Rebuilding NordicTrack ski machine drive rollers
Many people still buy and use a NordicTrack Ski Machine, although these machines are not as popular as they once were. I have talked to people who say they just plain wore out a ski machine. The part that wears is the one-way clutch inside the drive rollers.
NordicTrack makes the one-way clutch sound very mysterious. In reality it is a one-way needle bearing and is available from Amazon or from a good bearing shop locally. The internal diameter of the one-way needle bearing used in my machine (Challenger, similar to a 303) is 5/8 inch. The outer diameter is 7/8 inch. The width of the one-way needle bearing from end to end is 5/8 inch.
I originally had hopes of being able to install new one-way needle bearings, myself; but, they together with the bronze sleeve bearings on either side of the one-way needle bearing inside each drive roller are pressed into place. Pressing bearings is not a job for the average home tinkerer but requires a bearing press capable of exerting tons of pressure in a very precise manner. You might be able to have a local machine shop press the bearings in your machine's drive rollers. Or, you can send them away to Nordic Track Guy and have them rebuilt for about $33 with a one week turnaround. The core of the rollers really does not wear out, but new rollers are available on the Internet from $65 to $95, depending on the vendor. From what I can find, some models used an alternate size. Check to be certain you order the correct rollers, if you choose to replace.
One of my drive rollers suddenly began to hiccup. It seemed that the clutch did not always release immediately when I pulled my foot forward. Then I noticed a little mush in the response when I began to bring my foot back on the push stroke. Before you rebuild or replace your rollers, try this: Remove one side of your Ski Machine. See the second photo and check the exploded diagram in your manual. Four nuts and two screws, all plainly visible, need to be removed. Slide the washers and the roller off of the top side. The shaft and flywheel can be wiggled out of the other side without removing anything from that side. Remove the washers and the roller from that side, too. Flush the one-way needle bearing by squirting some penetrating oil, like Liquid Wrench, into the bearing. Work it both ways with your smallest finger. Push a facial tissue into the shaft hole in the roller and sop away the penetrating oil and any metallic dust it lifts. Do this several times. Let the rollers air dry a little. Put the rollers back in place on the shaft. Check to be certain they grab on the rearward stroke and release on the forward stroke. Reassemble the machine. My machine works again as it should. The day will likely come when this simple fix does not help, and I will need to rebuild the rollers then. But, for now, my rollers have a new lease on life.
What follows is for your information. The first photo is of a portion of the back cover of the manual that came with my machine. It shows a cutaway image of the drive roller. The black printing is mine. Notice the three cylinders inside the drive roller. The outer two are bronze sleeve bearings. The center one looks like a roller bearing, but is a one-way needle bearing. A one-way needle bearing is essentially a roller bearing, but the rollers are able to move forward and backward a little in their cage. There is a wedge shape for each roller that causes the rollers to bind between the bearing cage and the shaft when the rotation is in one direction, but they are free in the other direction. Here is a description of how they work with graphics.
NordicTrack makes the one-way clutch sound very mysterious. In reality it is a one-way needle bearing and is available from Amazon or from a good bearing shop locally. The internal diameter of the one-way needle bearing used in my machine (Challenger, similar to a 303) is 5/8 inch. The outer diameter is 7/8 inch. The width of the one-way needle bearing from end to end is 5/8 inch.
I originally had hopes of being able to install new one-way needle bearings, myself; but, they together with the bronze sleeve bearings on either side of the one-way needle bearing inside each drive roller are pressed into place. Pressing bearings is not a job for the average home tinkerer but requires a bearing press capable of exerting tons of pressure in a very precise manner. You might be able to have a local machine shop press the bearings in your machine's drive rollers. Or, you can send them away to Nordic Track Guy and have them rebuilt for about $33 with a one week turnaround. The core of the rollers really does not wear out, but new rollers are available on the Internet from $65 to $95, depending on the vendor. From what I can find, some models used an alternate size. Check to be certain you order the correct rollers, if you choose to replace.
One of my drive rollers suddenly began to hiccup. It seemed that the clutch did not always release immediately when I pulled my foot forward. Then I noticed a little mush in the response when I began to bring my foot back on the push stroke. Before you rebuild or replace your rollers, try this: Remove one side of your Ski Machine. See the second photo and check the exploded diagram in your manual. Four nuts and two screws, all plainly visible, need to be removed. Slide the washers and the roller off of the top side. The shaft and flywheel can be wiggled out of the other side without removing anything from that side. Remove the washers and the roller from that side, too. Flush the one-way needle bearing by squirting some penetrating oil, like Liquid Wrench, into the bearing. Work it both ways with your smallest finger. Push a facial tissue into the shaft hole in the roller and sop away the penetrating oil and any metallic dust it lifts. Do this several times. Let the rollers air dry a little. Put the rollers back in place on the shaft. Check to be certain they grab on the rearward stroke and release on the forward stroke. Reassemble the machine. My machine works again as it should. The day will likely come when this simple fix does not help, and I will need to rebuild the rollers then. But, for now, my rollers have a new lease on life.
What follows is for your information. The first photo is of a portion of the back cover of the manual that came with my machine. It shows a cutaway image of the drive roller. The black printing is mine. Notice the three cylinders inside the drive roller. The outer two are bronze sleeve bearings. The center one looks like a roller bearing, but is a one-way needle bearing. A one-way needle bearing is essentially a roller bearing, but the rollers are able to move forward and backward a little in their cage. There is a wedge shape for each roller that causes the rollers to bind between the bearing cage and the shaft when the rotation is in one direction, but they are free in the other direction. Here is a description of how they work with graphics.
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Do you have any tips on replacement of Achiever axle bearings? I do not see getting them in as a problem but I am stumped about the best way to remove them. (The outboard bearings set in the wood frame,. not the drive rollers!) Also any recommended source for new bearings would be appreciated.
When I needed to replace the sealed ball bearings on my radial arm saw I found a store that specializes in bearings through the Yellow Pages. They were able to match my old bearings for less than the factory part at Sears.
I hope this helps.
I downloaded a manual from NordicTrack's site and it appears they use the same basic manual for several models. Still, the exploded diagram is a big help whenever you want to peek inside or tweak something.
Now, if I could just find something that makes me exercise consistently, or keeps things from disrupting my good efforts when I do exercise with regularity.
Sometimes, just loosening and tightening the clamp in place will remove the 'lock' it has on the roller. And sometimes you just need to back it off a hair. The rule of thumb is that the roller should not be too tight or too lose which would either not move at all or allow play from side to side. If you flick the roller with your fingertips on the forward stroke, it should turn only a couple of revolutions at most. ie. it should not be loose or so tight it will not move at all. If you have a plastic tube holding one of the rollers against the other side, (this is the housing for the magnetic interface), those can be a little more difficult to adjust and there is least one version that when it comes loose from the shaft or axle, will stop turning with the axle and is not cinched up tight enough to the drive. This also means the monitor might no longer be reading the flywheel speed accurately.
Caution: When adjusting the drive clamp, be sure you have the correct CR-V4 Allen bit. They are normally very tight and it's very easy to strip. You need to make sure the bit is all the way in and you have good leverage when making this adjustment. -- NordicDanny @ http://www.NordicFitnessTrack.com "It's all I do:"
I have a question about the drive rollers on my Achiever (bought used about 5 years ago). Recently one roller has started applying resistance on the forward stroke. This only happens after 25+ minutes of skiing. When I go back to it the next day, it seems to operate normally (i.e., no forward resistance) for about 25 minutes. My guess is that the drive roller is going, although it's not slipping backward at this time.
Will a roller rebuild fix this? Also, I have a spare roller from an older Pro model that I scavenged for parts. Could I just put that roller in there? (I'm not sure whether it was from the right or left side of the machine, and don't know whether that makes a difference when replacing rollers). Thanks for any help you can provide.
I have a "roller" question about my 1995 Pro model (which I just picked up used for $50). I have noticed that the center (drive) rollers are slightly lower than the end (idler) rollers. I haven't actually measured it but maybe by about 1/8". Same on both sides, left and right. Is this normal? If not, any way to adjust this?
Thank you
Anyone else who has to do this, for your drift you need a 3/16" or less diameter rod, ideally about a foot long. Mine was a little short, so had to grind the end of a nail flat and use it for more length to finish up. See pic.
Second pic shows the bad axle and the good axle together. I'll try cleaning it up but I have a feeling I'm going to be shopping for a replacement, and a new roller while I'm at it.
As for manual, I have no number, and the Sequoia manual I have been able to find is very basic, no exploded view. Would you mind posting pic of flywheel assembly, so I can be sure to get all the washers and shims on in the right order? I had to disassemble the thing enough that all that came off....
It will be working again for the winter. Thanks for the second pic. Will send email address.
One of the things I noticed right away on this used Pro, is that the drive rollers were quite stiff on the forward stroke. One of them in particular was reluctant enough that the ski would squeak against it instead of being able to roll the drive wheel smoothly forward. (This reminded me of how you described your drive rollers starting to act up by not releasing predictably.) Since there are ring clamps on the drive shaft that exert sideways pressure on the rollers (to keep them in place), I loosened one ever-so-slightly to see if it would relieve that binding feeling as the roller spun forward. The problem immediately disappeared! I made sure that both rollers are still held in place, they cannot move side-to-side on the shaft at all, but the lateral pressure and slight binding caused by the ring clamp is gone. Both rollers now roll forward almost effortlessly but grab reliably on the backward stroke.
I do wonder, though, if that lateral pressure was intentional. These are not cup and cone bearings, as far as I can see from the illustration, so I can't think why they would need a certain degree of sideways pressure on them. Those flat washers on the sides seem to be designed to keep crud out, not to put specific pressure on the bearings. Since you've had a closer look at the innards of the drive wheels, what are your thoughts? I even wondered if maybe part of your problem's resolution was due to reassembling the drive shaft with less lateral pressure on the rollers.
Thanks again!
I assume by a ring clamp you mean a collar with a set screw. I do not think I had the problem you describe. It is always possible the collar was not set right at the factory. I have seen that problem with other things before. The NordicTrack is a combination of steel and wood parts. Wood can change its tolerances with changes in humidity. If that happened, you could pick up drag on your rollers. Or, it may be possible that a previous owner tinkered with the position of the collars and did not get it right when he tightened the set screws. I am glad you solved your problem.
I thought it odd and pretentious for NordicTrack to talk about the patented one-way clutch used by the mechanical engineer who developed the NordicTrack when it is only a common one-way needle bearing. The NordicTrack ski machine is a clever solution to a need, but it is not more than it is.
Thanks again for a very useful post and for all the help you've given to so many!
I bought my NordicTrack in a store for second-hand sports equipment. I paid considerably more than you paid for yours, but it did come with some dated original literature. I even found a date of manufacture on a sticker. If I remember correctly, mine was made early in 1992.
I believe a lot of ski machines got very little use because the owners found them more difficult to use than they expected, or they found using the machines boring.
I'm still "on the fence" about rebuilding the drive rollers vs. sending them to Nordic Track Guy for rebuild. On the one hand, it would be rewarding to do it myself, but on the other hand, he can probably do the job and ship them back to me faster than I could get the parts. And I have a long history of wanting to take things apart just to see how they work, sometimes to their detriment. Either way, if you decide to do a full Instructable on this I'll be interested, whether or not I rebuild mine. You've taught me about one-way needle bearings, and I thank you for sharing your good information, instructions, and comments! kt
The DaVinci drawing is actually a photo I made of the factory manual's back cover. I cannot claim credit for the artwork, but it does have a DaVinci quality. I am torn between the time-honored principle, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." and a desire to open it up to see what is inside. There is the possibility that k24tea may repair his worn rollers and do an Instructable simultaneously. My machine is still working fine, and I am reticent to disturb it. Thank you for looking and for commenting.
I completely understand not wanting to open up something that is working properly. I've broken more than one item (including the first of my daughter's crib aquaria!) by doing that.
I can remove the drive rollers, but I don't know anything about one-way needle bearings. I'm handy with small tools and parts, so if you can please give me any further info on what to get and how to rebuild the clutches, I'm pretty sure I can do it. I agree, it may cost about the same to ship them off to Nordic Track Guy for rebuild, but the lost time on my beloved Nordic Track is priceless! Thank you for any assistance you can offer. kt
The picture on the back of my NordicTrack owner's manual appears to show a bronze sleeve bearing on each side of the one-way needle bearing inside each roller. I would think the bronze sleeve bearings would slide out without too much difficulty. Then you would want a wrench socket that fits inside the roller housing without a lot of looseness, but slides smoothly. Place the roller on a couple of blocks and tap on the wrench socket to drive out the old one-way needle bearing. Drive in the new one-way needle bearing and slide the bronze rollers back into place. Do on lubricate the one-way needle bearings at all, or they will slip all of the time. Check to see which way the rubber roller should go back onto the shaft so it grabs when your foot pushes back and is free when you bring your foot forward with the ski. There is an arrow on the side of the one-way needle bearings to indicate which way they grab. Correcting a mistake should be a simple matter of sliding the rubber roller off of the flywheel shaft and rotating the roller a half turn end for end before putting it back onto the shaft.
If I were you, I would get out the Yellow Pages and find a bearing shop near where you live. Then I would call them and ask some questions. If you talked real nicely to them, they might even press the old bearing out and the new one in for you. Certainly a local machine shop would do that for a small fee.
If it goes well, you may do an Instructable on this before I do.
Wow! Thanks so much for this very helpful information and advice! I'll try to dig up my Nordic Track manual (haven't seen it for 20 years) and look for the drawings you describe., or I think I saw the manual available for download. There are a couple of places around here that might be able to help me get the bearings I need and maybe press them out/in for me or else show me how to do it. If I can find the right size bearings and can replace the old ones successfully, I'll send you an update with part numbers. Otherwise, you're right, the Nordic Track Guy can rebuild the drive rollers for me, but so much more rewarding to learn how to do it myself. Armed with the excellent instructions and advice you've provided, I think I can do it! If I do an Instructable on this, I'll be sure to credit you and link to your posting as the original contributor. Thanks again! kt
The manual that came with our used machine is nearly identical to those you download on-line, except that they do not have the cover with some artistically done cutaway drawings. One of those drawings showed a drive roller with about a quarter of the cylindrical shape removed to reveal three parts inside the core of the roller. The center one looks very much like a roller bearing, but would be a one-way needle bearing. The other two flanking it on each side are smooth and are likely oil impregnated bronze sleeve bearings.
I enjoy our NordicTrack, but must confess it has been very easy for me to get stopped from regular use after building up to a respectable number of minutes on it each week. I am looking forward to retirement soon when the demands of work will not leave me a fatigued during busy seasons and I can be regular with my exercise plans.
Maybe after you retire from your current job, you can make more Instructables and/or teach your skills to folks like me who just "need to know" how things work. You clearly have a knack for describing and explaining.
I hope you'll find time soon to use your Nordic Track again. I know what you mean about fatigue during busy times, and sometimes it's hard to find time and energy for anything besides work. I've used mine pretty regularly for about 20 years, and I find that a NT workout with my favorite oldies music actually increases my energy and elevates my mood for the rest of the day. My plan is to stay strong so I can have the energy to do what I want to do! Thanks again, Phil, for helping me stay "on track".
My wife was the one who wanted a NordicTrack. Now she does not use it, but I do. A few weeks ago I was using it regularly and was up to about 20 minutes a day most days a week. About that time I had to change the oil in my car. That means a lot of getting up and down on the garage floor. I was surprised at how my time on the NordicTrack made getting up and down so much easier that my increased strength made me feel like I was a good 20 years younger. A little NordicTrack time makes me want more.
NordicTrack ski machines vary a little. Ours was the most basic model at the time it was made. I have made little modifications. I did an Instructable on adding removable wheels so I can easily move it from one part of the house to another, even up and down steps. I also welded on some guides for the arm cord so the cord cannot so easily wrap over itself and make a snapping noise when the drum is turning back and forth. I have not documented that, yet. I also made a tray to go on the arm with the abdomen cushion so I can rest a CD disc player on it, but I have not documented that, either. Some of the higher grade NordicTrack units already come with solutions to those problems.
I saw your Instructable the other day for adding the wheels, and I thought it was a really good modification. The little wheels they come with are only good for shifting them a short distance. I can't imagine moving my Nordic Track up and down stairs more than once a year, or preferably less!
I'd like to see how you did your arm cord guides. The arm cord on mine snaps and flays about, and it sometimes flips over the top and needs to be re-wrapped around the drum, so I need to make something to keep it in place. I don't have your welding skills or equipment, so I'll probably make some guides with sturdy wire instead. Or my arm cord may just need replacing after 20 years of use. I read somewhere that a new cord is stiff, and mine is quite flexible, almost like a jump-rope. I've only done minimal maintenance on my Nordic Track until now, so it's probably time to replace a few parts to keep it going strong.
Over the years I've added just a few little conveniences. First thing, I mounted a small fan on top of the post. A long time ago I bought a combination book/music player/water bottle holder that mounted on top of the upright post, but it was brittle plastic and broke apart, so now I'm working on a little metal rack for mp3 player and water bottle to hang on the back of the hip pad. Sometimes making things for my "toys" is as much fun as the toys themselves!
I know what you mean about how good it feels to be in shape just to do ordinary activities more easily. I keep going on my Nordic Track in the hope that I'll keep my strength and mobility as I age. It's easy on creaky joints but still gives a great workout even when I'm not good for doing much else that day. I've tried several different ellipticals and treadmills, but I find my Nordic Track works just as well and is much kinder to my knees and hips.
Something I've found out about the various models is that most of the differences aren't terribly important to the practical functioning of the machine. There are different woods, and some are composites instead, and some have adjustable front legs for incline skiing. Some come with electronic pulse monitors and timer/calorie/distance meters. Some have a cable and turn-knob for adjusting leg tension instead of a simpler sliding lever connected directly to the spring and strap. Thus, some require different replacement parts than others. But all the original (pre-1999, US made) ones seem to be essentially the same as far as practical function and durability. I have the Achiever model; my sister has the Excel, and a friend has the Sequoia. They look a little different and the leg tension adjustment methods vary, but I can't feel any difference when I use one or the other of them. I think the most basic model is just as good and durable as the fancier high-end ones, and probably is easier to maintain and repair. No matter which model you have, you've got a great exercise machine!
So here's to you, Phil, for your excellent advice and instructions. I'll be reading your other Instructables, too. Stay motivated, and keep on Tracking! kt
Attached is a photo of how I did the arm cord guides. The black guard was already in place. Some models have different ways of routing the cord near the drum, including rollers. I bent some 1/4 inch steel rod and welded two pieces in place. I noticed the left cord tends to wrap around the bottom half of the drum while the right side wraps around the upper half. I expect the rubbing of the cord on even smooth steel may accelerate wear, but I have not noticed any yet. I still need to cut the pieces of rod and grind their ends round to make them better looking.
I was at Lowe's (I assume you live in the USA.) and saw some similar cord in green or purple that was only slightly smaller in diameter. I will use it when I need to replace my cord.
I have long thought the working parts of the different models are too similar for further comment. As for elevating the front end I have always thought I could just slip a 2 x 4 or two under the front feet when I am ready.
I would be interested in seeing photos of your modifications.
I am now 66. Regular exercise helps keep a person from waking at weird hours during the night. The human body produces less essential hormones with age, too. Exercise helps with that, too.
Thanks for your comments.