Why So Many Broken Treadmills?

Hello Hello! I’m getting a lot of questions about treadmills that have broken or worn out belts, broken pulleys, consoles, drive belts, end caps, incline motors, and anything else that could possibly break on a treadmill. What are you guys doing to these poor machines!? No, actually I know that you guys are using them just fine. It’s the manufacturing companies that make some of them out of cardboard. I wish I could show each of you how to fix each of your treadmill problems, but I can’t explain how to repair every problem for every model. Since every model is different, a fix for one will be different than a fix for another.

However, I will do what I can.

The walking belt is the most common treadmill problem. It if is adjusted or installed improperly it can cause all sorts of problems. Knowing why and where it is slipping is the most important thing to find out when it isn’t working. If you adjust the belt, even slightly improperly, it’s very possible that you could end up causing more problems than you were trying to fix. So make sure to be very careful when dealing with belt adjustments.

I’m going to explain how to replace the belt. The steps to doing this will help you get a good idea of how the belt works, and how to adjust it properly. Every model is going to be different, so you may have to improvise if yours looks different than I describe.

There are several basic steps to doing this:

1. Remove rear roller.
Usually there are screws in the rear up top, and on the end. You will loosen the rear roller with the rear end screws.
2. Remove Front Roller and Drive belt
Loosen the drive belt, and the roller with the screws on the sides.
3. Either remove the deck, or the sides. Depending on your treadmill’s design.
Sometimes there are screws along the top along the sides, sometimes not. Loosen whatever screws need to be loosened to take off the deck or the sides.
4. Slide the belt out, and insert a new one.
You should usually replace both the belt and the deck together. You don’t want a new belt on an old deck, or a old belt on a new deck. Some decks can be used on both sides. Makes sure the belt is facing the right way.

5. Insert the deck and belt and put everything back how it was.

This is pretty basic instruction, and may need a little bit of know how or creativity and improvisation, but this is basically the routine. Good luck with it.

Let me know more issues you’re having with your treadmills and I’ll try to help you.

Thanks!