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Treadmill issue, PLEASE HELP!! (Read 163 times)

JGonz


    This is my second time posting about my issue on my treadmill...Nobody answered the last time on a different forum...  ;(

    So please help if you can........

    My treadmill keeps making a noise every time I take a step, and I found that its hitting a bolt on the left side underneath deck of my treadmill. Its only hitting the left side and not the right. Also, there is  a huge gap between the walking belt and deck of the treadmill on the left side but not on the right. That's what  is causing it to hit the bolt underneath, i think.  If I run towards the back of the treadmill the sound is less noticeable, but I still hear it sliding over the bolt, and if I run in the middle or the front its really loud. Has my walking belt stretched too much on one side, as much as I tighten the belt on the rear rollers i cant get the walking belt to not hit the bolt underneath.. I can tighten the belt on the left side and right until i cant tighten it anymore, but I can still hear the walking belt it the bolt and i can left the belt from the deck about 5 inches,  but on the right side (also tighten) is normal about 2 or 3 inches.  My belt also has small tears on it, would replacing it get rid of it hitting the blot underneath and the huge gap on top? Can anyone help me? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

     

    Heres some pictures...

     

    The gap between the walking belt and the deck of the treadmill

    http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww316/JZG88/D5F787F8-8F7F-46AE-9A96-04085802A612_zpsmx90quur.jpghttp://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww316/JZG88/CD6AA7F1-DEED-4B39-AD56-E7C2BFDB5F9D_zpstn2tiwol.jpg

     

     

    These are the guides (yellow boxes) to help align the walking belt, and the blot that holds them is whats hitting the walking belt, but only on the left side. I can hear the walking belt sliding along the bolts as soon as i turn treadmill on. when I am walking, I hear it more every time i step.

     

    http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww316/JZG88/DB85C6A7-C7CF-4FBA-85EF-E66285B0F7D9_zpslbtqkug2.jpghttp://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww316/JZG88/5F323A06-D456-4FFC-9274-314341085804_zpshisli7pn.jpghttp://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww316/JZG88/F6BAE364-9AF7-4A5C-B990-E7471B7308ED_zpsbey7bjv2.jpg

     

     

    These are the small tears in the walking belt...but the right side not the left where the belt is hitting that blot.

     

    http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww316/JZG88/DC7B3FA7-E23E-4EEC-AB85-C1DA2B2260A7_zpsmwcfdnvb.jpg


    Feeling the growl again

      You didn't say what the brand/model is.

       

      The pictures are small, some in the wrong orientation, so it is hard to interpret.

       

      Theory #1 - Your deck is broken and no longer level, leading to the uneven gap.  Disassemble and check the integrity of your deck.

      Theory #2 - You have not properly tightened the belt on each side to run it in the middle, and it is crowding to one side and bunching up.  It looks to me in the photos like it is NOT centered, and is bunching up to the left side of the machine. When empty, the belt running should ride down the center of the deck without hitting either side.  If it does not do this, loosen it a great deal and begin tightening each side until it runs balanced.  Then tighten both sides the same amount just enough so you can run on it without slippage.

      "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

       

      I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

       

      JGonz


        You didn't say what the brand/model is.

         

        The pictures are small, some in the wrong orientation, so it is hard to interpret.

         

        Theory #1 - Your deck is broken and no longer level, leading to the uneven gap.  Disassemble and check the integrity of your deck.

        Theory #2 - You have not properly tightened the belt on each side to run it in the middle, and it is crowding to one side and bunching up.  It looks to me in the photos like it is NOT centered, and is bunching up to the left side of the machine. When empty, the belt running should ride down the center of the deck without hitting either side.  If it does not do this, loosen it a great deal and begin tightening each side until it runs balanced.  Then tighten both sides the same amount just enough so you can run on it without slippage.

         

        Oh, it's a Pro-form 380e treadmill PFTL395080, we have had it about 8 years  ... Oh, sorry I tired to explain the best I could. and the pics where way to big, I'll post bigger ones. I hope it is not broken, but I've didn't see and cracks on the deck and when i run or walk it doesn't  wobble.

        How would I know the integrity of the deck?

         

        yeah, that's what i thought but the walking belt runs in the middle,  I have even taken off the side rails, where you step on after or in the beginning of  a  run, to see if there even and they are. I even count the treads of the screws of the rear rollers screws. I was hoping it was just the walking belt and needed to be replaced, if the decks broken should i fix it or buy a new treadmill?

         

        heres what I'm talking bout, that's what the walking belts hitting,..... btw, thanks for your help.

         

        http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww316/JZG88/5F323A06-D456-4FFC-9274-314341085804_zpshisli7pn.jpghttp://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww316/JZG88/F6BAE364-9AF7-4A5C-B990-E7471B7308ED_zpsbey7bjv2.jpg


        Feeling the growl again

          I won't discount your opinion as you can actually see the treadmill, but something seems awfully wrong if it's running down the middle yet rides up on the metal guard underneath like that and has such an uneven gap vertically side-to-side.  The only other thing that comes to mind is that something is out of alignment with one of your rollers.

           

          In addition to the side rails being off, I suggest you pull the rear covers off that cover the roller ends and the housing over the top of the motor to expose the front roller.  Perhaps then you can spot how the belt can be running so unevenly.

           

          If you do not fix it, that belt will not last long rubbing like that.  As to whether to fix or replace, it's really going to depend what is wrong and what the cost is vs replacing the treadmill, and your appetite for it.  Anyone with a bit of mechanical sense and ability to use a screwdriver and socket set can fix a treadmill as long as you can figure out what is wrong.  They are not complicated and outside of electronics all work pretty much the same.  I should know, I am wearing out my third one and have 2-7 breakdowns per year.  

          "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

           

          I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

           

          TheMysteryOne


            You didn't say what the brand/model is.

             

            The pictures are small, some in the wrong orientation, so it is hard to interpret.

             

            Theory #1 - Your deck is broken and no longer level, leading to the uneven gap.  Disassemble and check the integrity of your deck.

            Theory #2 - You have not properly tightened the belt on each side to run it in the middle, and it is crowding to one side and bunching up.  It looks to me in the photos like it is NOT centered, and is bunching up to the left side of the machine. When empty, the belt running should ride down the center of the deck without hitting either side.  If it does not do this, loosen it a great deal and begin tightening each side until it runs balanced.  Then tighten both sides the same amount just enough so you can run on it without slippage.

             

            there he goes again criticising peoples pictures now...

               

              there he goes again criticising peoples pictures now...

               

              This thread doesn't support your assertion.

              Life Goals:

              #1: Do what I can do

              #2: Enjoy life

               

               

                 

                there he goes again... taking time to help others on this site with thorough well informed advice

                FIFY