Treadmill Belt Repair/Replacement Options?

May 1, 2009 6:14 AM

What are some treadmill walking belt repair/replacement options? Duct tape? Are there alternatives to the $90 replacement belt?

I recently picked up a ProForm 785TL treadmill for 20 bucks at a rumage sale. Although the treadmill is older (1996) I like the fact that it has a built-in TV that works. After just a couple sessions, a 6-inch horizontal rip has developed in the walking belt. The rip looks like it is at the seam of the belt, and is roughly in the center of the belt.

What are the repair options for a cheapskate such as myself? If I slap some duct tape on there, will it keep me going for a while? If, as I suspect, that option is eminently stupid, are there any other options? A new belt looks like it costs around $95 from ProForm, and a not much cheaper from a third-party seller on e-Bay. Are there cheaper "generic" belts? Are there repair options other than duct tape? Just can't see sinking a hundred bucks into a 20 dollar treadmill.

Thanks!

posted by Otis to health & fitness (5 comments total)

How much would a broken ankle cost you? If you actually want to use it, fix the belt properly. If it tears loose while you're on it, you're going to suffer more than $100 of injury.
posted by Oktober at 6:55 AM on May 1

Unless your duct tape technique is far more advanced than I can imagine and/or you are walking on this at a snail's pace, duct won't keep the belt rip from expanding. The friction of your feet and the belt going around the drums along with the nearby motor means that the duct tape adhesive is always going to warm if not hot. Duct tape (and I suppose adhesive tape in general) doesn't work right when it gets heated and is all squishy.

I imagine there is a solution, after all people retread tires but I have doubts that an inexperience homebrew solution will be cost effective vis-a-vis a ~$100 replacement part.

Oh and don't forget the effort needed to repair/change the belt. You are going to have to disassemble a far amount of the machine to even work on this.
posted by mmascolino at 7:02 AM on May 1

If the failure is on the original seam, how was that seam held together? Is it glued? Taped? Stitched? Whatever the method, you might have a shot at repairing it if it's the glue, tape or stitching that failed. If the belt material itself failed then don't waste any time on it, because other areas are probably on the verge of failing too.

It's probably not a $20 treadmill. How much would it cost to replace it with a similar treadmill, with a good belt? If replacement of the whole machine would cost more than $115 then you're still ahead of the game, unless you simply don't care that much about having a treadmill at all.
posted by jon1270 at 7:30 AM on May 1

A flexible glue like Goop might hold it for a while (with 48 hours setting time), or maybe a silicone glue, but I agree with Oktober--it sounds completely unsafe. If the belt breaks while you're running on it and you eat shit, you'll feel pretty lousy for trying to save a few bucks versus having to deal with whatever injuries you incur from the fall.

Face plant, anyone? Ouch.
posted by ostranenie at 7:45 AM on May 1

nthing $95 sounds awfully reasonable.
posted by jjb at 8:31 AM on May 1