold it up to a tape measure with a pin on an inch mark. Every inch should line up on a pin for the length of the chain (or within 1/8" or so).

I've had bad luck recently with some really stretched chains.. they're littering my chain drawer now.

If that checks out, then remove a link. Most chain tools should work but skiptooth chains are slightly wider.

 

[Larmo63]

Try a new chain first. A bitchen bike like that deserves a new (eBay) chain
and you might find even a new one will need a link taken out. Not a hard
process, if you get a proper chain breaker, it's really easy fix.

Good luck, chin, chin.

 

[scrubbinrims]

Pull a couple of links or buy a new chain with the correct amount (after counting what's on there now and subtracting 2) or buy a larger sprocket if you understand the hub dynamics.
It's more than a single link when dealing with a skiptooth.
Chris

 

[bikewhorder]

maybe you could get loner tensioners? I have a problem with my one elgin where the axle cant go back any further because the coaster brake arm is hitting the bolts for the drop stand but I have lots of thread left in my tensioner screws

 

[Buster1]

I think longer tensioners would put the axle too far back in the dropouts and be dangerous. I think they are made this length for a reason.

As for hitting the drop-stand nut, I have/had the same problem with this bike. I put a couple washers on each axle inside the dropout. That sets the frame slightly wider back there and allows for the drop-stand nuts to clear the moving parts. This frame wants to be wider naturally anyway.

Jason, I haven't counted my links yet, but I did check for stretch...and it looks perfect. Every pin at the 1" mark. It's about as accurate as to can get too, very exactly on each inch mark. I was amazed. So that can't be it I guess.

 

[militarymonark]

thats happened to me often, i just pop a link out with a punch