First question... do I have to use them? Can I just bolt the wheel down without using these making sure I give room to move the wheel to get it off the chain? And can I use a modern bolt from a box store rather than shelling out money to buy these little buggers? There are NOS ones on ebay but 19 bucks but it's hard to justify that money for bolts.... (atleast to the wife). Thanks for the help!
Prewar chain tensioners
- Thread starter Euphman06
- Start date
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I have run bikes without them and had no trouble. As far as buying them from Home Despot...sometimes they are oddball threads so get out your thread gauge 
Euphman06 said:
Pretty much no bicycle has used them since about 1945, so you certainly don't "need" them. If the truth be known, on my rider they make no contact with the axle and are just going along for the ride.
what Doug said.
and if you can't find the correct thread, I've used a smaller size (8-32 I think), and put a not on either side to make the adjustment.
and if you can't find the correct thread, I've used a smaller size (8-32 I think), and put a not on either side to make the adjustment.
