fuji86

Anyone know what they are called ? I want a pair for my bike. Anyone know where they can be found ?

10 Wheels

Not sure?

Might need more info.

Squirrelli

Chain tugs.

https://www.benscycle.net/index.php?m...fed825f404e749

Dan Burkhart 

Looks like a Surly Tuggnut.
https://surlybikes.com/parts/tuggnut/
Look for a Surly dealer. I used to be one, but I ain't any more.

Danzaxbonanza

https://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_S...ils&ProdID=593

fuji86

Hmmmm, nice but pricey. Thanks for the lead on them, I think I found something more in my budget on ebay. The one's on my bike now are those ultra cheap chain tensioners like these:

https://cgi.ebay.com/3-8-BMX-Chain-Te...ts_Accessories

That cheap pos steel bends and I think these are more of what I'm after:

https://cgi.ebay.com/BICYCLE-BIKE-SIL...ts_Accessories
or
https://cgi.ebay.com/New-Origin-8-BMX...ts_Accessories
or
https://cgi.ebay.com/Sinz-Chain-tensi...ts_Accessories

Squirrelli

They are for BMX axles, which is smaller in diameter than a track hub axle.

I don't think they will fit and they might ruin the threads of the axle if you force them on.

fuji86

Pulled the trigger on these:



Everytime I've tried to adjust the chain, when I tighten the side without the chain, the darn thing moves in so that there is more slack in the chain than I want and it's not supposed to do that. Not that it's too loose, but it bothers me that I can't have total control of what the chain tension ultimately winds up being. This oughta do the job better ?

devin3294

those thingamabobs are called chain tensioners i believe

https://www.amazon.com/Redline-Alloy-.../dp/B0009R96X6

fuji86

Duly noted, if it requires additional drilling to bore it out a little more to fit, I'll do whatever it takes.

fuji86

Measured the axle bolt it's 3/8" and the description says it fits 3/8" axles. The nut is 15 mm. If it works out of the box fine, if not, there looks to be enough to drill out a little more. I'm always looking for an excuse to use my power tools.

This place is the best for a quick response for a solution !

whitekimchee

damn fuji I was gonna offer to sell my surly tuggnut to you for cheaper than msrp. brand new.

rustybrown

Bro, you'll get Scrodded for that talk.

fuji86

Do you have one or a pair ? I definitely wanted a pair to hold both sides in place. And actually the Origin 8's are subtle and understated, more functional rather than ornamental in comparison, which really is my preference. And it's an added bonus that they are 1/5 to 1/6 the cost of a pair of the Surly's. The less bike bling, the less likely for theft. Not wanting to insult anyone, but the Surly's are gaudy bike bling, while the Origin 8's are attractively functional, yet not pos cheap like the junk that came with the bike. The Surly, that would actually look nice on a lugged frame with chromed features. Maybe a pre-2011 Madison ? The Vilano I have is a blacked out theme, with silver aluminum where the brake pads interface. I guess it might work with it, because the rear gears are chrome silver, but who knows how big they are and how far they would protrude off the back end of the bike ? That was also a concern, didn't want it to be too big and add weight. I posted the pic because I couldn't find anything of an eyebolt that would work over at Home Depot and figured this is what I'd wind up having to settle for, either that or the cheap pos replacements like what came with the bike ? What came with the bike as a replacement and the effort to hunt those down really wasn't an option.

fuji86

Too easy, they are indicated as shipped already with a USPS tracking number. NV to Miami, FL.

TejanoTrackie 

A tugnut is only required on the pulling (right) side, and is pretty useless on the left.

fuji86

One side effects the other. I don't doubt one can get away with using it just on the chain (right) side, even not using them at all, but my bike has a problem where when I tighten the nut on non-chain (left) side it moves and loses the desired chain tension no matter how much I hold it in place, so I know I need it on the non-chain (left) side at least. And if it goes on that side, might as well use one on the chain (right) side to ensure both sides are adjusted and aligned to then tighten the nuts securely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCMM0...98860D73955BB2

The video indicates 1/4" to 1/2" of chain slack, the chain tensioner(s) I purchased will ensure I get this where it needs to be the first time, every time (both wheel alignment & proper chain tension).

seejohnbike

I manage to get away with just using one on the drive side, and it works just dandy. Many others get by with just one tensioner. HTFU.

Also, with regard to any chain slippage, the chain tensioners will help keep the axle in place when you tighten it, really it's the nuts that keep the thing in place. get good track nuts, make sure the dropouts are de-gunked and non-greasy, crank down good and hard with a proper wrench, and wheel slippage will be a thing of the past.

however, good on not getting the surly tuggnut!! I can't stress it enough. It looks pretty dope, but by having it's working parts all exposed like that isn't good for business. Only having the little thumbscrew isn't a little lame for good leverage/fine tuning, and one ill-placed bump against something, and the bolt could bend, and render the whole thing useless. happened to me. I got an mks one, and haven't looked back.

TejanoTrackie 

But dude, it has a bottle opener.

TejanoTrackie 

Both you and the video makes all of this way too complicated and confusing.

adriano 

half of an inch is not much.

fuji86

I agree, using one can get the job done. But these are sold as pairs, so why not use both of them ? The 2nd one is paid for and coming in the mail in the same package, so really it's not an inconvenience either way, using one or both. The wheel has to come off to put even just one of them on. So HTFU is un-necessary. You guys would have to be here to appreciate why I'm getting these things in the first place. The track ends are degreased and so on. When I properly tighten the nut down on the non-chain side, it moves and I've made several attempts and the same slippage occurs, over and over again. The chain has a noticeable sag in it.

The cheap chain tensioners that were with the bike as OEM, there are a few problems with them. First the threaded portion doesn't go to the base of the washer that fits on the axle bolt. This creates an issue where the axle adjusts too close to the ends of the track ends. I run out of threaded bolt when the other piece flexes & bends out of shape (it's not rigid enough to do the job). I would consider solving that by taking a link out of the chain, but as it is, the rear tire clears the seat tube by the thin width of my pointer finger, and I certainly don't have much room to really take out there. Second, the cheap chain tensioners were bent from day 1, the threaded bolt portions were not identical lengths and angle away from the centerline of the bike and ultimately the cheap piece of steel that actually presses against the track ends after a few tries at tightening it up, after those attempts, the threads at the base of the chain tension are now stripped too, so I wind up using a 2nd nut on it and at a certain point the first nut becomes spacer too. I can make the crap I have work, but it doesn't work very well. And another thing, when I tighten the nut, the chain tensioners rotate with the tightening process, so now that's not aligned properly.

Advantages of the new parts. Stronger materials, they are straight, they have no stripped threads, they have a track end alignment on the washer. The new parts are going to be a joy to use, a smartly engineered part designed to do the job right, the first time, every time. I may even be able to have that sense that the bike will stay together and I can actually ride the bike instead of tightening and loosening a couple of nuts that are never going to adjust properly using the old hardware.

You know what "eff" it, I'll post pics so you can see what I'm dealing with here.

devin3294

I think your just going to have to get a whole new frame

https://allcitycycles.com/bikes/big_block_frameset/

Heres one with them already built in

fuji86

Pics:



As you can see, the threaded bolts of the cheap chain tensioner(s) are well beyond the track ends of the frame leaving unthreaded area. The non-chain side is not the same length (which doesn't bother me that much if the rest of the hardware functioned as intended). The little metal retainers are easily bent and these aren't solid, they are a hollowed square u-shape, because they are cheap steel. That's another thing, the edge of those retainers also can work their way underneath the axle nuts and that causes even more slippage when tightening the axle nuts. And the gap between the seat tube and the rear tire is pretty tight as it is, so taking a link of chain out is going to put that tire right next to the seat tube and I don't want the tire to rub or even be mm's away from the seat tube. Trust me, I've spent enough time looking at this from all angles and the way I'm proceeding is my best shot at success to get it the way I can live with it and be satisfied.

TejanoTrackie 

You've installed the chain adjusters incorrectly. They should be on the outside of the dropouts. The hub should bear directly against the dropout. The axle nut on the outside should bear on the adjuster. I agree that the stock ones are crap, but they should work. First adjust the right side and tighten down. If the chain is too tight, loosen the right nut and turn the adjuster a quarter turn out and repeat. The wheel should straighten out and be centered in the frame. If it doesn't, it's because you have a crappy frame / wheel, and you'll need to compensate by forcing the left side forward or backwards to get it centered.