Broken Chain Tensioner Bolt

[pchoiboi]

To the members of DMF, I need your help
Heard rattling while riding today and found that the chain tensioner bolt was bent
so in my infinite wisdom, i decided to take the bolt all the way out, only to find out
that i broke the screw within the bolt.



Would I be okay to ride with the bolt out?

Any recommended course of action?

[Dirty Duc]

I wouldn't ride without that.

COA 2:
Buy a replacement from a recycler (ebay or wherever you prefer) and install.  Tension chain and align rear wheel.

[Howie]

I would ride the bike with caution like that for now, but you do want to fix it.  There is a possibility the axle could move without it.  Assuming you did not break the adjusting shoe you are looking at maybe about $10 in parts.

[Dirty Duc]

I just know I'm constitutionally incapable of riding with sufficient caution for that to be a good idea.

[pchoiboi]

Thanks for the response DirtyDuc and Howie 

I'll start looking for a sliding shoe assembly

[seevtsaab]

BTDT but I was lucky and didn't damage the adjusting shoe, destroyed the bolt though.
Chewed the hell out of the end of my swing arm also, matches the rest of the bike now.

Very good reason to insure you lightly (~7 ft-lbs?) torque the adjusting bolts after tightening the axle nuts.

I found a suitable bolt at a local hardware store, the 1/2" head is barely compatible with the original 12mm.

[pchoiboi]

I was hoping it was a simple replacement of the bolt but there is something like a mini-screw inside that broke when I took it all the way out.

I just opted to buy the whole assembly from ebay that Ducpainter found
Rather feel safe than sorry
i'll be sure to lightly torque the bolt when i get it on

[Cloner]

The tensioner does NOTHING to position the axle after the axle nuts are tightened, so it would bother me not at all to ride a bike missing an adjuster screw.  As mentioned, you should give 'em a little tweak once the axle is tightened to insure they're locked in, but that's just to keep from losing them, not to keep the axle from moving.  Find a replacement but don't sweat its MIA status as long as the axle is in the right place and properly tightened.

My 2 cents.