Gym Treadmill maintenance
The high-quality treadmills for gyms (and high quality domestic treadmill) have different electronics than domestic treadmills, because they use AC motors and inverters to regulate speed. This makes it possible to guarantee totally different power and operating times compared to domestic treadmills, and a higher resistance to faults.
However, at the same time a Technogym, Life Fitness, Precor or other brand gym treadmill can still fail if it is not maintained well. And the costs of a repair of an inverter are much higher than those of a domestic treadmill board. Moreover, since they work from early morning to late night and there are more than one in each center, the gym treadmills have very significant electrical consumption, so if you do not do maintenance, you risk paying dearly for your forgetfulness in your bill.
The maintenance tips we can give you are to perform the following steps weekly
- Remove dust, dirt or any traces of sweat from the visible parts of the treadmill with a damp cloth. Do not use detergents under the running belt. Do not throw water or allow moisture to flow between the edges of the display panel and the console. In the best centers, cleaning is done daily, even for reasons of hygiene.
- Lubricate the running deck, under the running belt. Some treadmills are self-lubricated, but you must still make sure the system is working well and you are using a good lubricant.
- Verify that the belt runs in the center at approximately equal distance from the footrests. If it touches or is very close to either side, you will need to center the treadmill tape;
Monthly maintenance for gyms
- Vacuum around the treadmill and the area below.
- Internal cleaning (inside the motor compartment) is generally recommended by a technician and it is recommended to do it every 6-8 months. Keep in mind that you could spoil a Technogym inverter valued 1000 euros, just because the fan that keeps the lower kit cool is filled with dust and doesn’t turn properly.
- Every 6 months, have the treadmill drive belt inspected by the technician to check that there is no excessive wear and that it is properly aligned. Be aware that the replacement of this component may seem simple but it is dangerous because usually the springs that hold it in tension have a high force.
- Clean the treadmill running board / deck with a damp cloth that will slide between the board and the belt of the treadmill. It is not recommended, but it is possible to use alcohol to clean well if needed.
- Now lubricate the deck of the treadmill with appropriate lubricant (spray or liquid) as you can see in the details some types of lubricant (e.g. wax) do not perform as well as others.
- Verify that no slips occur during use. Start the treadmill at low speed, step on the belt, hold on to the handrails and try to block the belt by pointing your feet as if you were walking downhill in the mountains. If you stop the belt and the motor continues to turn, it means that something slips (the belt or the pulley). Generally, it should not be possible to stop the belt. See the insights for more details
- Look at the walking belt, if there are humps, tears, or if the underlying cloth appears black and / or worn out, replace it. If you keep it so, you are wasting unnecessary current and risking damage to the treadmill inverter.
- Finally check the components of the treadmill structure to verify that the mounting screws are not loosened, and if necessary tighten them. Remember that the wheels should not be locked, as they must have play to move freely.
Insights on gym treadmill maintenance:
- Technogym treadmill lubricant
- Automatic lubrication system for treadmills
- The importance of using proper lubricant for the maintenance of commercial and domestic treadmills
- Example of our technical intervention on a treadmill at the gym
- Example of our technical service on a treadmill at the gym 2
Treadmill maintenance and service guides:
• weekly treadmill maintenance
• monthly treadmill maintenance
• special maintenance / repair of treadmill
• specific notes for maintenance of Proform, Nordick Track and Weslo treadmills
• treadmill maintenance for gyms
• on-site maintenance by specialized technicians