Treadmill Repair

Two weeks ago I finally decided to take a chance and replace the well-worn belt on our treadmill. The original belt lasted for about nine years and hundreds or maybe even thousands of miles. Jan and I used the treadmill a lot over the years, and not for hanging clothes.

Last winter, though, it began to get slippery and every once in a while I would lose footing. Falling off a treadmill at 6-9 miles per hour is not on my list of goals.I purchased a new belt over the summer but knowing my lack of mechanical ability was always hesitant to try putting it on.

I watched a couple of Youtube videos on replacing the belt and went down into the basement with a collection of tools. I actually got the old belt off fairly easily, with some suggestions from Jan on removing the rollers. The process became a bit more difficult figuring how to get the new belt on and the rollers re-attached. After two hours it was time for a lunch break and to get my heart rate and swearing level back to normal.

When four hours had passed I was glad I hadn't called a couple of friends who had offered to help. Why waste their Saturday? Jan and I got the machine back together and it was time to test it. The noise was incredible. It didn't make bad noises with the old belt. We took it apart again, adjusted things and started it up. Noisy and if you walked on the belt it would hesitate every few seconds. Neither was conducive to using it, except as a clothesline.

I wrote to a guy on Youtube and Facebook who likes to fix things, including treadmills, RJ The Bike Guy.
RJ actually lives in the Rochester area and he wrote back almost immediately! He believes the belt from the engine may be loose or worn out. I guess my Sunday will be spent taking the treadmill apart again and checking the belt. The trouble is, usually when I get into projects like this and I can't get them fixed after a couple of tries my patience deteriorates, I feel less like a man and wonder why I got the family gene that doesn't know how to use tools?

I wonder how much I can get at the scrap yard?