Replacing Cracked Track Rollers - An ElliptiGO Gets Smoother & Quieter

A customer, Tim ONeill, recently reached out to Intech looking for a small quantity of flat track rollers (Intech FT1-1.500 track rollers) to replace the failed OEM Load Wheels  on his ElliptiGo. After Tim received his rollers and was able to install them on his ElliptiGO bike he had some great things to say about the Intech product: "I finally got time to install the Intech rollers today, and what a difference. They are much quieter and smoother than the previous (original) rollers. Riding the ElliptiGO is now a different and more pleasant experience...quiet and smooth and better than before.

They are much quieter and smoother than the previous (original) rollers. Since the originals were 8 years old, they were doubtless rougher and noisier than when new. Even so, the new FT1's are so quiet that I'm sure they are much quieter than the originals ever were. Riding the ElliptiGO is now a different and more pleasant experience...quiet and smooth and better than before."

In terms of replacement, the FT1-1.500 rollers are surprisingly close to the originals. The ID is a precision (ideal) fit on the pin; the OD, though less critical, is the same as the OEM part. The roller's outer surface appears to be slightly narrower (by ~0.05"), and is slightly convex vs. the OEM flat rollers. The inner race of the bearing is also ~0.05" narrower. Fortunately, Tim was able to find suitable bronze thrust bushings at Ace to compensate for the narrower race. Though the bushing thickness is 0.062" (and therefore 0.012" too thick), there is enough additional length of the roller pin to accommodate one shim for each roller, and still allow for the installation of the spiral retaining ring with a few thousandths of an inch to spare. Once the new rollers and shims are installed on the pedal assembly, you can slide the rollers axially on the pin, but just barely.

"With a reputation for problem-solving in complex medical, packaging, and industrial applications we are used to getting calls that start 'I have a problem with a current part and I'm hoping you can help me'",  Recalled Alexander Bartosch "Tim's call was no different. He noticed his system had a premature failure and with riding season right around the corner the unscheduled downtime for maintenance was an unwanted surprise." Its not uncommon for intech to upgrade inexpensive yet critical OEM components that haven't been designed to last. "Despite Intech's minimum order requirements we are always happy to solve problems when we can, especially ones we see almost every day, like cracked track rollers. " Alex added,  "Recently a customer told us our rollers just past 8 billion rollovers working 24 hours a day for 8 years, we expect these new rollers should last Tim for a life time of riding."