If you’re hearing a drumbeat from your treadmill, it’s time to pay attention to the treadmill belt. Before anything else are visible, the sound is what alerts you. Instead of sliding smoothly along deck, the belt buckles against it.
It start making more noise. And as you jog in the morning, it’s no longer a cardio workout, it’s a test for structure of the machine. That’s right: It’s time to service the treadmill belt.
Not that it’s actualy broken; it’s just cranky. The next step and where most of us freak out as an owner: We think we have a dead motor. We think there’s no hope of fixing it.
The truth is that you’re supposed to service deck and belt assembly. Just like the tires on your vehicle, it wear and needs regular maintenance and adjustments to work properly. Not attending to this will cause long term damage to deck.
Repairing the deck cost way more then repairing the belt. Service yourself instead of paying someone else. And do it faster than waiting on a new one.
You can bring it back to life with just a handful of tools and time. Loosen some bolts; slide the belt around; adjust the tension. Piece of cake.
Too much tension on your belt will burns up the motor. Too little tension on your belt mean constant slipping. Getting it dialed in is the difference between riding smoothly and writing a check for a repair.
Simple Steps to Fix Your Treadmill Belt
Signs You Need Treadmill Belt Service
How do you adjust the tension without marring deck or rounding out the screws? Here ya go. Unplug the treadmill first.
You don’t want electricity and moving parts when your hands are in range. After it’s safe, look behind frame of the treadmill for the adjustment bolts. They is typically located toward the back of the treadmill frame on either side of belt.
How to Adjust Belt Tension
They are usually hexagonal. Use an Allen wrench (commonly supplied with the treadmill) to tighten each bolt about a quarter turn to the right. Doing this will move the belt to the left.
If the belt is creeping to the right, adjust the bolts to the left. A small adjustment go a long way here. Don’t overdo it.
Centering the Treadmill Belt
The next challenge is to make sure the belt centers up on the machine. An off-center belt wear unevenly and will ultimately fray at the edges. With the machine unplugged, adjust it as necessary, then plug it in and run it slowly while walking.
From the rear, observe the belt. Adjust slightly, a tiny bit at a time. Make minor tweaks until the belt runs dead center.
It take some patience. Don’t rush this step or you’ll have a wobbling belt that will drive you nuts while using the treadmill. Being centered mean even wear, which extends life of the belt and the underlying deck.
Testing Belt Tightness
Lastly, check the tension. It shouldn’t be rock hard, but neither should it be loose. Here’s a good rule of thumb: Lift the belt up in the center.
You want it to come up two to three inches from the deck. Too tight? It doesn’t move at all.
Too loose? It lifts up more than three inches. Remember, a tight belt will cause extra stress on your bearings and motors causing them to fail premuturely.
This is a very common mistake. Don’t try tightening the belt again just to keep from slipping. Let it breathe.
Lubricating the Treadmill Deck
It’s easy to overlook lubrication, but it go a long way toward keeping your treadmill alive. Over time, the belt create heat as it rubs against the deck. Applying silicone oil help reduce friction and guards the plastic deck from heating up.
Check your manual if your treadmill needs lubrication. It’ll tell you how. Simply pour some silicone oil onto the deck where the belt meets and let the treadmill roll to distribute it.
Doing this three times per year prevents a small problem from becoming a big problem later on. Lastly, check out the deck. Dark burn marks and deep scratches mean your deck has been damaged.
Inspecting for Deck Damage
A ruined deck cannot be fixed by adjusting the belt. Instead, you’ll probably have to change the belt AND the deck. That’s a bit more work than just replacing the belt, but it does save rest of the treadmill.
For most folks, they waits too long, until their treadmill won’t start at all. Catching it early means you can continue running without interruption. Adjusting or replacing the treadmill belt isn’t rocket science, but it is something to take seriously.
Keeping your home gym up and running takes just a little bit of maintenance, so now that you know how, take the time to do it correctly and your machine will thank you with each stride forward. A few turns of a wrench is all that stands between you and the smooth, quiet run you’ve been waiting for. You should of checked this sooner.
