How to Inspect a Belt and Deck:

1. To inspect the belt and deck visually or to clean underneath the belt before applying lubricant, the belt must have the tension reduced. Loosen the tension roller by following the instructions in your owner’s manual. Do not loosen the bolts in the tension roller too far or the bolts will come out of the roller shaft. This step may not be necessary for your treadmill model or belt and deck condition.

2. Inspect belt and deck. The deck should be smooth. The belt should have a consistent smooth feel (a belt can be worn out without any sensory signs of a problem). If you feel deep grooves in the deck or uneven wear on the underside of the belt, part replacement is necessary. Visually look at the underside of the belt. It should have a consistent look. Black streaks in the belt are a sign of bottom-layer wear through. Continued use of your treadmill may damage expensive electrical components. Aggressive replacement of your walking belt will help the other parts last longer.

3. Check for a seam failure in the belt. Where you see the belt joined (usually in a diagonal arrangement) check to make sure the underside has a smooth consistent feel. Also visually inspect the seam from the top. It has triangular areas we call fingers that are sewn together and then heat-sealed to form the bond between the two pieces. These should be uniform and show no signs of pulling apart. If the seam is separating, belt replacement is necessary. The seam will usually be thicker than other parts of your belt.

4. If belt and deck are in good condition and you are having problems with your treadmill, try an application of our World Famous Treadmill Lube or another lube recommended by your manufacturer to test if the problem can be remedied by lubrication. In some instances, the belt’s condition cannot be physically determined. If problems persist, replace the belt. A deck problem will always be able to be determined by feeling the deck for signs of wear.

5. Reverse the steps to return the treadmill to an operable condition using the instructions provided in your owner’s manual or use the instructions on our web site. You can find these by going to our home page at Treadmill Doctor and clicking on the link at the bottom of the home page labeled Troubleshooting.

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