Tag Archives: treadmill parts treadmill repair

HOW TO OWN A TREADMILL THAT LASTS FOREVER!

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Well, maybe not forever but I promise the information you are about to read will add years to your treadmill and $$$ in your wallet.

When purchasing a treadmill, many people don’t consider the importance of proper maintenance. All new owners of treadmill must be willing to take the time to maintain the equipment just as you would any other major investment. Treadmill owners must make a conscious effort to factor the maintence time into your schedule and consider this prior to purchase. Just like anything, if you are proactive in the maintenance of your treadmill, you will add years to the life of your investment.

Proper cleaning for the exterior of the treadmill is required due to sweat being highly corrosive. This exterior maintence can be accomplished by merely wiping down the unit after each and every workout. In addition, wiping down the belt and deck with a damp cloth will clean any debris that may effect the performance of the treadmill.

That being said, the most important component of the treadmill is the belt. The belt is what drives the motor and your workout. A malfunctioning belt can cause many problems within the internal workings of the machine.
There are really just a few rules to follow in maintaining and ensuring the longest life of your walking belt.
*The most crucial ingredient to adding years to your walking belt is adding supplemental lube when recommended (see your owner’s manual). Proper lubrication will extend the life of any treadmill walking belt considerably.

http://www.treadmilldoctor.com/Walking-Belt-Lube-Instructions

*Keep the treadmill clean, and evacuate any debris on or around the treadmill.
*Do not place your treadmill in any extreme conditions. Treadmills should always be in a climate controlled room away from sources of dust and dirt.
*Maintaining proper belt tension and tracking (belt should run parallel to the treadmill frame). This will maintain the belt in good working order.

http://www.treadmilldoctor.com/Drive-Belt-Adjustment

*Keep your treadmill on a level surface. Some treadmills have level adjustments on the rear supports. A treadmill will not track properly if it is not on a level surface.

WHEN TO CHANGE A WALKING BELT

It is rarely too soon to change a walking belt, but it is often too late and then major damage may have occurred that cannot be undone without a wad of cash being spent.
Although the exterior or walking surface of the belt may not be esthetically pleasing this does not mean it is ready for replacement. It is the underneath side of the belt that is not visible that matters the most.
If your treadmill belt is torn, curled up or bare you are in need of a new belt.
A telltale sign of needing a new walking belt is usually noticed first when users are having problems with speed change at the beginning of a workout.
Another rule of thumb, a walking belt should almost always be changed every 2 to 3 years with regular use.
Many times, you can change a treadmill belt yourself to save additional money!

http://www.treadmilldoctor.com/Troubleshooting-Belt-Installation-Keys-kf

If you are uncomfortable with the idea, call a reputable treadmill repair company in your area.

While changing the belt you may notice that the deck of the treadmill has major wear (bare areas or ruts). Often, you can turn over a used deck (see owner’s manual) if you have a reversible deck. Cheaper treadmills typically only have a single sided deck.
If the treadmill deck is not reversible, you will need to purchase a replacement. You can visit us (treadmilldoctor.com) for a lower cost replacement deck. Make sure you have the make, model and serial number of your treadmill handy so that we may assist you quickly.

Hopefully the pointers listed above will greatly extend the life of your treadmill belt, wallet and your ability to utilize your treadmill to its fullest capacity.

Do It Yourselfer’s: Treadmill Maintenance That Can Save You A Ton Of MONEY!

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We love the Do it yourself market!

The DIY’ers are our target market at Treadmill Doctor and we love that we can save people a ton of money on their fitness equipment repairs. However, sometimes a well-intended DIYer is misled by bad information they find on the web or by a lack of knowledge. We hope the following story will help at least one of you in your next treadmill repair experience.
John T. is a fantastic customer and has a huge assortment of fitness equipment in his home. He does a ton of the repairs himself, but when he gets stumped he calls us or has one of our guys come out. Knowing he is quite handy, when he calls into our call center he is usually calling for a quick question or to verify his own findings in troubleshooting. EXCEPT for the 1 time he chose to go with his gut!
John has a Proform 525 and had just called to order a new walking deck to replace the existing deck. He was thrilled to find out that our decks are reversible! He was able to save some money! John, excited about the savings, takes the treadmill apart and reverses the deck. We had always instructed John that if you replace a deck you most certainly should replace the belt.
New treadmill deck = New walking Belt
Commercial Treadmills are unique. If a belt or deck is changed, the corresponding part should also be changed. Residential treadmills are used only by the owners of the machine; therefore, users may change a walking belt without changing the deck, but only if the proper maintenance schedule has been maintained and the deck is still in good physical condition.
John, thinking that his Treadmill Doctor deck is reversible assumes the Proform 525 walking belt must be also! So he moves forward with the repair and reverses the 525’s walking belt inside out. He gets it put back together, and Voile! Looks like a new treadmill!
A day later, John starts his treadmill up and begins his workout. A few minutes into warm up, his treadmill shuts down! Puzzled, he checks the breaker, safety key, and outlet….everything is in working order. He was thrilled after checking these common culprits, the 525 starts up again! Within 3 to 5 minutes his machine shuts down yet again! He takes the motor cover off and turns the treadmill on again. He realizes that the thermo switch is opening up and shutting his machine down. John is knowledgeable about wiring and electricity. He decides to bypass the thermo switch. He turns the machine back on and walks a couple of minutes, he is pleased with himself! The machine is going strong for 8 minutes! Unfortunately, a few minutes later he smells a slight odor, and then sees smoke! He quickly shuts the machine down and looks to see what has occurred! Melted wires! The treadmill has over heated and is no longer functioning! Mortified, he calls our service department. He tells Steve everything that has occurred and waits for the diagnosis.
Steve tells John that the first error: no walking belt is reversible,….ever! The 2nd issue is that any bypass of a manufacturer overload protection is a sure fire way to void your warranty and experience “thermal impact” or complete overheating of your internal components.
The result:
After going thru the treadmill, Steve informs John that he will need to order a new Motor Control Board, new treadmill motor and new walking belt…total $349.97