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How to Keep your Treadmill RunningYou've finally got the home treadmill of your dreams. OK so that's a bit of an exageration, but let's face it, buying a treadmill is tough. Choosing the one you wanted out of the many on the market was nearly impossible. But you did it and your troubles are finally over. Well, they could be, if you take the time to maintain your new equipment. Chances are, this is the most expensive fitness investment you’ve ever made. Why not take the steps to prolong its life. One way of doing that is to have a regular maintenance schedule. A quality treadmill will not require frequent maintenance schedule. Upkeep for your treadmill includes dusting and the occasional belt lubrication. Here are some tips to help you maintain and prolong the life of your new purchase.. Keep it Dust Free and Clean The number one cause of premature belt failure is dirt. It's been that way since day 1. And the number one way of avoiding dust from totally ruining your precious home treadmill is to have a cleaning routine. Dust between the belt and deck at least one a week. The deck needs to be kept dry and free of debris at all times. It helps to keep the treadmill where it is relatively dust free. This will help minimize the dust that accumulates between the belt and deck. The following cleaning procedure should be applied about once a week or as needed. Wipe down display with a mild solution of Non-Phosphate cleaner on damp soft cotton. Notice I said damp and not wet. Wipe down handrails and traction strips with soft cotton cloth and mild soap and water. Again, the key word is damp. Vacuum or wipe down the deck area between frame and tread belt. For once a month cleaning: Unplug the treadmill and let it sit for 10 minutes. Take off the motor cover and vacuum inside the motor area. Be careful not to touch any of the electronics because they are static-sensitive. Slide a clean towel under tread belt and wipe the deck and under the belt. Then turn belt 180 degrees and do it again. Apply lubrication (only when recommended) under the tread belt. Check the drive belt tension and adjust as necessary. Check the tread belt tension and tracking and adjust as necessary. Adjust the Tread Belt Properly The best home treadmills are those that give you easy access to belt tracking. But even the best are susceptible to stretch slightly under initial use. That is why it is imperative that you adjust the tread belt every so often to keep down stretching. Most makers include the Allen wrench in the package when you purchase a treadmill. Use that to tighten both belt adjustment screws clockwise. If one was not supplied, you'll need to get one the correct size. A ¼ turn clockwise will tighten the tread belt if it has loosened during breaking in. The screws for belt adjustment are usually located at the rear end of the treadmill. Some belts do require looser running than others, so don’t be surprised if your tread belt is a little loose out of the box. Check the user’s guide before making adjustments just to make sure. Be sure to keep the belt running at a low speed of around 3 mph when adjusting the belt tracking. This is the ideal speed when making any adjustments with the screws. Ensure Proper Alignment of Belt The tracking adjustments may also be used to correctly align the belt of your treadmill. When adjusting your belt tracking, be sure not to turn either side more than ¼ turn at a time only. Belt tracking adjustments are almost always minor, so don’t overdo your adjustments. Roller knocking occurs with improper belt tracking. This must be avoided. If you hear a knocking noise when running your treadmill, chances are you have a defective roller. However, there are instances where the noise results from the belt placing too much force on the roller from side to side. You can tell the difference by listening. The knocking noise in the latter will be at a much slower rhythm than roller rotation. One way to reduce the load on belt is proper tracking. It will also help guide the belt and ensure 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. Caution: be careful not to over-tighten the belt when adjusting alignment. Use Treadmill on Level Floor Wonder why your home treadmill is making all those squeaking sounds? Well, before you decide to pick up the phone and place an angry call your manufacturer, check to see if your treadmill is running on a non-level floor. Often, the number one reason why treadmills make a squeaking noise and is belt mistracking is that people place their treadmills on ground that isn’t level. Most treadmills have level adjustment in rear supports. If your home treadmill cannot be leveled with the floor, then level the floor with your treadmill instead. Power Cord, Belt, and Deck We're stating the obvious here, but you should keep the power cord free and away from places where people are likely going to step on it. The same rule applies with all electronics. Also, make sure that the power cord is clear of the incline mechanism. As for the belt, it is accepted that you lubricate it every so often. When you do that, try to avoid using silicone or oils, unless the manufacturer recommends it. The ideal combination for a long-lasting treadmill is often a clean, dry and dust-free bed and belt. Only use silicone spray when the manufacturer recommends it. And even then, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions closely, especially when it comes to the schedule and type of lubricant. Some home treadmill decks may require initial waxing to help reduce friction with the belt. Unless recommended by the manufacturer, do not wax a deck. Lubrication to pretreated wax decks may gump the wax. Ensure Low Friction between Deck and Belt To begin with, you want low-friction contact between the deck and belt. High friction can result in damage to the motor. In addition, high friction belts will not coast when power is shut off. Neither will they be easy to dead-walk on when the power is off. Basically, high friction belts can cause the motor to stall – and that's an easy way to damage your tradmill's motor. . To avoid high friction contact between the deck and the belt, be sure to follow your home 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. Blown Fuses You don’t usually discover blown fuses unless you are doing or having someone do some technical diagnostics on your treadmill. And even then, it is generally not recommended for users to replace blown fuses in the motor or motor controller. When replacing blown fuses, you have to use the recommended fuse. This is true for any electronics. When it comes to treadmill fuses, however, you have to understand that they are not interchangeable with automotive fuses. And so, if you discover a blown fuse in your treadmill, do not even attempt to make replacements on your own. Instead, contact a dealer for proper replacement. My apologies to do-it-yourselfers. Ground to an AC Wall Outlet Why an AC wall outlet, you ask? Well, with many users owning treadmills that come equipped with computer consoles (such as those with programming), console crashes are becoming common. A computer crash may be anything that occurs out of the ordinary, such as a display blanking out, locking up, or not recording information. It could even be that the treadmill simply wouldn’t shut down. One way to diagnose if a crash is not due to a defect is to turn the treadmill power off and then on again. The process of cycling power on and off will reset the computers most of the time. If the crash is caused by a computer defect, this will likely result in loss of control to incline and speed or the treadmill may not start at all. One way to safeguard your treadmill from console crashes is to plug the equipment into a grounded AC outlet. If, however, the crash occurs frequently or is repeated, then it might be time for a replacement. Most manufacturers that offer warranties include console crashes in their warranty. Read the Owner’s Manual Ah ha, you knew it would come to this. All of the above are meant to be steps you take once everything else in the owner’s manual fails to yield the result you want. But as the old adage says: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” No amount of repair and maintenance tips can compare to what you can prevent by just reading through your treadmill owner’s manual. The manual contains all the tips and advice for your home treadmill’s proper maintenance – something you can really use if you want to save from costly repairs. All maintenance procedures should be listed in the manual, along troubleshooting guidelines, parts listings, and instructions on repairs. If you damage your treadmill from improper used or unauthorized tampering, you may as well forget about that warranty we recommended on the home page. Chances are, you voided it. Remember, if you are in doubt about proper handling of your treadmill, contact either your dealer or the manufacturer for recommended care.
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