Mini Stepper Squeaks – How To Stop Mini Stepper Squeaking

Mini steppers are a compact and popular piece of home gym equipment suitable for all levels of fitness. Looking for the best mini stepper? Check our round article. They can slide right under a desk so you can use sitting down.

Or can be used standing up for an intense bout of 30 minute cardiovascular exercise. 

Mini steppers generally do not create a lot of noise but why does the mini stepper squeak? This distracting noise can not only put you off your workout but also the friction of the moving parts can cause injury. Let’s look at the causes for why a mini stepper squeaks and how to fix it.

Why is My Mini Stepper Squeaking?

The good news is that the most common reason for mini steppers squeaking is a simple fix! It is something that you can resolve yourself in a matter of minutes, however if your mini stepper still squeaks after reading the below you should call the manufacturer of the mini stepper to assist or an engineer to check this over for you. 

Below are some reasons why your mini stepper is squeaking:

Dry Belt

This is the most common reason for your mini stepper squeaking. The belt has dried out and needs to be lubricated. Follow our guide below on how to fix this for more detail.

Loose parts

A loose bolt can affect the alignment of parts of the mini stepper. You should perform regular checks on any loose bolts that might cause squeaking.

Most bolts on the mini stepper can be tightened with a hex key:

Dust

If you have stored away your mini stepper and it hasn’t been used for a while dust can settle within the machine. This is typically where the pulley wraps around the metal joints.

Dust settling here creates friction on the pulley which causes a squeaking sound. Again when performing regular maintenance you can check the pulley to see if there is any friction on the joint and wipe any excess dust away with a wet cloth.

After wiping with a wet cloth, always dry the part down with a dry cloth because this will trap moisture and cause the metal to rust. Once your machine rusts it will be beyond repair. The best way to avoid this is to purchase a dust cloth that’s designed to pick up dust while dry:

How Do You Fix a Squeaky Mini Stepper

Now you know the reasons why your mini stepper is squeaking but how do you fix this? If your mini stepper starts to squeak simply follow the below steps:

1. Your machine should have a resistance or tension knob on the front, turn this to minus until you have reached the lowest possible tension. Doing this will give more exposure to the belt.
2. Turn your mini stepper on its back and add some WD40 (or any oil based lubricant) between the pulley and the belt.
3. Apply oil to the joints of the mini stepper.
4. Turn the mini stepper back over to its normal position, place this on a towel or mat to catch any excess oil. Use the mini stepper as normal and increase the resistance. Doing this will spread the oil around the joints and belt. 
5. If the squeak persists add more oil as per step 1-3

Here is a useful step by step on how to stope a cross trainer squeaking:

How Do You Stop a Mini Stepper From Squeaking

The easiest way to stop a mini stepper from squeaking is to keep the parts well lubricated. As mentioned the squeak is a result of friction of moving parts so a lack of lubrication on pivot points and joints causes the squeaking sound.

If it remains untreated it can cause long term damage to the moving parts so shouldn’t be ignored.

How To Oil a Mini Stepper

The best way to oil a mini stepper is with spray WD40. Using spray as opposed to oil is much easier to spread around the mini stepper and get into difficult areas.

When you dismantle a mini stepper to oil the machine you will see how closely fit all joints are.

How to Lubricate Mini Stepper

To lubricate a mini stepper first make sure you place a mat down to stop oil from getting on the floor. Then you want to spray your WD40 (or an oil based lubricant on the following areas:

• All moving parts
• Bolts connecting the joints and mainframe
• Belt/Pulley
• Metal Pistons

Once your machine is lubricated use the mini stepper for 2 minutes and adjust the tension to each setting, doing this allows the oil to evenly spread through the applied parts. Make sure to wipe away any excess liquid.

What Kind of Oil Do I Add to My Mini Stepper?

You can simply use WD40 to stop your mini stepper squeaking. For the joints you could also try using 3 in 1 multi purpose oil.

So there you have it, mini stepper squeaking is more common than you think and can be a quick fix at home. Ignoring the benefits of a mini stepper shouldn’t be overlooked if the noise is that off putting.

The most important thing is to regularly check your mini stepper to avoid any future squeaking. Keep the machine well lubricated to stop it from drying out.