Auto chain tensioners

[phabib]

I'm doing a total tear down and rebuild of a Max IV, I'm wondering about auto chain tensioners such as these Lovejoy, Inc. : Products : Rubber Suspension : Tensioner Devices. Has anyone done it, or have good knowledge of these vs. just a stationary idler? Since I've got a bare frame out of the tub this seems like the time to do it if I'm going to.

[Tomo]

hi
The idea u have is great but....
Think about the design first .
The 6x6 is a forward/reverse operating chain system .
This is the biggest obstacle in creating a good tensioner system
This is similar to the early argo design where they used double sided spring loaded system .This would have worked if it were not so light duty
The tensioner u have mentioned would work if there were 2 units installed either side of the loop .
The last consideration is the pulsation of load either going forward then reverse or forward then slowing then accelerating again . A ""spring"" loaded tensioner has a hard time dealing with this . Eg when the difficult situations occur the tensioners do not work .... This will cause issues wear etc

The only way I see around it is to run a fixed mount tensioner with a roller
The KEY is to run the chain drive and slack sides parallel to each other from new NO DROOP . Then run the most over engineered tensioner u can manufacture .

As a side note try a "Snap Idle" chain tensioner .I have read on 6x6 that a 1 or 2 argo owners have tried these.
tomo [hope this helps u out ]

[onlyonce]

Couple of good sources. Chain tensioner, chain turnbuckle - All industrial manufacturers

[mudbug3]

I installed the Snap Idle chain tensioners on the T-20 chains of my Max IV. They work fine is you drive very slow and easy, but when you need a fast burst of throttle, the upper and lower chains try to pull the Snap Idle apart. Then you have to take each side of the Snap Idle apart and reposition it again. I would not recommend the Snap Idle Chain tensioners to be used on any amphib. You need a fixed chain adjuster. The Argo Centaur and the Titan both a chain tensioner that is spring loaded on the top and bottom of the chain. These tensioner have been proven to work through years of use. The down side to installing this kind of chain tensioner is that you need a really deep chain well to allow for the deflection of the upper and lower chains.

[onlyonce]

What type of tensioner is used in the Mudd-Ox? And do they work well?

[mudbug3]

The Mudd-Ox uses a fixed chain tensioner that pulls up on the lower chain and adjust from the top. It's a good design for a fixed chain tensioner.

[Tomo]

hi, mudbug3
The snapidle tensioners u used do they start to not run in the central groove correct ?
From the pictures I thought the tensioners were bolted/screwed together, problems with this ??
Would the application be totally different on the axle to axle chains due to the sprockets being the same size ?

tomo

[mudbug3]

Tomo


The Snap Idle chain tensioners are really made for a chain that runs in one direction , and a constant speed, for not for chains that fly apart suddenly. If I drove slowly and eased on the throttle progressively, the Snap Idle , chain adjusters worked fine. They worked good for about two weeks. The second week after I installed the Snap Idle adjusters I went on a group ride with two friends who also had amphibs. The problems with the Snap Idle adjusters started when I had to use a sudden burst of throttle to power through a mud hole and then suddenly skid steer around a tree that was directly in front of me . This caused the Snap Idle adjusters to be pulled apart VERY quickly! When you put a tremendous amount of pressure on the small bolts that fit through the nylon plates that are on either side of the Snap Idle adjuster, this causes the bolts to tear right out of the nylon attachment holes. Now your Snap Idle adjuster isn't applying the correct amount tension on the chains and the chains become VERY LOOSE! The only way I see a Snap Idle chain adjuster working for our applications, is if it was held together with springs on either end. I don't think it will make any difference at all on what chain you installed the Snap Idle, adjusters on an amphib.

[rodp]

Do you think the snap idle principal would work if the rollers for each run of chain (top and bottom) were held together with heavy steel side plates ?

[Tomo]

hi,
The search continues for the holy grail of tensioners .....

Does any one have pictures of the upgraded 2010 Mudox chain tensioner ???????????

tomo

[mudbug3]

Tomo

Imagine a piece of steel box tubing with slot milled in the front it facing the chains. Now imagine a piece of angle iron with a nylon shoe attached to it that pulls up on the bottom chain. There is a piece of angle iron on the inside of the box tubing that faces the opposite direction of the piece of angle iron with nylon shoe on it on the outside of the box tubing. On top of the box tubing is a plate wielded to it that has a threaded hole drilled in the middle of it. Through the threaded hole is a piece threaded rod that runs down through a hole in the center of the piece of angle iron that's inside of the box tubing. This rod is wielded to the angle iron to stop it from being pulled out. On top of the box tubing with the square plate wielded on top of it, is the steel threaded rod that is double nutted to hold the correct chain tension on the bottom chain when it is properly adjusted.