How to Fix the Top 5 Treadmill Problems

Are you all set to buckle down and really get going on a vigorous exercise routine? You start with a light jog on your treadmill only to realize that it’s making a lot of noise or even that the belt is loose? The following are a list of the top 5 treadmill problems that can be fixed by the consumer! Difficult treadmill problems/solutions usually do not require a treadmill professional. It can be taken care of by the individual using the product itself! Fixing your treadmill is easier than you think.

• Treadmill noise: For anyone who is buying a treadmill for home apartment use, treadmill vibration and noise are the largest concerns for most home gym owners. When treadmills are in use, they often vibrate, on top of the sound of your steps as you run. Treadmill noise is generally a function of the machinery pounding on the floors. This impact is distributed onto the floor from four small feet on the treadmill. This is a small surface area. To remedy a loud treadmill, place a rubber treadmill mat underneath the machine. This will absorb the sound as well as the shock from the vibrations. A thick rubber mat will act as both an impact barrier as well as a sound barrier between your heavy machine and your subsurface. Like all other gym exercise mats, a treadmill mat functions to protect the floor below, to absorb the shock from the machinery, and to protect the equipment on top. The thicker the mat, the sturdier the rubber, the more probable that impact on the floors would be reduced. Typical soft, foamy and cheap mats are just not good enough for heavy machinery. Consumers will not know this unless they have already bought and installed the mat. On the other hand, a resilient piece of rubber can absorb and disperse any vibration over the entire area of the mat, as opposed to the four small feet on the machinery.

• Belt is loose: If your belt is loose or slipping off, you can increase the tension on your belt with a few simple steps. Make sure the unit is turned off and at a complete stop before attempting to fix it. Adjust your rear roller bolts with an Allen wrench, tightening both left and right bolts with a quarter turn. Remember: right tighty, left loosey! Test out the treadmill. If it is still too lose, tighten again only with a quarter turn. Never do more than a quarter turn because over-tightening the belt can cause damage to the roller bearings as well as the belt.

• Keys on the console don’t work: There are several ways to fix this. First try to unplug the machine from the outlet and stand on the side rails. Massage all the keys in a circular motion with a good amount of pressure. Plug in the treadmill and check the keys. If this doesn’t work, unplug the treadmill again and wait for a minute to allow the lower board to discharge any stored energy. Remove the screws that hold the console electronics to the console housing. Carefully lift up the faceplate and electronics. Verify that the ribbon cable connections, the thin clear cable with white strips that connect to the bottom of the upper board, are secure and properly in place. Sometimes treadmills with two-touch speed and incline functions are just in the wrong setting as well. Just press the quick speed key desired and then confirm to choose that specific speed or incline.

• Excessive static electricity: Treadmills move around when in use, which creates extra static. Oftentimes this treadmill vibration means that you just have to place a rubber treadmill mat underneath it to reduce static from carpets or soft flooring. These are also effective against hard floors because a thick mat for exercise equipment will keep your treadmill into place. Rubber naturally possesses a high coefficient of friction so it will not slip around on your floors and it will keep your treadmill secure as well. Keep in mind a good gym exercise mat may not be appropriate as a treadmill mat. Some flooring products are not made to handle heavy and vibrating machinery and will not work well. Make sure the product you use is a high quality rubber mat for exercise equipment.

• Belt won’t stay centered: Check the roller to see if there is a plastic sleeve in the center of the treadmill. This is only applicable to some treadmills. If the sleeve moves around, you must center it to ensure that the belt stays centered as well. Some companies offer replacement roller sleeve kids so you don’t have to replace hour entire roller. If your treadmill does not have a plastic sleeve, check the back of your treadmill, concentrating on the areas where the rear roller bolts are located. If these have plastic end caps that are cracked, the bolt can start to shift through the broken plastic so that there is uneven pressure in your belt. Simply replace the end caps to help fix the belt. If this fails to fix your belt, loosen it and check the seam of it. Make sure that the distance of the seam is even from one side to the other by measuring the width of the seam in several areas. Unfortunately, if the seam is the culprit, you will have to replace the walking belt.

When buying a treadmill for home gyms, it is important to remember that while there are treadmill problems, solutions can be simple DIY fixes. For example, treadmill noise can be fixed by just setting a high quality rubber mat for exercise equipment underneath the machine to stop excessive treadmill vibration. Because of the increasing demand for these exercise staples, treadmill problems have become easier and easier to fix yourself! Before you replace your machine, check to see if there is a solution you can perform first.