Proform 525 Space Saver Belt Change is not really hard.
Many thanks to Coldjensens, this probably saved me an hour or two. As it was it took me about 45 minutes, and I’ll bet you can get it down to 30 minutes or so. Much of this is from Coldjensens post.
Watch an online video so you have an idea of what you will be doing. However, changing the belt on a Profom 525 Space Saver is a bit different than what the videos show for other types of treadmills. Note you do not need to remove the cover on the underside of the running board (they tell you to do this for in the video for the 525 ssi, but you do not need to remove it here).
You only need to remove the right hand side to do this.
To remove the back end cover and roller, you must remove both adjusting bolts entirely. This is the only thing that holds the cover in place. Then you can just tap the cover off with a hammer, use a wooden block to protect the plastic and be gentle and take turns tapping on each side.
The front cover is easy to remove with six screws, and you only need to remove the adjusting bolt to be able to slide the front roller out.
The side rails are stapled in place, there were 8 on my right hand side. I had no luck with a screwdriver, I used a heavy bladed knife. I slid it under the cover and right up next to the staple, by slightly twisting the knife it pulled each staple through with minimal damage. Be careful, or the side rails will crack. If any staples remained stuck in the side rails, you will need to remove them.
Remove the three screws on the right hand side of the running board, the forward two are machine screws, and the rear one looks like a wood screw.
Lift the running board on the right hand side about 2-3 inches. I put a screwdriver handle between the running board and the frame to hold it up. Mine was a bit difficult at first, the board was stuck to the rubber spacers, just a little elbow grease and it came right up. When you remove the belt, there are metal brackets hanging below the running board, they are in the front 1/3 of the walking board. The belt goes in between them. You have to pull the belt over the bracket to get it off. With a flashlight you can see the bracket fine.
To get the belt on the running board, reverse the procedure above, use your flashlight to make sure you are getting over the bracket. Lay the board in place, but do not put the screws back yet. Do not install the top roller yet.
There was a suggestion not to replace the Ground Wire on the rear roller, Do Not Do This, it is there for a reason, it is not to ground the motor, it is to ground the metal rear roller.
Having not installed the top roller, you have a lot more slack in the belt to replace the rear roller. You can set the roller in the belt, set these on top of the walking board, insert the right hand adjusting screw in the cover, and place the ground wire on it. Wriggle the roller around until you can start the threads, repeat for the left hand screw.
Now, move the assembly down to the proper location and look at the cover compared to the frame, my frame needed to be squeezed together just a bit and the cover started on easily. A few taps with my fist, and it seated completely.
Now, install the top roller, and the drive belt, measure the gap between the top roller and the walking board, adjust until both sides are equal.
Now, tighten the rear adjusting bolts a couple of turns at a time, alternating back and forth until they just start to feel snug, not so tight you can’t move them. I then went another two turns each on mine, again, not so tight that they are hard to turn.
Plug up the unit and start it on slow, be careful the drive belt is still exposed at this point
Tighten the belt if it slips (mine did at this point) and adjust the belt so it centers.
Replace the front cover.
When re-installing the side rails, the included screws will work fine, just make sure you pre-drill pilot holes, so they do not strip out, and use a manual screwdriver so you do not overtighten them, or use staples if you have a commercial staple gun.
From Coldjensens: "By the way, the belt from Treadmill Doctor fit perfectly and appears to be good quality. Also it arrived in only two days." I agree with this 100%
Again many thanks to Coldjensens, these suggestions just make it faster and, eaiser to do with only one person
Tater
Watch an online video so you have an idea of what you will be doing. However, changing the belt on a Profom 525 Space Saver is a bit different than what the videos show for other types of treadmills. Note you do not need to remove the cover on the underside of the running board (they tell you to do this for in the video for the 525 ssi, but you do not need to remove it here).
You only need to remove the right hand side to do this.
To remove the back end cover and roller, you must remove both adjusting bolts entirely. This is the only thing that holds the cover in place. Then you can just tap the cover off with a hammer, use a wooden block to protect the plastic and be gentle and take turns tapping on each side.
The front cover is easy to remove with six screws, and you only need to remove the adjusting bolt to be able to slide the front roller out.
The side rails are stapled in place, there were 8 on my right hand side. I had no luck with a screwdriver, I used a heavy bladed knife. I slid it under the cover and right up next to the staple, by slightly twisting the knife it pulled each staple through with minimal damage. Be careful, or the side rails will crack. If any staples remained stuck in the side rails, you will need to remove them.
Remove the three screws on the right hand side of the running board, the forward two are machine screws, and the rear one looks like a wood screw.
Lift the running board on the right hand side about 2-3 inches. I put a screwdriver handle between the running board and the frame to hold it up. Mine was a bit difficult at first, the board was stuck to the rubber spacers, just a little elbow grease and it came right up. When you remove the belt, there are metal brackets hanging below the running board, they are in the front 1/3 of the walking board. The belt goes in between them. You have to pull the belt over the bracket to get it off. With a flashlight you can see the bracket fine.
To get the belt on the running board, reverse the procedure above, use your flashlight to make sure you are getting over the bracket. Lay the board in place, but do not put the screws back yet. Do not install the top roller yet.
There was a suggestion not to replace the Ground Wire on the rear roller, Do Not Do This, it is there for a reason, it is not to ground the motor, it is to ground the metal rear roller.
Having not installed the top roller, you have a lot more slack in the belt to replace the rear roller. You can set the roller in the belt, set these on top of the walking board, insert the right hand adjusting screw in the cover, and place the ground wire on it. Wriggle the roller around until you can start the threads, repeat for the left hand screw.
Now, move the assembly down to the proper location and look at the cover compared to the frame, my frame needed to be squeezed together just a bit and the cover started on easily. A few taps with my fist, and it seated completely.
Now, install the top roller, and the drive belt, measure the gap between the top roller and the walking board, adjust until both sides are equal.
Now, tighten the rear adjusting bolts a couple of turns at a time, alternating back and forth until they just start to feel snug, not so tight you can’t move them. I then went another two turns each on mine, again, not so tight that they are hard to turn.
Plug up the unit and start it on slow, be careful the drive belt is still exposed at this point
Tighten the belt if it slips (mine did at this point) and adjust the belt so it centers.
Replace the front cover.
When re-installing the side rails, the included screws will work fine, just make sure you pre-drill pilot holes, so they do not strip out, and use a manual screwdriver so you do not overtighten them, or use staples if you have a commercial staple gun.
From Coldjensens: "By the way, the belt from Treadmill Doctor fit perfectly and appears to be good quality. Also it arrived in only two days." I agree with this 100%
Again many thanks to Coldjensens, these suggestions just make it faster and, eaiser to do with only one person
Tater
Comments
I figured out pretty much the same procedure on my own. I would recommend removing the front roller first to allow slack in the belt to remove the single piece rear end cap with the roller. My machine had retaining clips holding the rear roller into the end cap so it won't just slide off. (Or just cut off the old walking belt.)