Some tips here, for Treadmill Belt Slipping:
1.- The walking belt may be too loose.
a) Contrary to some belief, we have never found a walking belt that has stretched out unless it is accompanied by the seam on the belt separating. If you have made recent adjustments, lubricated, or had repairs, a belt can slip if not tightened.
b) The belt can slip if you have too much friction or if the belt has been recently lubricated. Attempt to lubricate by using our World Famous Treadmill Lube or another lube compatible with your treadmill. If lube does not help your problem and you have exhausted all other possibilities, the walking belt is most likely worn out and must be replaced.
c) To adjust the belt, follow the instructions on our web site at the following link: NEXT POST
d) An overtightened walking belt can raise the amp draw of your treadmill, contribute to seam separation on the walking belt, or both, so do not overtighten the walking belt.
e) As a general rule, you should be able to lift the belt in the center on the side by approximately 2" to 3". As a general rule, if you cannot lift it by 2" to 3", the belt is too tight.
2.- The drive belt between the motor and the front roller may be 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, which can be found on our site, will 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. 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 raise the amp draw of your treadmill, contribute to bearing failure in the motor or rollers, or both, 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 be repaired or you can replace the roller.
b) On DP, Roadmaster, and Vitamaster treadmills, we will need a physical measurement of the roller. On all other makes and models, please provide us with the manufacturer and model number for a quote.
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HOW TO ADJUST A TREADMILL DRIVE BELT
The motor drive belt is adjusted independently from the walking belt. Some newer models have an auto tensioner which is a lever that has a wheel that puts pressure on the drive belt and a spring on the other end that automatically loads the belt to the proper tension. You should not adjust these since they are preset.
Tension can be affected slightly by adjusting the tension of the walking belt but if you have a slipping problem, the drive belt will require replacement. If your drive belt is too loose, it will slip on the front roller pulley or the motor pulley. If it is too tight, it will increase your amp draw to the point that you may have an electronics or motor problem. Due to this, it is better to be on the safe side and replace a drive belt rather than risk over tightening it. A drive belt is usually $29.99 or less while many parts you can damage by over tightening can be more than $300. Additionally, too much tension can cause bearing failure in the motor and the front roller and front roller pulley failure. It is better to err on having the belt a little too tight rather than too loose due to the possibility of injury if the belt slips.
Motor Belt Adjustment- Icon Units
DO NOT REMOVE ANY OF THE MOUNTING BOLTS TO THE MOTOR THESE REPAIRS WILL REQUIRE 2 9/16" WRENCHES AND MAY REQUIRE TWO PEOPLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE REPAIRS
Before beginning this repair: Check to make certain that the drive belt requires adjustment. Check out belt slipping instructions or with the motor cover removed, walk on the belt normally and try to stall the belt to make it slip. Be careful during this test. If the problem is in the drive belt, either the drive belt will stop when stalled or the front roller will stop when stalled. If the motor, drive belt, and front roller continue to turn when the walking belt is stalled, the problem is with the walking belt slipping on the front roller. If the drive belt continues to turn but the front roller stalls, you may have a broken front roller pulley.
Step 1- Find the motor mounts. Many motors in Icon treadmills have a main pivot joint in which a bolt runs the full length of the motor mount. This bolt will require loosening to provide maximum adjustability. Some models have a single jack bolt and others have an auto tensioner. Single jack bolts are the easiest to adjust.
Step 2- Find the set bolt(s) on the motor. This is typically run through only one side of the motor mount or may be on both sides but it does not run the full length of the mounting. Loosen this bolt(s) but do not remove. Jack bolt models will have flat mounts and may contain up to four bolts.
Step 3- Look for a bolt that will tension the motor. If it has this bolt, it typically runs in the same direction parallel with the drive and walking belts. If your treadmill is not equipped with this bolt, skip to Step 4. If your treadmill is equipped with this bolt (very few are) the repair will only require one person. Using 2 7/16" wrenches, make a few turns to this bolt, tighten the bolts from Steps 1 and 2 and test your treadmill for slipping. If belt continues to slip, repeat Steps 1, 2, & 3. If a second attempt does not repair the problem, skip to Step 5.
Step 4- If your treadmill is not equipped with a bolt as described in Step 3, the drive belt must be tensioned by hand. While one person applied increased tension to the drive belt, the other person should tighten the motor set bolt(s) that are described in Step 2. Tighten the bolt from Step 1 and test. If the problem is not corrected, repeat Steps 1, 2, & 4 and retest. If problem persists, skip to Step 5.
Step 5- If you have arrived at this step, let's make sure you have a drive belt tension problem. With the motor cover removed, walk on the belt normally and try to stall the belt to make it slip. Be careful during this test. If the problem is in the drive belt, either the drive belt will stop when stalled or the front roller will stop when stalled. If the motor, drive belt, and front roller continue to turn when the walking belt is stalled, the problem is with the walking belt slipping on the front roller. If the drive belt continues to turn but the front roller stalls, you may have a broken front roller pulley. If this is the problem, you will notice it because the plastic will usually make a loud squealing sound on the metal front roller. The entire front roller assembly repaired or replaced (see the help topic on replacing a pulley) and the drive belt must be replaced. We suggest replacing the drive belt as well because it is a low cost item and will most likely, have suffered unusual wear from the problem. Another possibility is that the drive belt has worn down. In some cases, belt dressing may help correct the problem. If not, the drive belt must be replaced.
Step 6- The belt should be able to be turned by hand at approximately a 90 degree angle from its normal operating position.
Hope this helps; keep us updated.
what happen when the drive belt is over tension.?
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SOURCE: my treadmill belt skips.
This sounds like either the drive belt is loose or the walking belt is old. First, check the tension on the drive belt. If the drive belt is not slipping, then walking belt may need to be replaced. I say may because without working on the unit, I cannot say that IS the problem.
SOURCE: belt skips
This typically means the belt is worn - or not tensioned properly.
Look in your owner's manual - and it will tell you how to properly tension the belt with the included spanner wrench.
Thanks for using FixYa - a 4 THUMBS rating is appreciated for answering your FREE question.
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