Which Direction Do I Install My Treadmill Running Belt

Treadmill Running Belts and Direction of Install

Learn how to determine the proper direction of treadmill belt installation here. Learn the differences between the different types of belt seams and how they may or may not impact the installation process.

Some treadmill running belts have a required direction for installation to your treadmill. These treadmill running belts may be referred to as "directional". Other treadmill running belts can be installed in any direction and may be referred to as "non-directional".

The type of seam the treadmill running belt was manufactured with determines if the belt is "directional" or "non-directional". Understanding the seam types that are used for treadmill running belt manufacturing will help determine how the running belt should be installed.

Non-Directional Treadmill Running Belts

A treadmill running belt that is non-directional when installed onto the treadmill would be a running belt that features a Finger Splice seam. This design is identified by many "fingers" of each end of the belt joining with the opposite end. Below is an example of what a finger splice seam looks like.







Back of running belt with finger splice seam.

Directional Treadmill Running Belts

A treadmill running belt that is directional when installed onto the treadmill would be a running belt that features an overlap seam. The overlap seam is easily identified by one edge from each end of the belt joining with the opposite end.

Back of treadmill walking belt with overlap seam.

This type of belt requires that the top layer faces the front roller and the bottom layer faces the rear roller.

The user's foot should not slide into the seam as the belt rotates.