Treadmill belt tears are a common problem, but they can be easily repaired without replacing the belt. Failure to keep a balanced tension in the treadmill belt can lead to wear and tear, making it useless. However, there’s no need to panic, as this can happen to even the most expensive and cheapest treadmills on the market.
When the treadmill belt is unevenly tensioned (either too tight or too loose) it can result in the belt problems like ripping off, causing belt tear, off-centering, and curling on the sides. It brings a bunch of problems with the treadmill belt.
This article will show you a surefire fix that every treadmill owner should know: how to fix a treadmill belt tear using a vulcanizing patch kit.
First let’s see what are the things that cause treadmill belt to be frayed and rip off.
Causes Of Treadmill Belt Tearing
There are a few reasons which cause treadmill belt tearing and also injure the machine.
But you should know how to fix them in less time, cost-effectively, and efficiently.
Here we will discuss the problems which cause belt tearing and shredding and after that, I will suggest you best method to fix a treadmill belt tear.
Badly Aligned Belt
Wrong or bad alignment of a walking belt is the main culprit of the belt tearing.
If you have noticed that your belt is off-centered and slipping on the left or right of the treadmill. It means you need to straighten your treadmill belt.
It causes slipping of belt to sides. Bad alignment of belt for long time cause the tearing of the walking belt.
Age Of The Treadmill Belt
Tearing of a belt also happens due to the age of the belt. If you bought a 2nd hand treadmill, it may fray out quickly.
Usually, manufacturers offer a 1-year warranty on the walking belt.
Tearing of the belt is caused due to the negligence of the users that do not maintain or replace the belt timely.
Improper Cleaning Methods
Lack of cleanliness creates a mess for the treadmill belt.
Users do not pay attention to the proper methods of cleaning instead they use unhealthy ways.
The wrong use of cleaning chemicals and sprays weakens the belt which results in the tearing of the belt fibers.
Lack of Lubrication
The most forgetful point in maintaining the treadmill belt life is lubrication. This time to time lubrication chore is the most important thing to remember.
Lubricating the treadmill belt enhances belts life manifolds. In order to understand the step-by-step guide to lubricating belt click here.
People often use cheap lubricants instead of 100% silicon.
It shortens the life span of the belt and tearing of the belt is not surprising then.
Then question arises what lubrication material should be used for maintaining life of treadmill. You can use some high quality glue or good quality tapes to repair the tread belt.
What is Best Glue for Treadmill?
The best glue for repairing treadmill belt is Gorilla super glue, it works well with rubber and leather. Since belt is made up of rough fibres, a small torn patch could be managed with Gorilla glue.
Can we use Gorilla tape on treadmill belt?
Certainly, Gorilla tape is a viable option for addressing minor shredding or tear in a treadmill belt.
While some may consider using Gaff tape, but it tends to struggle with the rough rubber material of the belt, easily coming off due to the friction between feet and belt. So, it’s not recommended.
Gorilla tape, designed for tough adhesive purposes, is well-suited for the treadmill belt material.
Overloading the treadmill
Not every treadmill has a heavyweight user capacity.
It is always mentioned in the user manual about max weight capacity of treadmill. Exceeding that limit damages the motor and treadmill belt will be ripped.
But some overweight users walk or run on the machine without considering weight capacity thus reducing belt life.
Drawback of Overloading Treadmill: The user may get an injury if they do not focus on this key point of weight capacity.
Excessive tension on the belt
Over tightening on the tension bolts cause rupture of the treadmill belt.
The tension in the belt should be normal. Too loose or too tight; both conditions are highly unsuitable for the running belt.
It may cause injury or damage to the lower body of the treadmill.
Poorly designed walking belt
Our walking and jogging depend on the treadmill belt quality. People usually spend money on buying the machine without proper analysis.
Sometimes they go for a cheap and fragile treadmill that cannot last long. Thus ending up with low-quality machine resulting in shorter life span of treadmill belt.
How to Repair Treadmill Belt Tear
Maintenance is required for the smooth and gentle working of the treadmill belt. Replacement of the walking belt is not an option every time.
If you identify a problem with the belt you can repair it with a low budget at home.
We will tell you three methods to make the treadmill belt reusable.
- Using Vulcanizing Patch Kit
- Repair of treadmill belt with glue
- Treadmill belt seam repair
Use Vulcanizing Repair Kit
A small tear or fray in treadmill belt could be repaired by using a vulcanizing patch kit. Let’s see how to do this.
- Stretch the torn area of belt to remove wrinkles from belt while patching.
- Use the glue in patch kit to lubricate the frayed part of treadmill belt.
- Stick the patch on the shredded part where glue is applied.
This will repair any small tear in belt.
Fix using Treadmill Belt Repair Glue
Follow these steps to glue the belt before seaming.
- Unplug the power cord
- Now remove the belt from the treadmill
- Turn the belt upside down
- Remove the adhesive between the layers of the belt
- Keenly examine the type of damage
- Now take a best and most reliable rubber solution
- Mix it well before use with the help of an applicator
- Apply the glue to the damaged area evenly.
Fix by Treadmill Belt Seam Repair
- After applying the adhesive evenly seam the belt.
- Stitch the layer using standard thread and needle.
- After following the above-mentioned process now reassemble the belt again.
Also Read: Is it suitable to use WD40 for lubrication?
How Long Does Treadmill Belt Last?
Another question which is asked a lot is how long treadmill belt can last? Well, it depends on the usage of treadmill. You can see for how much time(in terms of years, daily use, and miles) you don’t need to replace belt
In Years & Daily Use: Typically, a treadmill belt remains in good condition for 1.5 to 2 years with daily workout of 30 to 60 minutes. However, after this period, you will notice the walking experience is no longer as smooth.
In Miles: You can get a good smooth jogging experience of 5000 miles out of new treadmill belt. This is normal ball park range, because user don’t take care of belt as such and it starts shredding and tearing before time.
FAQs
How to Fix a Small Tear in Treadmill Belt
You can mend a small tear or slightly ripped off treadmill belt by applying Gorilla super glue or feviqwik glue.
What are ways to fix a small tear in treadmill belt?
A small tear or scratch can be fixed by any normal glue(i.e: Gorilla glue). While significant shredded part needs to be either stitched or use Gorilla adhesive tape in such case.
Why Is Treadmill Belt Fraying?
Treadmill belt can fray or shred due to improper alignment of belt or maybe treadmill is old and belt’s material has expired.
How many miles does a treadmill belt last for?
If you take very good care of your treadmill belt, it can last for over 10,000+ miles. Pay attention, I’m not saying “Treadmill”, it’s about treadmill belt. While, with proper care, the treadmill can go for as long as 20,000 miles.
Just make sure to regularly lubricate the belt and take other preventive steps to keep it from getting damaged.
How do I know if my treadmill belt have enough tension?
To determine if the belt has the right tension, raise it from the deck. If it lifts more than 2-3 inches, it’s too loose. Conversely, if lifting the belt is difficult, it’s too tight.
How often should I need to clean the treadmill belt?
It is recommended to clean the treadmill belt once a week with the damped cloth. Check the lubrication of belt once every month. Do these two things to enhance life of treadmill belt.
What are the signs that I need to replace my treadmill belt?
If you notice any of the following problems with your treadmill belt occasionally, it should be replaced:
- The belt becomes too loose or too tight.
- The belt becomes dry often and not lubricated.
- The belt is ripped, torn, or shredded.
What is treadmill belt replacement cost?
Replacing a worn-out, frayed, or torn treadmill belt for high-end models usually costs between $225 and $300. This covers both the cost of the new belt and the labor involved.
Conclusion
I read multiple reviews of people on belts going out of order and jotted above all the possible reasons for treadmill belt tear that I have faced and what people faced.
The main thing which we should notice while buying the treadmill is the high-quality running belt.
We cannot ignore the fact that cheap and nondurable belt results in injury and serious orthopedic issues.
Lastly, if you are not sure about how to fix a treadmill belt tear then you can replace the belt with a new one to avoid any further issues.
Hi,
I am Humaira Maqbool, content writer on FitnessGearsHub. Fitness is my passion, I love to learn and explore modern fitness gears, applications, and exercises. As a fitness freak, I explore new exercises and experience fitness gears. I will share my knowledge and information about fitness gears based on my personal experiences and would love to solve the problems that you are facing about fitness machines.
