Treadmill MotorHmm, well it's not actually that straightforward as motors come in a range of sizes and picking the right one to meet your needs can feel like a lottery - and that's often not helped by the manufacturers themselves! This is because there is currently no standard motor rating in the treadmill industry. Before we get to that, though, the purpose of the motor is to turn the treadbelt - it's the heart of the drive system, which also includes the flywheel, motor drive belt and front roller.
The power generated by the motor is transferred via the drive belt, which runs around the flywheel to the front roller, which then turns the treadbelt.Treadmill motors are electrically powered and typically generate between 1.0 HP and 3.5 HP for residential treadmills and up to around 5.0 HP for commercial treadmills. Now that's a rule of thumb as other factors come into it - notably the way that motor power output is rated. Look out for continuous duty as this is the constant level of power the motor can pump out over a continuous period. Some manufacturers quote peak duty, which is the maximum power and can usually only be sustained for a relatively short period of time. Continuous duty is a better judge of a treadmill's power, so don't get suckered into buying a treadmill with less power than it will actually deliver. Now once you've got your treadmill, how do you ensure it lasts as long as possible? The major reasons for treadmill motor failure are excessive belt friction, caused by an over tightened treadmill belt, friction between the belt and rollers and insufficient treadmill belt lubrication. So to keep your motor purring, choose the right one to start with and look after your belt. Make sure that the motor has a decent warranty, too - many mid-price treadmills now come with 10 years and even lifetime warranties.
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