Treadmill Belt Slipping

Treadmills are the most preferred exercise equipment when it comes to starting a home gym. With a branded treadmill at home, you do not have to take out time from your busy schedule to hit the health club. And irrespective of the time or weather condition, you can jog or run within the comfort zone of your home. But the most unfortunate part is not many owners consider regular servicing of home treadmills necessary, which is suggested for proper functioning of all machinery products. Ultimately, we end up facing the most common problem, the treadmill belt slipping when running or jogging.

Treadmill Belt Slipping: Reasons

In the present scenario, nearly all health conscious people use the benefits of this exercise equipment. Imagine you wake up in the morning with a good mood and are all geared up for your treadmill workout. You just step on it and find out that the belt is slipping off-center. It can really be a frustrating situation. But, what causes treadmill belt slipping to one side? As with any type of machine, your treadmill is subjected to wear, tear and loosening of the parts with constant usage. The point is you need more than just applying treadmill belt lubricant to maintain optimal efficiency. Probable reasons for a slipping treadmill belt are:

• Too loose or too tight fixing of the walking belt. A properly fixed walking belt should be able to lift from the center by about 2-3 inch.
• The pulley of the front roller system is not contributing its part on gripping the roller. This malfunctioning of the pulley is another probable cause.
• Misalignment of the drive belt, which is positioned between the front roller and the treadmill motor. Very loose drive belt can be a cause of slipping belt.

How to Fix It

A treadmill belt that doesn't remain in the center of the deck is a case of slipping and requires alignment. On the brighter side, repairing this treadmill malfunction can be carried out with simple do-it-yourself (DIY) tips, provided that you have the right kind of tools (hex wrench, screwdriver) with you. Before you busy yourself with treadmill troubleshooting, understand the user guide thoroughly. Look for the machine components associated with the belt. The following are some useful tips for treadmill repair, which you can consider for fixing the slipping belt.

• Switch on the treadmill and see which side the belt is slipping. Most probably, the roller of the particular side requires tightening. Accordingly, you can adjust the bolts located on each side of the belt.
• At the rear end of the treadmill, locate the belt adjustment knobs. Consider adjusting one side to about inch and check whether the belt is moving at the center. If not, make a small adjustment on the other side and check again.
• Refer to the user manual provided with your fitness equipment and check for the optimal tightness of the drive belt. Strictly follow the instructions for tightening the drive belt (if required). While loose drive belts cause the treadmill belt to slip, increased tightness may cause damaging effects to the associated parts.
• Turn on the treadmill and check if the pulley grips the front roller, as it should. If not, replacing the roller will troubleshoot slipping belt problems.

Any malfunction, including slipping of the belt requires correct fixing and servicing before the problem becomes too tough to handle. Otherwise, accidental stepping on it or performing exercises pose dangers of severe falls and injuries. If at all you cannot adjust the belt, get it checked by a professional repairer. After analyzing the belt problem, the repairer may suggest treadmill belt replacement. In general, belt replacement is done if the underside of the belt is worn out and becomes rough.