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2.5"
Roller System
Bigger is Better
A major component in providing no hesitation walking/running
and long treadbelt life is the roller system. In design,
there is no substitute for size. Basically, the larger
the better. That's why commercial treadmills will oversize
the roller design with very large diameters. (2.5"
diameter, 22" tube length with 5/8" solid
shaft)
Large rollers can offer the following advantages:
Treadbellts
can run with less tension. Less tension results
in longer life to both the belt and roller bearings.
This is because the larger roller diameter has more
area to "grip" the belt (traction) and prevent slippage.
Large
rollers turn more slowly at all speeds. This obviously
reduces bearing wear. The Smooth 9.3 rollers operate
43% slower than True or Precor treadmills.
Increased
load capacity bearings are standard with Smooth 9.3
roller design. Small rollers mean small bearings.
Large bearings in rollers mean large load capacity,
upt to 40% more! This adds longer life.
Treadbelt
doesn't have to bend as sharp as it is forced over larger
rollers. Support fibers (polyester) in the belt
will last longer by staying cooler and not flexing as
much. The more flex, the more heat, especially on a
very tight belt (necessary to prevent slippage) with
units using small rollers.
Larger
rollers have more surface mass to absorb treadmill belt
heat. Treadbelts can run hot! The cooler they operate,
the better. The backing lasts longer, the splice is
stronger and the PVC top coat doesn't "migrate" (bleed
through) to the deck (causing friction).
Better
precision bearing alignment is maintained. Because
with large roller size, you also get much more strength.
Larger axles (bigger bearings) are also stronger to
minimize flexing between the mounting points of the
roller.
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Roller
Size Comparison
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| Smooth |
2.5
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| Landice |
2.5
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| Precor |
1.9
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| Tunturi |
1.9
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| True |
1.75
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Custom-engineered
rollers used in the Smooth 9.3 series allow for future
belt tensioning as the deck belt stretches slightly
over the life of the belt. Over-tightening a belt can
cause the rollers' shaft to flex, causing mis-alignment
of the roller bearings. This mis-alignment can cause
pre-mature roller failure. Our engineers designed a
thicker shaft, and coupled it with roller seats, where
the flex will be minimized and mis-alignment of roller
bearings virtually disappears, making for longer-life
rollers.
What
you should expect in the Ultimate Running Machine!
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