I received a great question from @IamLNTK on twitter! The question was asking how often you should apply lube to your tread belt.
This is a good question because many treadmill owners have purchased their treadmills used, and oftentimes the manuals are not included, so they don’t know or don’t even think about the fact that their treadmill needs lube. If you buy your treadmill new, it will usually come with a small supply of lube from the manufacturer (generally enough for one lubing), but again, if you buy used, you probably won’t be provided with the original lube and will need to purchase some.
In general, it is suggested that most treadmills be lubed at least once per year. I would suggest that even if you rarely use your treadmill, you should still apply lube every year to keep the belt in good shape. For those who use their machines often, every six months may be more appropriate in order to keep your treadmill in tip-top shape. Instead of giving a time frame, some manuals will say that lubing is needed every “x” miles or hours spend on the treadmill. But for those who don’t use their treadmills often, it could take several years to reach “x” so I would suggest lubing once a year OR when you reach “x,” whichever comes first.
Some people don’t even realize that a treadmill needs lube to protect the belt from friction. Most treadmills are pre-lubed when they are new, so you don’t have to worry about lubing for the first 6 months to a year. Some brands (Precor comes to mind) advertise that no lube is needed. While it is true that these belts may be able to go for longer in between lubes than most treadmills, it is still a good idea to lube as needed. There is no such thing as a maintenance free treadmill!
My best advice is to find your owner’s manual or contact the manufacturer of your treadmill. Since every treadmill is a little different, and they all receive different amounts of use, you may find that you have to lube your belt more or less often than you thought! By keeping the belt lubed when it’s needed, you will save money in the long run because it’s far cheaper to buy and use tread belt lube, than it is to buy a new belt every couple of years!
Now that you have figured out how often to lube your treadmill, make sure that you know what type of lube to use so that you don’t end up voiding your warranty!
Feel free to ask questions through Facebook or Twitter and I will answer them for you as quickly as possible!