[Macrocarpus]

Mon; I took tech writing when I was in school. That may account for my aggravation with this @#%*^ machine. Who in hell does not put a title to his work?

 

[Seth]

A lot of the third party (aftermarket) accessories companies we deal with have stopped including printed instructions for assembly/use of their products. All are online.

 

[Fishindude]

I find that exercise equipment to be very handy for hanging laundry on. Can't tell you how many pieces of that stuff has gotten dragged into our house, assembled, used for a short time, then sat to gather dust. Take a walk outdoors or go to the gym. The equipment at the gym is typically far superior quality than the home owner stuff you buy anyway.

 

[emdeengee]

This happens all the time now. Not only to us but to our family and friends. Either no instructions or so badly written that no one can follow them and even if you do they are wrong.

We have also had missing parts and bolts that did not fit as well as screws where the heads fell off when you tightened them. My husband has a huge collection of nuts, bolt, screws, nails and other bits and pieces so we have always been able to find those that fit. Just poor, poor quality. And not just on China made goods.

Fortunately my husband is very mechanically inclined (me, not so much) so is able to figure it all out .

I have found that the French instructions (must be on all goods in Canada) are far superior so I am able to read them to my husband. It is possible that other languages have the same better instructions as they may be translated in the country of destination. Spanish for instance.

 

[haypoint]

I recently bought a battery powered chain saw from Lowes, on line, to be delivered to their store. It arrived a week later than the expected delivery date. Half the box was gone and there was a mile of plastic wrap holding it together. The chainsaw bar, with plastic cover, stuck out the top. I'd thought the bar wouldn't have been assembled for shipment. They assured me that it was all there. Saw, bar cover, battery, charger, instructions for saw, battery and charger. In the owner's manual, in the "replacement parts" section, I can order a spare nut to hold the bar on, a chain guard and the chainsaw wrench. But I never got a chainsaw wrench. I've got 90 days to return. I could send it back and order another in hopes the wrench would arrive in an unbroken box. After several hours completing on line forms, in my quest in getting the $2 stamped steel wrench, they want verification of photos of the serial number from the bottom of the saw. If I had a smart phone, east peasy. But I don't. So a simple sending a photo by email gets complicated. I'm torn between just buying a wrench and designating it as my new chainsaw wrench or to make a point, return the saw and buy another brand elsewhere.

 

[Danaus29]

We learned the hard way to never accept anything that arrives to the store in a smashed or torn box. We ordered an intake that came crushed in a crinkled box. It didn't even have all the broken off pieces in the box. I would return the saw and tell them to get a new one.

The worst intructions I ever read were the ones for installing a kitchen faucet.

"Remove old faucet"
"Install new faucet"
Yep, that was it. Took me 4 hours, 3 trips to Lowes, a roll of that white tape and a seriously sore body from wriggling under the sink. To top it off the blasted think LEAKED! Bad leak, running water when off leak! Hubby told me I did it wrong. I laughed until I couldn't breathe when he turned on the water after he "fixed" it and it still LEAKED!

But I now know how to not only install a kitchen faucet but shut off valves (there were none before) on water lines. This was over 10 years ago, the shut off valves still don't leak. The instructions on the little tag were clear and simple.

 

[HDRider]

Me too

 

[Redlands Okie]

We learned the hard way to never accept anything that arrives to the store in a smashed or torn box. We ordered an intake that came crushed in a crinkled box. It didn't even have all the broken off pieces in the box. I would return the saw and tell them to get a new one.

The worst intructions I ever read were the ones for installing a kitchen faucet.

"Remove old faucet"
"Install new faucet"
Yep, that was it. Took me 4 hours, 3 trips to Lowes, a roll of that white tape and a seriously sore body from wriggling under the sink. To top it off the blasted think LEAKED! Bad leak, running water when off leak! Hubby told me I did it wrong. I laughed until I couldn't breathe when he turned on the water after he "fixed" it and it still LEAKED!

But I now know how to not only install a kitchen faucet but shut off valves (there were none before) on water lines. This was over 10 years ago, the shut off valves still don't leak. The instructions on the little tag were clear and simple.

Nothing likes practice, in and out a few times with the faucet and a person gets pretty good at it

 

[Macrocarpus]

Damned thing was made in China. No telling where the "User's Manual" was written. I;m sure not going to pay them to tell me how long to run and how steep the incline should be. "tURN OFF THE SWITCH AND DISCONNECT THE POWER CORD WHEN FINISHED" "DIRECT SUNLIGHT MAY DAMAGE THE DISPLAY" You'd think the thing was a premature baby. Pulls eleven amps, so there is a reason why it has to have its own circuit when in use. Almost all house wiring is set for 15 amps.

Doc; The ground here is rough and uneven, the wife and I are 89 years old and I do not want her tripping and falling outside.or indoors. The treadmill has bars she can hang onto and a magnetic kill switch. And, yeah, this probably is not the most upscale part of the country but no thief is safe around this house.

 

[MichaelZ]

HOWEVER. the book says it has to have a circuit to itself when operating---cannot run anything else on that circuit at the time.= It also says it cannot be used in a garage or on a covered patio and cannot be exposed to direct sunlight. Wonder what that is all about..

Check what the amperage draw will be. If it is something like 10 or more amps, then if you run this treadmill along with some other high current things, you might be tripping breakers. This is why it is code most places to have a microwave on its own circuit. But if you have this on a circuit without too much else on the circuit, you should be fine.

With respect to the garage and patio, it has to do with cold, moisture, and dirt and dust. Direct sunlight might cause fading I suppose?

 

[frogmammy]

They have to warn about everything any more. I hear there's even a sign on strollers that says "Remove child before folding."

Mon

 

[Macrocarpus]

MichaelZ: Correct=--draws eleven amps, so nothing much else can be on line. We have that figured out. You are correct too on cold, dust and damp. They even ward about direct sunlight. Specific; "Allow to warm to room temperature before using"

 

[JRHill02]

I serviced these machines and commercial fitness equipment for many, many years. For the inexpensive machines like this thread points out here are a few tips:

1. Put it on a clean surface like carpet or a rug. Vacuum under it. Use a separate set of shoes for its use and not outside;
2. Regularly take a tea towel and wipe under the belt on each side pulling any debris to the side, not to the back;
3. When using it and holding the handle bars your arms should be loose. If your arms are stiff you are probably using the machine to pull you along. It can't do that and will over heat. It will fail;
4. If you are a big person (190 lbs+) you really should have some elevation and slow it down. Refer to #3 above;
5. NEVER let kids play on it;
6. Extended warranty: personally I hate them. But if you will use this machine regularly over time you will get your money back several times over. These are NOT commercial units. They are intended for people who buy them after the holidays and forget them a bit down the road. But they CAN work for you if you use them for what they are.

Lastly, if you are a runner and buy one of these, you should know better. Even if you can get by with it after several warranty repairs they will cancel or buy the contract out.

 

[Macrocarpus]

JRHill02: YOU DONE GOOD. THANKS. i BOUGHT A THREE YEAR PLAN--AT 92 I WILL EITHER QUIT OR BUY A NEW ONE. -----AND HAVE SOMEONE ELSE PUT IT TOGETHER FOR ME.

 

[Nimrod]

Saw your thread title. Wanted to point out that experts the world over agree, steamed is healthier than fried. What were you up to in the 60;s?

 

[Rodeo's Bud]

A lot of the third party (aftermarket) accessories companies we deal with have stopped including printed instructions for assembly/use of their products. All are online.

This is always awesome when you are working on your rig.

Hands are greasy, you are covered in oil and the part says to look the instructions or specs up online. Then you have to clean up enough to use your phone just to get a one sentence torque spec or adjustment step.

 

[JRHill02]

This is always awesome when you are working on your rig.

Hands are greasy, you are covered in oil and the part says to look the instructions or specs up online. Then you have to clean up enough to use your phone just to get a one sentence torque spec or adjustment step.

I have a new inverter ready to install on our off grid system - the old one is still kind'of working. 'Only' $1800 for the updated replacement. Opening the box and inspecting it there was NO documentation except for a quick start guide fold out. Eh, oh well. I downloaded the ops manual, installation and service docs to an SD card. and dropped them off at the office store for printing. Double sided and, what the heck, color and 3 hole punched. Had the wife pick them up on her trip to town a few days later.

$92.00. Oops. I sure heard about that one when she got home. I tried to console her with the beautiful heavy, glossy paper. She growled at me.

Seriously, manuals have to be worth considering and a PITB for manufacturers. Updates, inserts, additional inventory, etc. And face it - most people rarely read or can even find the manuals later. And so many things don't have printed manuals packaged with the product anymore. It's just the way things are going to be.

 

[frogmammy]

I serviced these machines and commercial fitness equipment for many, many years. For the inexpensive machines like this thread points out here are a few tips:

1. Put it on a clean surface like carpet or a rug. Vacuum under it. Use a separate set of shoes for its use and not outside;
2. Regularly take a tea towel and wipe under the belt on each side pulling any debris to the side, not to the back;
3. When using it and holding the handle bars your arms should be loose. If your arms are stiff you are probably using the machine to pull you along. It can't do that and will over heat. It will fail;
4. If you are a big person (190 lbs+) you really should have some elevation and slow it down. Refer to #3 above;
5. NEVER let kids play on it;
6. Extended warranty: personally I hate them. But if you will use this machine regularly over time you will get your money back several times over. These are NOT commercial units. They are intended for people who buy them after the holidays and forget them a bit down the road. But they CAN work for you if you use them for what they are.

Lastly, if you are a runner and buy one of these, you should know better. Even if you can get by with it after several warranty repairs they will cancel or buy the contract out.

Great! What tips do you have for exercise bikes?

Mon

 

[Ann-NWIowa]

Mini rant: I find many many many things in life aggravating because the first instruction is use smart phone to ---- whatever. I do not have a smart phone. I have a land line. I do not want nor can I afford a smart phone. I've quit using products like Tide where you need to go online and download their stupid coupons to your smart phone. Don't want to print the coupon okay, I won't buy your product. I mean they have a full page ad what would be so difficult about printing the coupon instead of instructions or I guess some code thingy on the ad to put the coupon onto your smart phone. Same thing with warranties. No warranty card so you have to go online to some website and try to figure out where/how to sign up for warranty. New water heater with absolutely no instructions or warranty which I didn't realize until the plumber left. Basic how to light printed on the water heater but no manual. In 2020 I had to replace said water heater and microwave and TV and ultrasonic cleaner and dehumidifier and even my toothbrush which has been expensive and FRUSTRATING due to lack of information.

 

[Danaus29]

My dumb phone came with a tiny little manual. It covered the warranty and how to change the battery and insert the memory card. I still have no idea how to use most of the functions because they aren't covered in the 100+ page online manual.