Fitting a Surly Tuggnut Chain Tensioner

graeme_s-2

I'm really lazy when it comes to keeping the chain on my fixie tensioned, so I decided to order one of these to make it a bit easier. I know roughly what they should look like when they're on, but how do I go about fitting one?

demmerson

http://www.63xc.com/rickc/tuggnuts.htm

graeme_s-2

Lovely, thank you!

Think I may have to wait a while, as I've just realised they're on back order at Wiggle (where I ordered it yesterday without paying much attention to stock). Hopefully it won't be too long!

2wheelzgood

yeah I was wondering how they worked.. I may be daft but you run the axel trough it and somehow that stops it slipping? Does the tugnut have a lip to brace against the end of the dropouts or something?

Are there any alternatives other then hubjub ££$£$£$?

graeme_s-2

Even after reading the guide, and having had a look at someone else's fixie with one fitted I'm still not entirely sure how they work. I'll see if I can fill you in once mine turns up and I fit it!

2wheelzgood

teehee I know how they work
I got given a spare one from a mate.
Basically the thing fits in the dropouts so the axle goes through it. then the bolt goes back and has the end on it which sits in the rear (open end) of the drop out, catching the end of the frame. For this reason you need to make sure the chain tug fits your frame. some frame dropouts are too long, so the bolt won't reach. Others (track ones I think with wide axles) have very wide dropouts so the end piece of the chain tug needs to be wider than the gap in the dropouts if that makes sense.

so if you tighten the bolt, it brings the part supporting the axle closer to the rear of the dropout, tightening the chain. once at the correct tightness, do up the axle bolts.

nice and easy to fine tune chain tension. Make it a tad trickier to remove the wheel but hey.. no movement of the wheel when riding!

demmerson

Presumably it works in the same way as the slightly less pretty but perfectly functional On-One tugs on my Pompino. The adjusting screw fits against the end of the track end so screwing it in or out moves the axle and wheel backwards or forwards. I presume you have got track ends and not forward facing dropouts?

graeme_s-2

I have track ends, yup.

The tugs I had a look at the other day were on a Pompino, and they looked functionally identical to the Surly one.

graeme_s-2

My Tuggnut has arrived, it also has some pretty straight forward instructions. Having had a look at it I now properly understand how it works. There's a t-piece on the wheel side of the Tuggnut, which means when you tighten the screw you're actually pulling the back wheel backwards rather than (as I had previously thought) pushing it forwards. :oops:

graeme_s-2

Right, I've fitted it during my lunch, and my chain is considerably tighter than it's ever been before, while not binding anywhere, which makes me very happy.

On the downside I found it very difficult to get the wheel to stay straight, as I tightened the screw on the tuggnut the wheel was inevitably pulled to the chain side, leaving it sat wonky. After a bit of a play around I got it reasonably straight, but it seemed a bit of a fiddle. Any suggestions on getting a tight chain line while keeping the wheel straight?

ride_whenever

well the tugnut wont move, so tighten to just short of ideal position, then use the rim of the wheel as a lever to bring the wheel straight...

redvee

Two tuggnuts to keep the wheel straight in the frame. Is there any harm in putting the tuggnuts or similar on the inside of the frame? Scrimping and saving to get a frame with horizontal dropouts and will run run fixed at times so will need the tuggnuts.

Graeme_S
Any chance of a pic of the reverse side of the tuggnuts? All the images I've seen only show the front face.

TIA

graeme_s-2

ride_whenever wrote:

well the tugnut wont move, so tighten to just short of ideal position, then use the rim of the wheel as a lever to bring the wheel straight...

I'm an idiot, I'd never have thought of that. I think in my head I think of wheels as being delicate items, which is nuts as they get hammered along awful roads with my weight bouncing around on them, so they're unlikely to be damaged by me pushing and pulling them about a bit, especially not the bomb proof wheels on my fixie.

redvee wrote:

Any chance of a pic of the reverse side of the tuggnuts? All the images I've seen only show the front face.

I've already fitted it, but I'll see what I can do. If I'm feeling particularly charitable over the weekend, then I might remove it and photograph the reverse side.

ride_whenever

If you run a tugnut on the inside the it affects the spacing. Hence you can run 130mm hubs on a pompino with 135mm spacing by poping a tug on the inside.