2002s4stage3

in doing the gasket replace, etc, Ive read the posts on this and other forums. All went well, until the end of the day and the wife was trying to get me in the house. I managed to break the ear off the driver side tensioner pad. lower part, broke off about 3/4".I researched online and found the sell the pad by itself for 95 shipped. I really dont want to have to take that whole thing out. I was thinking, the chain is tight. What is the easiest way to fix this? I dont have any dough right now to spend...think I can run it the way it is? Thoughts?

2002b5k4

im going to replace the pad....
think that will work.....yeah
ok ill do that then