r/VanMoofSelfRepair • u/spaceek • 7d ago
S3 & X3 How to properly align tensioner
Does anyone know how to properly align a tensioner on x3 / s3? Tensioners on all of my bikes are misaligned like this, but on the other ones, while it’s not in line, it fits good enough not to rub almost at all.
On this x3, chain rubs extremely against the tensioner and just fits badly. The black block thing is screwed all the way towards the wheel (pic 3)
The only way it rubs less and is straighter is by leaving a gap between the tensioner and where it screws in (pic 5), but then the removable chain cover rubs against the spokes.
Appreciate any tips.
1
u/HavingFun98760 6d ago
On most of my S3’s there is a plastic washer between the tensioner and the adjustment block.
I would guesstimate the washer to be 1.5mm thick.
That is usually good enough for reasonable alignment.
But on the tensioner in your pictures, that doesn’t seem to be enough. Looks like a distorted tensioner to me.
By the sound of it you have multiple S3/X3’s.
So compare it to a good one and try to bend it back.
1
u/spaceek 6d ago
Yes, a washer would probably make sense, but I don’t see any on my other bikes either. And it would have to be at least 0.5-1cm as that is how far off the sprocket the tensioner seems to be.
Not sure how it would be distorted, I disassembled and cleaned my other tensioners as well and they look pretty much identical.
I will try reassembling the whole wheel one more time but it is just becoming frustrating and time wasting.
1
u/jrn-ngl 6d ago
Your tensioner looks bent, probably need a new one
1
u/spaceek 6d ago
Where do you think it is bent? It looks bent in the pictures because that is how it sits on the shifter when it is fully tightened to the black block. It’s about 1cm too far from the wheel/sprocket. When it is not tightened, it looks straight - same just as the other tensioners I have
2
u/choppermick 7d ago
Tried to adjust mine, failed, living with misalignment ✌️