BowFlex® Support: How to Replace the Servo Motor on your Max Trainer

Shows how to replace the Servo Motor on a Bowflex Max Trainer.

[@morrishigh6075]

I have gone through 2 max trainers and both had resistance issues that required multiple repairs ,seems like bowflex would make a more reliable product or issue a recall on the defective parts. I’m tired of repairing.

[@aj477]

I was able to replace my servo motor with the help of this video, though it did make it seem easier that it actually was (camera angle alone doesn’t show how you have to raise the machine up or lay on the floor to get to some of the screws) and as others pointed out, there are steps missing which is frustrating. I am glad my knocking noise is gone though and the machine is working, so over all this gets my 👍

[@andreapalacioperfetti7111]

The video is not complete. Is very detailed when removing the pieces but not when it’s time to put them back.

[@DaCycleDawg]

I think I've figured out the why the resistance servos are failing, or at least adding to the failures. The bend in the cable is far too sharp (90º), causing the cable inside the cable housing to cut into the cable housing lining and creating drag on the cable, therefore the servo has to work much harder to pull the cable through the housing. I've spent a great portion of my life a road cyclist and I worked in a bike shop as a bike mechanic also, this cutting effect on the cable housing lining is common and is why cyclists re-cable their bikes when needed. Not only is a 90º bend far, far too sharp a bend, it's a 90º bend over too short a distance, creating an extremely tight radius of bend. I have not yet replaced my servo yet, will do this weekend, but am going to replace that cable too and see if there is room to make that bend radius larger. If nothing else, that cable should be replaced (even if you reinstall it with that sharp 90º bend) if you're in there changing the servo. It's nothing but a bike brake cable, available at any bike shop for a few dollars. If you cut your own cable housing to length, be sure to grind the end of the cable where you made the cut to remove any "burr" from the inside cable housing, after grinding a little bit the cable housing opening should look nice and round.

[@Keerano]

This has just become a problem on my $2000+ Cross trainer - is this a common repair end users need to perform, or can I just send this back for a refund?

[@norcalkid2776]

The servo motor is the most often failed part on all Max Trainers (except the M3 model which does not have a servo motor). The part replacement itself is free for any US/Canada original owner whose Max Trainer is still under its parts warranty period.

[@henkvandeweg1624]

Nice video but it is not complete. Before number 13 the re-attachment of the cable is missing and what the position of the white part should be.

[@norcalkid2776]

I agree that they forgot to show the re-attachment of the brake cable, BUT regarding what position the "white part" (that is called the "arm") should be, here is the answer: - If the servo motor is brand new, then the "arm" (that white, wedge-shaped part) should NEVER be repositioned. It is already correctly positioned from the Bowflex factory. Many KZbin videos INCORECTLY show owners removing & then re-positioning the arm to fix their Max Trainer's resistance issue. NO, THAT SHOULD NEVER BE DONE and those owners actually have a failing servo motor! - The arm is notched and has 8 different possible install positions FOR THE FACTORY ASSEMBLERS. When you buy a new replacement servo motor, it will come with arm's lower right edge installed near the reference #8 (there are 8 reference numbers embossed into the blue body of the servo motor). This #8 reference position is when the resistance is set to maximum and it will then rotate counterclockwise to reference #7 when the resistance is set to minimum (it only moves 1 reference level for any Max Trainer model's entire resistance range).

[@dlg521]

@@norcalkid2776 Been there done that. The servo motors are finally available at a reasonable price. They were MIA for a while

[@markkeller5783]

@@norcalkid2776 I just ordered one and watched the video. They say that resistance should be set at highest setting first. Weird and hard to do if resistance setting isn't working and then he doesn't explain how to calibrate after replacement.

[@willdotk]

just stripped down one of these servo units in working order as i investigate a max M7 machine and reverse engineer it to attempt repair as its console board is faulty. I dont know why they charge $100+ for the servo unit because its just a 3vdc motor and a 5K pot connected together with some nylon gears but i found this machine does not attempt to power up with the servo unit disconnected and i needed to know why as want to work on the bench with the console board. I noted the servo unit cable is cable tied to the servo case and on thisvmachine that cable tie protrudes out in a way that blocks the arm that pulls the cable at position 6. I simply roated the cable tie to the other side maybe not all machines are like this as it would be down to the production how the cable tie ends up but if you set resistance so the motor moves the cable arm towards position 6 (less resistance>) it could hit the cable tie and mash up the gears if the motor is strong enough, position 7 seems to be "off"/no resistance. For me its insignificant problem until i get the console working and if i cant do that i now know how to manually adjust the resistance for an analogue workout and one dury rigged shimano gear shift grip away from manual operation lol

[@ricardobarahona9357]

Can you provide the link to order the correct Servo motor Thanks

[@jerrywest3613]

Good information for servicing Max 5 and up.

[@1Sikchv]

Is this a common and easy fix? I have a M5 at semi-reasonable deal for $200 but has the famous resistance issue. I’m limited on home gym space and BF has perfect footprint…

[@PeterKooimanNL]

My servomotor failed too after just a year or two. I think the strong opposing spring has blame in the failing, so I am going to replacing it with one twice less strong. The wire of the original spring is 1mm, the new one will have a wire of 0.7mm. Today I received my new servomotor, but I am going to wait for the arrival of the new spring.

[@traviswert4]

is 0.7 the diameter of the wire? or outer diameter? trying to do the same as you suggest but not sure how to make sure i have the right size spring or not

[@maximt1401]

how's the motor holding up with the 0.7 wire ?

[@TimE_5150]

What happened to reattaching the cable to the servo motor?

[@aj477]

This got me too! I had to rewind to see what I had missed when it came time to adjust the disk and magnets. I thought I was losing my mind.

[@danielrpandr]

Mine also failed like the many videos on KZbin. I opened my motor to see what was going on and voila, a stripped nylon gear. Unless Bowflex changed the design of the motor and upgraded the gears to metal or another tougher material, this will fail again after a couple of years. Probably the stock motor isn't designed for the considerable pull required for the resistance magnet spring. It's the old story of saving 10 cents and ruining a supposedly premium $2K piece of equipment.

[@AP-id6rk]

After 5 years of use the servo failed. After change out of bad servo I also found nylon gears shot. See how long this 2nd servo motor lasts. 12/2023

[@willdotk]

I would suggest the motor is fine given it stripped the nylon gears, the nylon gear is the weak spot then, easily tested by swopping out into new servo assembly. Ive seen videos of Russians making metal gears from broken plastic gears using mould made from things you can find in your kitchen cupboard. First they make a soft mould of the gear then using plaster of paris or similar they make the had mould for pouring hot metal into. Of course you need a small furnace to melt the metal but its doable and for less than the price of a new servo motor?

[@johnjinx3425]

Incomplete instructions. How do reattach cable to new motor

[@DeathsquadDemongods]

Why would you show the screwing and unscrewing of bolts in real-time, and then skip attaching all the important bits afterwards!?!

[@g90ian]

My servo motor also broke down after less than 1 year of light usage (average 30 min use, once a week). Then, I had to spend several hours dealing with customer service, wait for the part, and replace it myself. This is unacceptable for a $2000+ machine, not to mention that once it goes off of warranty I will have to pay to replace faulty parts myself.

[@willdotk]

See my earlier comment i found a cable tie holding the cable to the server unit case was sticking out obstructing the movement of the arm that pulls the cable it would mash the gearing up like that im sure of it.

[@SuperLordQ]

The lack of instructions for putting it back together was really unhelpful

[@DorktimeBwuds]

These instructions conveniently skip over the most difficult parts

[@ch1pmunk204]

It's a disgrace that these servos seem to fail so often that the manufacturer has to publish such a video. I've got a 3 year old Bowflex M8 and the resistance adjustment just stopped working. This is plain and simple embarrassing!

[@willdotk]

I found a cable tie used to secure the servo cable to the servo case protruding out in a way that would prevent the arm moving past position 6 and likely would mashup the gearing if the motor is trong enough see my earlier comment. Also there are to many cable ties inside of it for the price. I thought cable ties where for keeping 20 year old cars on the road etc

[@markgray281]

Trick photography.....you will notice that when he is taking the screws out the housing around the rotors is still in place. Whwn he puts them back in the housing is no longer there. Pretty dishonest. Practically impossible to remove the screws with the housing in place and more impossible to replace them with the housing in place.

[@mmstrux]

They make it look so easy to take that fan cover off. When it gets jammed, you have to rip the thing out, then it severs your wiring. 🤬

[@willdotk]

most manuals tend to skiop over the akward bits lol