We offer a full mobile service in and around auckland. We replace running belts and decks on all treadmills. we suppy and fit all parts for treadmill repairs including motors , lower boards and upper boards.We also carry out preventative maintainence on treadmills and appartment gyms. we repair exercycles,ellipticals and multigyms. We supply quality treadmill lubricant to help prevent major damage
and wear on treadmill running belts and decks( the main cause of treadmill failure).We can teach You how to apply the lubricant yourself which should be applied every 2 months.We fix all fitness equipment. www.treadmillrepair.co.nz
Areas serviced: East Auckland, Central Auckland, West Auckland, South Auckland North Shore, Orewa to the Bombays
-How to fix your treadmill
Fixing your treadmill
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. My treadmill belt starts for a few seconds and then stops and displays an error code? This is probably a faulty speed sensor or the speed sensor is not plugged in properly. Its also possibly a faulty motor control board or lower board. The error codes will differ between makes and models but could be e1.
2. My treadmill goes for awhile, but stops abruptly when I’m on it? The most likely cause of the problem is a worn treadmill belt and deck. Most of the time its caused from not lubricating between the treadmill belt and deck. This causes friction and the surfaces wear putting greater stress on the electronics. The treadmill is shutting down to protect the electronics. You should stop using the treadmill and have a technician check it.
3.The treadmill belt has moved to one side and is rubbing. The treadmill running belt has stretched and has moved to one side. You can check out our video on How to Adjust Your Treadmill Belt. If your not keen to adjust this yourself its a good time to have a technician come to your place and service your treadmill. It costs $90.00 plus gst within Auckland. This service includes adjusting and lubricating your running belt, adjusting the motor drive belt, checking the wear on your deck and belt, checking and lubricating you incline system and cleaning your electronics and motor.
4. It feels like the treadmill belt is slipping. This could be your running belt or your motor drive belt or a worn front roller pulley. If it is the belt, you can check out our video on How to Adjust Your Running Belt. If your not keen to adjust this yourself its a good time to have a technician service your treadmill . If the front roller is worn and its repairable it would cost approx $120.00 plus gst(including a service).
5. My treadmill is so noisy. If it sounds like metal rotating on metal then it could be roller bearings or motor bearings. Its best to have the treadmill work carried out by a technician in the workshop. Most of the time the bearings will have to be pressed out and the new ones pressed in. You could drop your treadmill to our workshop or we could pick it up.
6. My exercycle or cross-trainer has no resistance. This could be your tension motor or console. Sometimes its a bad connection with a plug or the mechanical mechanism needs a service. If your exercycle or cross-trainer adjusts its tension by turning a k**b, the cable may have come out and simply needs putting back in. Or it may need adjusting. Some of the smaller cheaper exercycles or cross-trainers are cheaply built and badly designed so the tension mechanism may have broken or failed. Sometimes with these machines its not worth fixing them and you maybe better off buying a better designed machine.
7. My exercycle or cross-trainer console has no power
Electronics in consoles can fail at any point like a light bulb. We have spikes in the power supply to our homes which can wear out components over time. If there’s no power at your console you could check your power adapter for voltage, if there’s no power there then your power adapter is the problem. If there is then check the wiring from where your power adapter plugs into your machine to the console. Check for continuity and if that’s all ok its probably your console. Consoles can be replaced but can be expensive. Sometimes you can find these secondhand.
8. My rower lost all tension and felt like something snapped. Rowers have all sorts of systems for creating resistance and tension. They can have coil springs to bungy cords and can be complex. There’s lots of models and if they’re not supported it can be difficult to find the parts. These machines are best fixed at the workshop.
9. My treadmill incline not working properly. If your incline is not working it can be a few different things. There may not be any signal from the console which could be a damaged cable or the console itself has failed. The motor control board may have failed from a worn treadmill belt and deck or the motor may have burnt out. There’s also a potentiometer geared to the motor so the console knows what height the incline is at. These can fail or the gearing can slip, giving the console false information which can cause chassis damage. The incline system can be difficult to diagnose, so you may want to call us out to fix your treadmill. If you’re having trouble with you’re treadmill or exercise
equipment and want to have a go at fixing it yourself,
we’re only happy to help with advise. You can call or e-mail us.
– Regards Robert Aylett
-Guidelines to buying a treadmill
Buying a Treadmill
1: Treadmill weight rating
2: New, secondhand or rebuilt treadmill
3: Treadmill Motor size
4: Maintenance (yes that’s right)
5: Running or walking
6: Running surface
7: Footprint
You’ve made your mind up…its time to invest in a treadmill. But where do you start? I’ve written this article because being a treadmill service technician I meet people every day who have brought a secondhand treadmill. Shortly afterward they are faced with a repair bill that’s almost as much as a new treadmill. This article is written from the perspective of helping you get the most out of your investment.
1 – Treadmill weight rating. You need to know what you weigh. All fitness equipment and treadmills are designed for different weight limits so you need to look for a treadmill that is designed to suit your size. Some manufacturers have optimistic weight ratings on their equipment so be careful. Don’t buy a treadmill if you’re on its weight limit, get a machine with a higher weight limit.
2 – New, Secondhand or Rebuilt Treadmill. New is always the best way to go if you can afford it. Your treadmill will be covered by a warranty and all the components are new. Take time to ask as many questions as you can think of before you buy. Consider what you’ve read in this article because its points are relevant whether the treadmill you are looking at is new or used. Make sure the company you buy from has proper parts and service support. During the buying process get a price and availability on a replacement running belt and deck. These items usually last between 1 and 5 years, depending on maintenance, usage, being correctly weight rated etc. If they’re organized, the sales person will produce a price and availability without fuss. If you buy a new treadmill, check the running belt and deck are lubricated properly before you start using it. Most new treadmills need some assembly from new, make sure when you bolt up the uprights for the monitor you don’t damage the wiring loom which is a common mistake. You can have your new treadmill assembled by a professional which is a good idea as most new warranties don’t cover incorrect assembly. Secondhand treadmills are a bad idea if you don’t know what to look for. Some treadmill repairs can cost as much as a brand new treadmill. That $300 treadmill may not be a good deal. If you choose to buy secondhand, when you go and check it out, run on the treadmill for 10 to 20 minutes. If it cuts out when you’re on it, the running belt and deck are probably worn, so don’t buy it. There’s so much to look out for that I’ve written another article – How to Buy a Secondhand Treadmill. If you can’t afford a new treadmill, but would rather not risk the purchase of a secondhand treadmill, buy a rebuilt treadmill. Rebuilt treadmills should have had the running belts and decks replaced, reducing stress on the electronics however the electronics may not be new. Rebuilt treadmills have had a full service, they normally come with a limited warranty and can be delivered. Normally half to three quarters the price of a comparable new treadmill, professionally rebuilt treadmills represent good value.
3 – Treadmill motor size. You need to buy a treadmill with a good sized motor, a 1 to 2 hp motor just isn’t big enough if you weigh 90kgs. I recommend a 3 to 6 hp motor just because it doesn’t have to work as hard as a 1 to 2 hp motor to do the same thing. If you try a treadmill which doesn’t accelerate smoothly with you on it, and/or it surges, the motor is probably too small. There are two ways of rating motor hp, one is continuous and the other is peak. A motor’s continuous hp rating is what it can run at comfortably for a prolonged period. The peak hp rating is what the motor will reach at the top limit of its output. A motor with a peak 6 hp may be rated at 4 hp continuous. A motor that’s rated at 1 to 2 hp peak is a bit under powered. A treadmill with a motor rated at 2.5 hp upwards continuous would be a wiser purchase.
4 – Treadmill Maintenance. Like cars, treadmills have lots of components that can fail. A treadmill has mechanical, electrical and electronic components. If the mechanical components aren’t serviced regularly, they put a lot of stress on the electronic and electrical components. The next thing you know your treadmill doesn’t work. Take servicing your treadmill seriously or you could end up buying a new one well before you should have to. Check out my article – How to Maintain your Treadmill – for helpful advice.
5 – Will you be Running or Walking? If you intend to run on your treadmill, it will stress your machine more than walking on it. If you intend to run on it, you’ll need a treadmill with a good sized surface. Is your partner going to use it and will they be running on it ? Do they weigh more than you? Make sure to buy a machine suitable for everyone who is likely to use it.
6 – Treadmill Running Surface . A running belt surface on a treadmill of 500mm wide and 1400mm long would be considered a large running surface for a domestic treadmill. If you want to do a lot of running and you’re a heavy person, get yourself something this size. Ensure it has at least a 3 hp motor. When treadmills started to evolve and their running/walking surface area grew, they were not initially matched with an increased motor size. Small treadmills are available with 320mm wide by 550mm long walking surfaces. These maybe ok for walking on. A walking surface this small would have a very small motor and suit someone 50-70kgs who wanted to use it solely for walking. Always check the motor size suits the running or walking surface area of the treadmill.
7 – What size treadmill footprint. You need to think about how much room you have. Most domestic treadmills fold up when not in use so they take up less space. You need a suitable area to use your treadmill safely. Having your treadmill in the garage maybe a bad idea because a lot of dust, dirt, leaves, debris etc can build up in a garage, all of which the treadmill can suck up with its cooling fan. Exposure to moisture in the air can corrode the electronics. These conditions are likely to cause a fault occurring in your treadmill which can be serious. Robert Aylett
www.treadmillrepair.co.nz
