FIX FITNESS

My treadmill's Belt Stops or Slows down when I step on it.: Ok. You may have noticed the fact that it only says "Belt" in the previous sentence. This was actually done for a reason. Now, in case you did not know this, just about every motorized treadmill has TWO belts on it - A walking belt(or running belt) and also a drive belt. Now that we got that out of the way, here are a few things you can further investigate to determine WHY your "Walking belt" is stopping or slowing down when you walk on treadmill:

- First, Let’s remove the hood cover on your treadmill.
- Now run the treadmill at 2.5mph with no one on it and see how it runs.
- Now go ahead and step onto the belt and see what happens...

There are a few specific things you should be looking for when doing this test:
1) When the walking belt stops does the Drive Motor also stop?
If yes, then it could be a weak Drive Motor or bad Motor Controller.
2) When the walking belt stops does the Drive Motor continue to run?
if yes, does the drive belt continue to run(slip or slide over the pulley)?
3) If the Drive motor still runs and Drive Belt does not, then you know that the Drive belt, connecting the front roller to the motor is the culprit. Next step is to tighten down the Drive Belt or replace it with a new one..
4) When the running belt stops and Drive Motor & Drive Belt continue to spin, does the front roller assembly still continue to rotate?(Tip: the area of focus is where the drive belt and pulleys are located, under the motor cover)
If the entire front roller continues to spin, then you will need to adjust the tension on the walking belt.
5) If just the pulley itself on the front roller has become disconnected and continues to spin, then you will more than likely need to replace the entire front roller as an assembly.
If you have determined that it is, in fact, your Walking belt that is the Slipping component, continue reading...: 1) Walking Belt Slipping:
a) A newer treadmill or walking belt can tend to get looser as it takes its shape from the innitial use(after installed or on a new treadmill). Aside from the the initial break-in or "stretch period," walking belts generally don't stretch very much further by themselves. So if you have an older treadmill, chances are that you should further investigate the reason as to why there is belt slippage, before you begin to start cranking down on some bolts orr adjustment screws.

b) The belt can slip if you have too much friction or if the belt has been recently lubricated. Attempt to lubricate by using a small amount of silicone Lubricant or another lube compatible with your treadmill. Before doing so, make sure you check with a Fix Fitness technician or your treadmill manufacturer for the recommended type of lubrication. If lubricating does not help your problem and you have exhausted all other possibilities, the walking belt, and/or walking deck surface, are more than likely worn out and must be replaced.

c) Before taking the steps to adjust the tension on your walking belt, be advised that an overtightened walking belt can(and will) raise the amp draw of your treadmill, contribute to seam separation on the walking belt, put undue strain on the roller bearings and also the drive motor or all of the above, so do not overtighten the drive belt.

d) As a general rule, you should be able to lift the belt in the center on the side by approximately 2" to 3". Some treadmills may be a bit less- some a bit more, but in general, if you cannot lift it by 2" to 3", it is likely too tight.

2) Another important thing to check, is to make sure that the drive belt between the motor and the front roller is not slipping.

a) All drive belts tend to wear with age and will wear more quickly if not aligned properly. Tightening the drive belt according to the directions in your owner's manual may prevent slippage but we don't recommend it since it is easy to overtighten and this can damage expensive drive system parts- you are much better off replacing the drive belt. Some models are designed with a misaligned drive belt so the treadmill can use the side load of the drive belt to reduce operating tension. These will always wear out quickly.

b) Treating the drive belt with belt dressing is always an option. The downside to this, is that it may cause unpleasant noise, especially if you have a somewhat quiet treadmill. Regardless, it should help the drive belt if slipping and will help prevent cracking and splitting of the drive belt.

c) If slipping of the drive belt persists after following these steps, the drive belt must be replaced. Many people often frown upon the idea of having to replace the walking belt on their treadmill, mainly due to the cost. But being We sell most styles of drive belts. The information printed on the drive belt will usually be all we need to provide a quote.

d) An overtightened drive belt can increse the amperage draw of your treadmill, contribute to bearing failures in the motor and/or rollers, so do not overtighten the drive belt.

3) The pulley on the front roller may have lost its grip on the front roller.

a) With the treadmill off, put a small piece of colored tape on an area of the pulley that you can see and put a corresponding piece on the roller tube. You can also use a colored, permanent marker like a Sharpie and draw a line from the pulley to the metal roller tube. Turn the treadmill on and while being careful, test to see what happens when the belt slips. If the drive belt and pulley continue to turn and the walking belt and front roller stop, the pulley has lost its grip on the front roller. If you couldn't see the pulley slip, compare the tape or the line. If the portions of the tape or colored line are still aligned, the pulley did not slip. Misalignment of the line or tape shows that the pulley and roller tube are not turning together and a failure of the pulley mount. This can sometimes be repaired by a professional or simply replaced by changing out the front roller assembly with a new one.
A Friendly Word of Caution for the DIY'ers out there:: Adjusting a treadmill is not necessarily a daunting task for alot of folks. It doesn't take any sort of special tools. Since it requires a screw driver and a hex wrench or two, in most cases, alot of DIY'ers will attempt to test their luck and try tackling this on their own...

As for our friendly word of caution, please be advised that improperly adjusting a treadmill can very quickly and easily lead to serious damage to the major drive components and electronics on the unit. We have personally heard about and seen a fair amount of misinformation and misleading tips that are like nails on a chalkboard to us. If you decide to research the internet for guidance, just be aware of where you're sourcing the information from... If you want to protect your investment and keep it running stong and reliable for years to come, please do yourself a favor and do not take this task lightly. We have worked on countless treadmills that have been severely damaged because customers that didn't follow the correct procedure to adjusting their treamill properly. Unfortunately, customers usually decide not to call us unitl it's too late. That being said, if you have any questions about any of your fitness equipment, please feel free to give us a call here at Fix Fitness. We're always here to help in any way we can.