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Is anyone having trouble with broken drive chains with TSS kit?

S

SuperchargedWS6

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Haven't had a chance to try out my TSS kit yet. I was at the parts store and heard that a few people have broke chains this past week in the mountains due to chains rubbing on the timbersled frame when the skid pivots.


Has anyone experienced this? Last thing I want on my 1st mountain trip is to be in the middle of no where and have this happen.


Thanks.
 
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Log on the the Timbersled Facebook site. Massive thread there with breakages and interim fixes.
 
Timbersled mountain horse snowbikers. This is the name of group on Facebook.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
every bike I have built since 2011 has had a suspended rear swing arm I have always ran a spring loaded chain tensioner there. IMO it is not only maintenance free but also the only way to go, you need to run a looser chain on the primary because no matter what there will always be a change in length there, it may be minimal but with a short chain there is less room for stretch. These tensioners are absolutely bullet proof, awesome, never had a single problem, designed and built in the US with US components, by a guy just trying to provide for his family. He worked with me to design a more compact tensioner to fit snowbikes.

http://www.monstercraftsman.com/brutus-clamp-on-tensioner/
 
from my weekend experience i was keeping an eye on the chain slack, part way through day 2 my chain loosened off and if I didnt tighten the tensioner i'm sure I would have snapped a chain link from the tensioner sprocket hitting the slack, but I do carry a spare 520 pitch chain and master links with me.
 
Had the same thing on the SX kit had to go to the largest possible sprocket on the bike and use the rest of the gears to bring gearing back down. This will of course lead to more track rubbing. A spring loaded tensioner is a must, and sprocket wear is still going to be a bit of an issue. But I never broke a chain and usually got a season out of the sprockets.
 
tomk said:
every bike I have built since 2011 has had a suspended rear swing arm I have always ran a spring loaded chain tensioner there. IMO it is not only maintenance free but also the only way to go, you need to run a looser chain on the primary because no matter what there will always be a change in length there, it may be minimal but with a short chain there is less room for stretch. These tensioners are absolutely bullet proof, awesome, never had a single problem, designed and built in the US with US components, by a guy just trying to provide for his family. He worked with me to design a more compact tensioner to fit snowbikes.

http://www.monstercraftsman.com/brutus-clamp-on-tensioner/
Click to expand...

interesting idea! That makes a lot of sense!

can you show a pic of one installed on your timbersled kit?
 
Popeye41 said:
Do you use the rubber wheeled tensioner or the sprocket type?
Click to expand...

the chain gets looser as the suspensions strokes - so a wheeled tensioner would keep the chain tight and away from the frame. a slider of some sort over the frame would work too...
 
Popeye41 said:
Do you use the rubber wheeled tensioner or the sprocket type?
Click to expand...

yes the rubber wheeled tensioner (brutus) is a softer rubber that will wear slightly until the rollers start to hit the rubber, the grove created acts as a guide for the chain. I have never seen a wheel wear more than to the rollers of the chain.

jmtuccini said:
At the risk of asking a stupid question...why is this not an issue with the wheel on?
Click to expand...

actually if not adjusted correctly it could be, when you set your chain tension on your wheeled bike there is a certain amount of slack you need. (traditionally I learned, 3 fingers between the swing arm and chain at the end of the chain slider on the top of the swing arm.) this is enough to account for the change in length of the motion of the supension. also with a longer chain (ie more chain links) your chain can stretch more with out breaking. More chain links=more allowable stretch.


As for pictures, I will do my best to get a pic asap, I tried to start building and selling my own design of kits a few years back, but it was too hard to compete with other companies and their loyal followers, so I stepped back for a bit. my kits were very similar on the "drive system" part of things to TS so it should give you an idea of how to install on a TS. There are a ton of options on the site for different configurations of tensioners, I would bet you could find one that would work.

http://www.monstercraftsman.com/categories/Tensioners/
 
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If this is an issue then TS/Polaris need to step up and get this resolved! I just spent over $7k and if the chain breaks in the back country it's going to be an issue! With the new Polaris support I hope they stand up to this! I don't plan on riding till first week or so of January so I have a little time!I don't think we should have to reengineer a solution ourselves,or pay money for a spring loaded tensioner either!
 
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