Treadmill Guides

The best treadmills are those that provide you with easy access to belt tracking. But even the best treadmills with the most easily accessible belt tracking are also susceptible to stretch slightly under initial use. That is why it is important that you adjust the tread belt every so often to keep down stretching.

Most manufacturers include the Allen wrench in the package when you buy a treadmill from them. Use that to tighten both belt adjustment screws clockwise. If your manufacturer did not supply you with an Allen wrench, use another of the right size.

A ¼ turn clockwise should tighten tread belt if it has loosened from breaking in. The screws for belt adjustment are usually located at the rear end of the treadmill. Some belts do require looser running  than others so don’t be surprised if your tread belt is a little loose even when you haven’t used it yet. Check the user’s guide before making adjustments just to make sure.

Moreover, be sure to keep the belt running at a low speed of around 3 mph when adjusting the belt tracking. This is the ideal speed when making any adjustments with the screws.

The tracking adjustments may also be used to properly align the belt of your treadmill. So, when adjusting your belt tracking, be sure not to turn either side more than ¼ turn at a time only. Belt tracking adjustments are almost always minor anyway, so don’t overdo your adjustments.

Roller knocking occurs with improper belt tracking. This should be avoided at all times. If you hear a knocking noise when running your treadmill, that most often means that you have a defective roller. However, there are instances where the noise results from the belt placing too much force on the roller from side to side.

Through proper tracking, you can actually reduce the loan on the belt. Not only that, proper tracking also help guide the belt and ensure that the front and rear rollers are parallel. You should follow the manufacturer’s directions on belt tracking to keep from misaligning or over-stretching the belt. Here is a word of caution: be careful not to over-tighten the belt when adjusting alignment.