If you rely on conveyor belts to keep your business moving, you want that belting to last as long as possible.
We at MIPR want you to have the proper knowledge and tools to maintain and repair your belting systems and maximize your investment value.
One of the most significant ways to ensure your belt’s best performance is by regularly tracking it. Think of it like aligning the wheels on your car. Frequent tracking will reduce unnecessary and uneven wear and breakdowns.
We’re here to support you in your belt care and are offering this essential guide to tracking:
- Before anything else, you’ll want to clean and inspect your belt. Check for the buildup of debris, grime, or bits of worn-down parts. With the belt removed, go in for a thorough cleaning, checking the pulleys, bearings, and rollers as you go, and replacing any worn parts.
- Now that your conveyor belt is clean, it’s time to install it. Start by making sure your conveyor is level with the floor and square to itself with no sagging ends. Your pulley should be split between itself. This should be the same at the drive end of the belt
- Next we need to achieve proper tension so that your belt doesn’t slide from side to side. Line the belt up in the center of the pulley and begin tightening the tension screws on either side. Use a three eighths ratchet with a 12 point socket to tighten both sides evenly and then check the belt for tension. Use a tape measure to continue tightening evenly and checking your belt until it’s firmly secured on the center of the pulley. When the belt is properly tightened, you should still be able to fit your fist between the belt and the bed in the center of the conveyor.
- Operate your belt under tension for several complete revolutions before making any adjustments. If the belt is tracking unevenly, adjust the screw on the side that the belt is tending towards. Remember to make changes in small increments and allow the belt to revolve again before continuing. Check the drive end and adjust the snubber rollers as needed by loosening the bolts and pulling the rollers either towards or away from you before retightening. Your belt may not track perfectly, but take your time to ensure that it isn’t running off the edge of the pulley on either side. Minor adjustments result in significant changes. Take it slow and be careful not to adjust too much at one time. Longer conveyors may require additional snub rollers to be adjusted. Always start with the snub rollers closest to the ends of the conveyor and work towards the center.
Track your belts regularly, and you can be sure to keep them running strong as long as possible.
If you have a conveyor belt that just can’t seem to stay in alignment, talk to the belting experts at MIPR. We can quickly identify whether the problem originates in the frame, if the belt is the right one for your application, or if it hasn’t been properly installed or tracked.
For more details on maintaining your conveyor system, call our experts at 1-800-540-1846. Or, if improper tracking has worn out your existing belting, reach out to us for a fast, affordable replacement. We even ship same-day!