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Investing in a treadmill for home use makes daily exercise routines more convenient. You will always have the time to do your routines to lose weight or remain toned and fit. However, this also means that you will be the one doing the maintenance work on the unit.
This is a machine after all, and it requires tending in order to remain functional at all times. Do treadmills need to be oiled? All this and more maintenance steps will be talked about in this article.
Dirt and debris can accumulate on these common treadmill components. Because of this buildup, even the most sophisticated treadmills require a cleanup every now and then. If you own one at home, it is suggested that you clean the belt and the deck at least once a month.
The areas on each side of the belt should be cleaned, plus any exposed spots. The other parts of the unit must be wiped clean by using a moist sponge or cloth every 7 days.
For the motor area, it should be cleaned at least 3 times annually. To clean the motor, you have to keep track of the instructions found in the user manual.
The belt needs to be aligned as well. This part of the treadmill must stretch straight to the center of the deck and if the belt does not show this, it requires some realigning.
To do this, the bolts on every side of the back of the unit should be adjusted. Create smaller adjustments and inspect your work. For more assistance, you can refer to the user manual.
The majority of quality treadmills include pre-adjusted belt tension but frequent use means the belt will eventually stretch out over time. If the belt slackens too much, it will start to slip – this will lead to unnecessary wear to the belt and the deck.
If the belt turns too tight, it will bring about damage to the rollers and the motor. The tension of the belt must always be sufficient to prevent it from slipping.
To find out if the belt is starting to slip, switch the unit on at a deliberate pace and stamp your foot on it forwards strongly. If the belt slips, you have to tighten the bolts. Make sure to refer to the user manual first before making any modifications.
The belt will succumb to wear and tear eventually and this means it requires a replacement. Inspect the belt for signs of damage roughly once every 3 months. Run a hand down the underside of the belt. If you feel roughness and damage on the part, it might need a replacement.
If users continue to utilize the unit even if the belt is showing signs of wear, the damage will cause the deck to deteriorate faster. Decks do deteriorate sooner or later, but changing the belt when needed will further lengthen the lifespan of the deck.
Do treadmills need to be oiled? This is a question that is asked frequently by users. While high-quality models have the capability to lubricate themselves because of a specific wax included in their parts, there are models that do need to be oiled manually.
Make sure to read the user manual to find out if your unit requires greasing. If you oil the unit without need, this might damage the wax and the unit’s parts.
In case you use the unit regularly, you have to oil the unit for each 150 miles spent on it. You should take up cutting down the duration between the oiling processes if you use the treadmill regularly since you will be giving it plenty of friction compared to individuals who only use the unit once in a while.
If you only use the machine sporadically, you can lube it every 3-6 months so the belt and the deck will be maintained well.
There are two types of treadmill belts; rubber and fabric. Every type of belt needs a particular lubricant. If your unit has the fabric kind, you have to make use of a paraffin-based lube. For rubber ones, you should make use of a silicon-based lubricant.
It is not advised that people make use of motor oil and vegetable oil to grease the treadmill. Motor oils can deteriorate rubber belts while, vegetable oil turns tacky and this can lead to dirt and dust buildup in the machine.