Replacing The Treadmill Belt

Replacing your treadmill belt will be your first maintenance job. It is the first part of the treadmill to wear to the point of replacement. The belt will show signs of wear after extensive use and you will know when it is time for a new belt.

The visible signs are tears in the belt, curling of the edges, or if the usual traction is worn off. A less obvious tell that your belt is in need of replacement is when you step onto the treadmill. If the treadmill significantly slows down when you step on the belt, the belt is old and losing its tension.

If indeed the belt seems to be losing its tension, there are a few checks before tearing things apart. The deck of the treadmill needs to be checked for its condition as well. If it looks okay then it might just need to be waxed or lubricated.

If the deck looks worn and you could see grooves worn into it, then you might need to replace both the deck and the belt. If the deck looks like it is in perfect shape, and there are other signs of wear on your belt, then it is definitely the belt that will have to be changed.

Make sure to unplug the power cord first. Then remove the motor cover or hood. Normally near the rear of the treadmill on either side are screws or bolts to loosen the belt tension.

As the belt loosens, push the back roller toward the deck of the treadmill. Then loosen the front roller and remove it first, then remove the back roller.

At this point, some people would just cut the belt but unless you know how to put a new one in, that’s just asking for trouble. Instead, remove the screws that holds down the deck. The belt and deck should be removed together. This exposes the deck if you need to wax or lubricate. There are seams on all treadmill belts and take note of the direction the old belt is pointing so you can put the new belt on in the same way.

Slide the belt over the deck and position both the deck and the belt together onto the treadmill. Put each screw in partially without tightening any of them yet until they are all in position.

Pull the belt to the back of the treadmill and put the back roller through it. Again start some screws just enough to hold their positions without tightening them.

Now, it is time to slide the front roller into place and tighten the front roller. Then tighten the back rollers. Tighten the belt on each side equally.

Now turn the belt on at a very slow speed, step onto the belt and test it for tension. Make adjustments as needed. Once the final adjustments are made it should feel good when you step onto the belt.