Precor treadmills remain to be one of the most popular fitness equipment, whether used in the gym or at home.
Like any other complicated machines, Precor products require some maintenance, and different parts may need replacement from time to time.
In today’s guide we are helping you go through the Precor treadmill belt replacement process to ensure the safety for you and other users for years to come.
Without further ado, let’s get right into it!
Signs a Precor Treadmill Belt Needs Replacement
Symptoms like fraying edges, excessive smoothness, sluggish belt movement, or slippage can all be signs that your treadmill belt requires maintenance. But to determine whether you are replacing the belt or not, you need to know exactly what to look for and what tests to perform.
First off, turn on Precor treadmill and start running it at the slowest speed possible. Pay close attention to the edges of the belt and make sure they aren’t curling or frayed.
Fraying or curling can be an obvious sign that you should be replacing the treadmill belt.
Next, loosen your treadmill belt using a screwdriver in order to be able to visually inspect and feel the interior and exterior belt surfaces.
Avoid loosening the bolts too much, you want them just loose enough to be able to slide your hand inside the belt and visually inspect the underside of the belt.
After the tension bolts are loose, run your hand along the underside and top to check for signs of excessive wear. This may come in the form of discoloration or extreme smoothness.
Discoloration for most treadmill belts will seem dark, almost black.
Also if you feel excessive smoothness in the areas where you walk, your belt needs to be replaced.
Next, you want to inspect the seam of the belt. This is a particularly vulnerable area of the belt and can easily be the source of many problems.
Identify the seam where the belt has been connected, and make certain that it isn’t coming undone.
Run your hand along the seam on the underside of the belt, check for any signs of wear and tear on the top of the belt seam.
If the belt seam edges are fraying or coming apart, you need to replace the tread belt.
Precor Treadmill Belt Replacement Toolkit
For Precor treadmill belt replacement process, tools you will need are:
- Treadmill belt.
- Allen wrench.
- Phillips head screw driver.
- A marker.
Precor Treadmill Belt Replacement – Step By Step Guide
Precor Treadmills may vary in model style, but the procedure demonstrated here is very similar to all Precor products.
Make sure to unplug the unit from the outlet before committing the guide below so that there’s no risk of an electrical shock.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to replace a Precor treadmill belt:
STEP 1: Remove the motor hood cover
Life off the motor hood cover from the front of the machine.
STEP 2: Remove the end caps & belt guard covers
Go to the back of your Precor unit and remove the screws that retain the end cap to the frame, then slide the end caps off the treadmill.
Next, you need to remove the belt guard. Todo that, press the inwards on the belt guard to remove the belt guard tabs from the idle roller mounts, then slide it off of the unit.
STEP 3: Remove the deck trim covers
First remove the bolts attaching the deck covers to the running platform. Then lift each side up and toward you to remove it.
STEP 4: Remove the take-up roller
Start by loosening the left and right tension screws on the take-up roller at the front of the roller and remove them.
Next, lift and slide the Take‑Up roller out of the running belt.
STEP 5: Remove the drive roller
With the belt loosened, while turning the drive roller by hand, pull on the inside of the drive belt in order to walk it off the drive roller pulley.
Next remove the drive roller out of the running belt.
STEP 6: Remove the deck bolts
Remove the four mounting bolts and roller guards that hold the deck to the frame.
STEP 7: Remove belt
With the help of another person, lift the deck then slide the running belt off.
STEP 8: Reinstall the new belt
After you’ve removed the old belt, Carefully install the new walking belt around the walking board.
The new running belt will have a directional arrow placed on the inside of the belt. The arrow indicates the correct direction of travel.
Incorrectly installed running belt direction will cause the belt to wear prematurely.
Make certain to slip the running belt onto the deck with the arrow pointing in the direction of travel.
STEP 9: Reassemble the deck
Align the bottom plate and pivot bracket holes with the running deck bolt holes.
Slide and replace the roller guard under the belt, then install and hand tighten the deck mounting bolts all the way once they are in.
STEP 10: Reinstall the drive roller
Slide the drive roller into place. Walk the drive belt by hand onto the pulley just as it was taken off.
STEP 11: Reassemble the rear take up roller
Slide the take up roller though the running belt and fully hand tighten the mounting bolts into the take up roller shaft.
Next, insert the plastic belt guard cover back onto the back roller.
STEP 12: Reinstall the deck covers
Reinstall the deck covers on the side of the walking platform.
STEP 13: Test the belt
After you successfully replace the Precor walking belt, lift the new belt in the middle to make sure it’s appropriately tightened.
It should lift between 2 and 3 inches away from the treadmill, but no more.
You also want to make sure the gap on both side of the walking belt are equal.
Get on Precor treadmill belt adjustment guide if the belt is not properly aligned and tensioned and needs adjustment.
STEP 14: Reinstall the end caps
Replace and screw the end caps at the back of the unit.
STEP 15: Put the motor hood back on
Once you are done with replacing and adjusting your Precor walking as called for, put the motor hood and screws back on.
Final Thoughts
A Precor treadmill belt is the most important part of the treadmill, and unfortunately at some point, you probably will have to replace it at some point.
Today’s guide has given you a lot of useful information to help you understand when you need to replace your Precor treadmill belt and how to do it all by yourself.
After successfully replacing the belt, you have to make sure the running deck if it is well oiled. If not, get on how to lubricate Precor treadmill guide in order to keep the new belt under good conditions.
