Treadmill Maintenance Tips Keep treadmill clean and dust-free. Avoid walking on your treadmill with dirty shoes (sand or dirt
stuck in shoe treads) as foreign matter is a serious cause of premature
belt & deck wear. The walking deck should be dry and free of
debris such as sand, dirt, dust, and shoe debris. Make sure the
area where you place your treadmill is relatively dust-free. It
is recommended that your place your treadmill on an equipment mat
if being placed on capeted floors as the static from the motor can
suck in carpet dust and fibers, harming your treadmill. If you choose
to forgo a mat, just regularly vacuum under and around your unit. A properly adjusted treadbelt should never slip.
Most treadmills will provide the user with easy access to belt
tracking. Treadmill belts may stretch slightly under initial use
and may need tightening. Using the allen wrench supplied with your
treadmill, or another of the right size, tighten both belt adjustment
screws clockwise. 1/4 turn clockwise should tighten treadbelt if
it has loosened from breaking-in. Belt adjustment screws are usually
located at the rear of the treadmill. Some belts require looser
running than others, so check the user's guide before making adjustments.
Belt should be running at a low speed (around 3 m.p.h.) when adjusting
belt tracking. Make sure belt is properly aligned. The tracking adjustments are also for proper belt alignment, so
be sure not to turn either side more than 1/4 turn at a time since
belt tracking adjustments are minor. Improper belt tracking may
result in roller knocking. A knocking noise may indicate a defective
roller, however, it is usually a result of the belt placing too
much force on the roller from side to side. In this case, the knocking
noise will be at a much slower rhythm than roller rotation. Proper
tracking reduces the load on belt guides and ensures that the front
and rear rollers are parallel. Follow the manufacturer's directions
on belt tracking to keep from misaligning or over-stretching the
belt. Be careful not to over-tighten belt when adjusting alignment.
Use a level to level treadmill with floor. Squeaking sounds and belt mistracking are most often the result
of a non-level floor. Treadmills usually have level adjustment in
rear supports. If your treadmill cannot be leveled with the floor,
then level the floor with your treadmill. Keep power cord free and clear from treadmill.
Make especially sure the power cord is clear of the incline mechanism.
Keep belt and deck dry. Unless recommended by the manufacturer, avoid use of silicone
or oils to lubricate the belt. A clean, dry, dust-free bed and belt
combination is ideal for a long-lasting treadmill If silicone spray
is necessary for belt lubrication, then follow manufacturer directions
closely for application schedule and type of lubricant. Some treadmill
decks may require initial waxing to help reduce friction with the
belt. Do not wax a deck unless recommended by the manufacturer.
Lubrication to pretreated wax decks may gum up the wax. Ensure low friction between deck and belt. You want low-friction contact between the deck and belt to begin
with. A high friction deck and belt will result in damage to the
motor electronics. High friction belts will not coast when power
is shut off, nor will they be easy to dead-walk on when the power
is off. High friction belts can also cause the motor to stall. Again,
be sure to follow your treadmill manufacturer's guidelines for proper
deck and belt maintenance. Lubrication when unnecessary can lead
to excessive amp draw and subsequent damage to motor electronics.
Replace circuit breaker fuses with the correct
fuse. Blown fuses are usually discovered from technical diagnostics.
It is generally not recommended for users to replace blown fuses
in the motor or motor controller. Fuses must be replaced with the
recommended fuse, and treadmill fuses are not interchangeable with
automotive fuses. If a blown fuse is discovered, contact a dealer
for proper replacement. Safeguard against console crashes by grounding
to an AC wall outlet. Treadmills with a computer console (such as those with programming)
are subject to crashes. A computer crash is anything that may occur
out of the ordinary, such as a display blanking out, locking up,
or not recording information, or the treadmill simply shutting down
altogether. To determine if a crash is not due to a defect, just
turn the treadmill power off and then on again. Cycling power on
and off will reset computers most of the time. Computer defects
will result in loss of control to incline and speed, and the treadmill
may not even start at all. To help ensure against crashes, plug
treadmill into a grounded AC outlet. If your treadmill computer
console experiences repeated or frequent crashes, then it may need
to be replaced. Read your treadmill owner's manual. Just reading through your treadmill owner's manual may save you
from costly repairs. All maintenance procedures should be listed
in the owner's manual, along with troubleshooting guidelines, parts
listings, and instructions on repairs. Damage to your treadmill
from improper use or unauthorized tampering can result in the manufacturer
voiding the warranty. If in doubt about proper handling of your
treadmill, contact either your dealer or the manufacturer for recommended
care. |