chain tensioner

[alain]

How do you adjust the chain on a new argo, do you just pull on the chain tensioner.....

[Noel Woods]

The new Argos should auto adjust. Every now and then you should hear a strong click as the adjuster takes up slack by moving to the next position. Debris can get into the mechanism, so occasionally inspect the internals for twigs or other debris. You can take a flat tipped screw driver to push the mechanism down for inspection, if you push it down and it loosens, just grab the thing and pull it up to take out the slack. The Argo adjusters are first rate so should take very little effort on your part.
The front chains will not have an adjuster, and are placed on tight. When they loosen up, you have two options: 1) replace the chains. 2) Rig up a floating adjuster, I use a floating one on the front and it's a Snapidle brand, and those require manual adjustment.

[BLASTER]

Do you have a part number for the Snapidle? I own a frontier and noticed today that the tensioners self adjusted over the weekend and see that the front chains are getting slack.
Thanks
J

[Noel Woods]

Here is the website:

https://www.snapidle.com/products/detail.html?galleryid=18

[BLASTER]

Noel, do they work well? I'm thinking they will ad quite a bit of live to the chain.

[BLASTER]

One more question, how many hours can one expect to get out of a set of front chains, I have Adaire tracks and wondering if the tracks will stretch the chains sooner on the machine than off.
Thx

[john swenson]

i'm not sure but i believe that chains will stretch much sooner than they will wear out to the point of needing replacing. that's why tensioners are used. i would be interested to know why argo has them on the back but not front. is it due to a tight space ? johnboy

[Noel Woods]

The Snap Idles do work well, remarkable well actually. They add a lot of life to the front chains as Argo doesn't utilize an adjuster for the front chains, the lifespan on a set of chains depends on many things such as how the machine is driven, light offroading vs heavy mortar like mud, how well the chains are lubricated and maintained and in chain tension. Obviously if there is no tensioner the chains will have to be replaced once they start getting loose, the snapidles will allow proper tension to be placed on the chain which will improve the lifespan. The Snapidles will have to be adjusted manually but the other chains actually need to be checked even with the automatic tensioners because they can get jammed with debris and gunk. In my opinion, chains can't be over oiled either. I get a lot of life out of my chains as a result.
I think the reason Argo left adjusters off the front chains is because there isn't much room for them in the space they have. The beauty of the snapidle adjusters is that they take very little space up and free float on the chain itself. Some guys have even used them on the t20 chains of their Maxes.
I don't think the Adair tracks take anything away from chain life.

[ARGOJIM]

As pure speculation and what I have seen there are a few reasons, the same adjusters as the current style were used for a while but removed.
Chain/adjuster noise was the biggest complaint partially due to the size of the wear pads and the size of the adjusters teeth there was an almost constant clatter up front and the chain had to get very loose to become adjustable ( perhaps to the point of needing replacement anyway), the kits were mounted high, sharp, really too large for the area and made bearing service a nightmare almost always resulting in blood during axle change or even some greasings.


My opinion only.

[jhayden]

Its 13 years ago for these posts but the info is still appreciated
Thanks argo jim !