cam chain tensioners

[mike1969]

You can refurbish your wheel while it's still connected to the arm, if it's not real bad.
Use your bench grinder to smooth down the ridge in the middle and then grind down either side of the roller until you get the ridge high enough. Let the tensioner spin as you are grinding.
I've done several, they come out pretty good.

[Tim Allman]

I probably wasn't as clear as I could have been. Sorry.

I have the early style tensioner assembly with a badly worn wheel from my bike and a NOS new style assembly. I have noticed the offset you mention and realised that removing the new arm, spreading it and attaching it to the old aluminum part would lead to a wheel which wasn't centred on the chain. It would also misalign the rivet holes.

However, the wheels appear to be identical and I would like to take the one off the new tensioner (easy with a bench grinder) and install it in the old arm. I see that the rivet that attaches the wheel on both styles (and the primary chain tensioner too) is hollow and has and opening and scoop on one side to catch oil for lubrication. My question really has to do with replacing this rivet. Is it something one can buy perhaps or is it purpose made by Honda?

It has occurred to me as well that the rivets at the other end of the arms (the fixed end) are more conventional and are probably more easily dealt with. It seems to me that I might be able to remove the arms then narrow the arm mount on the old tensioner by grinding so that the new arm fits. I would of course make sure that the wheel is properly aligned.

I would be happy to have any feedback on this.

[mike1969]

Read my post previous to yours. We posted them at the exact same time.

[Tim Allman]

You can refurbish your wheel if it's not real bad.

I wish I could. This engine (and tensioner) has something like 40,000 miles on it. Not only is the wheel well dented by the chain, it has lost some small bits. My guess is that it has become brittle and not worth risking the engine.

[Hoosier Tom]

I don't mean to distract from Farm Shop's topic, just have a question.

The wheel on my cam chain tensioner is quite worn and I see a couple of E-Bay listings for just the rubber wheel.
It does not look as if Honda designed it to be replaceable. Have people successfully done this?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/261790983044?ssP ... 1423.l2648
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/231482280796?ssP ... 1423.l2648

They were not designed to be replaceable. What you have shown in the links is the idler wheel that gets affixed to the top case between the rods. Cappelinni makes different upgrades and replacements. Here is one of a few http://m.ebay.com/itm/360581237019

HT

[R100]

I don't mean to distract from Farm Shop's topic, just have a question.

The wheel on my cam chain tensioner is quite worn and I see a couple of E-Bay listings for just the rubber wheel.
It does not look as if Honda designed it to be replaceable. Have people successfully done this?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/261790983044?ssP ... 1423.l2648
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/231482280796?ssP ... 1423.l2648

They were not designed to be replaceable. What you have shown in the links is the idler wheel that gets affixed to the top case between the rods. Cappelinni makes different upgrades and replacements. Here is one of a few http://m.ebay.com/itm/360581237019

HT

Thanks - that clears that up for me.

[Tim Allman]

They were not designed to be replaceable. What you have shown in the links is the idler wheel that gets affixed to the top case between the rods. Cappelinni makes different upgrades and replacements. Here is one of a few http://m.ebay.com/itm/360581237019

Just to be clear, is this item a replacement for the tensioner wheel?