The chain jumps teeth two months after install. You adjust the tensioner and it runs for a week, then it’s loose again. The tensioner is on the wrong side of the sprockets.
Which side is loose
If the drive sprocket sends power up to the driven sprocket, the top run is tight, the bottom run is loose. Put the tensioner on the loose side. That’s where the slack is; pressing the tight side does nothing because it’s already pulled taut.
Outside or inside
Most tensioners press on the outside of the loose strand. Simple, but it reverses the chain’s bend direction, which shortens chain life a little.
If the small sprocket needs more wrap, put the tensioner on the inside of the loose strand, pressing inward. This adds wrap on the small sprocket. Size the tensioner sprocket bigger than the chain pitch so the side plates don’t bind.
Vertical drives
When the sprockets are stacked vertically, one run is always tight and one always loose. Put the tensioner near the small sprocket on the loose side. Chain sag should be 2 to 3 percent of the center distance. Too loose and it skips teeth. Too tight and the bearings die fast.
Don’t run a spring-loaded tensioner that keeps pulling. Set it once and lock it. A spring-loaded tensioner over-tensions the chain as it expands.
