Treadwall Auto-"stop" Question for Treadwall Owners/Users

[Mike Bond]

I know there are some Treadwall Owners on here...so, I am interested in your experience.

I recently purchased a Treadwall Kore and have a problem in that it does not truly "stop" when the autostop is engaged. The wall initially slipped every second or so and would slip enough to move the bottom board past the switch within 8 seconds. I have done several "fixes" as recommended by the BrewersLedge crew, but is still is not what I expected...an indefinitely lived stop.

Does yours stop completely? Or does it slowly slip?

The problem this creates is a "hurried" shake/rest. I was expecting that I could...if needed, rest for as long as needed as long as my foot was engaging the switch via the bottom board....not so.

[bcombs]

It is a hydraulic motor, it will not stop completely.

[toad857]

I always thought the best way would be to fashion some kind of big jug at the top (not attached to the rotating wall). That way you could rest for a long while, without having to "hurry" back onto the wall when it's time to go again. You could put a little foot jib on the metal support bar off to the side.

[Cromlech]

There isn't a hard stop - mine slips exactly the way you are describe. As info, the stop is simply a choke on the output side of the oil pump. So, the reason it "slips" is due to the tolerance between the impeller and the housing allowing a little oil to bypass the impeller. I have mine jacked up and a foot hold below the board. This allows a hard stop as long as my leg is blocking the "magic eye". Hope that helps, PLJ

[maine]

Ours does the same thing. In fact, I can't climb on it properly unless someone is managing the dial. It does stop for my husband but only if he is on the right side and weights his foot hard. Pretty annoying that I can't use it alone.

[tonyw]

Hi folks.
On mine there is an adjustment that you can do to the brake switch that makes it more sensitive and come to a complete stop. Instructions are in the manual otherwise email the guys at treadwall and I am sure they can scan and send through a copy of the adjustment or sell you a new switch. Hope this helps...

[Cromlech]

Mike, I have noticed during intense endurance training sessions that the Auto-Stop periodically starts to slip. When the slipping occurrs the hydraulic motor is hot to the touch. As a result, I decided to increase the capacity of the oil reservior (by changing the 1"x6" pipe nipple for a 1.25"x8" pipe nipple), installed a 12VDC 3"x3" muffin fan (blowing across the motor) and refilled the system with fresh SAE30. These minor changes appear to have solved my heat induced (imputed to be a viscosity reduction issue) Auto-Stop slipping problem.

Perhaps, you could try changing the oil to something with a higher viscosity. Have you tried running the wall with SAE40.

Regards, PLJ

[toad857]

The problem this creates is a "hurried" shake/rest. I was expecting that I could...if needed, rest for as long as needed as long as my foot was engaging the switch via the bottom board....not so.

Install a big jug bar at the top of the wall, not attached to the rotating parts. That way your weight can rest up there and your feet will still be on the wall.

[Redpoint]

So you use you treadwall for sport climbing? I imagine you want an auto-stop so you have time to clip the bolts right? I can barely imagine that your belayer can pay out rope fast enough once the wall is in motion. Doesn't it get annoying with the rope wrapping around and around the wall? Wait once the rope wraps around the wall too many times, how could you even keep climbing?

[Cromlech]

Redpoint, you're right Mike should have posted his question in the Training section....

Actually, I have installed an eye-bolt in one of the set-screw holes and have on ocassion hung a bent-gate biner from said eye-bolt. If you tie a short length of rope around your waist leaving a short tail (approx. 5') you can simulate clipping on every 20'. The rope tail needs to be just long enough to simulate the act of clipping and short enough to run though without too much drag, as Redpoint drolly observed. Perhaps, it could be considered a roped solo rather than sports climbing.

Note: I recommend using a single biner rather than a full quick-draw for fear of it getting caught in the gap between the panels as it goes over the top.