True Fitness 540 User Manual

SECTION 1

SAFETY TIPS 1- 2

BASICS 1- 3

ASSEMBLY 1- 4

BELT ADJUSTMENTS 1- 4

TREADBELT TENSION 1- 5

SAFETY FEATURES 1- 5

SECTION 2

500/540 HRC CONTROL PANEL DESCRIPTIONS/FUNCTIONS 2-1

550 HRC CONTROL PANEL DESCRIPTIONS/FUNCTIONS 2-2

540/550 CI (CARDIOINTERACTIVE) CONTROL PANEL DESCRIPTIONS/FUNCTIONS 2-3

S.O.F. T. SELECT AND EXPRESS COMMAND KEYS 2-4

QQUUIICCKK RREEFFEERREENNCCEE OOPPEERRAATTIINNGG IINNSSTTRRUUCCTTIIOONNSS -- 550000,, 554400,, 555500 MMOODDEELLSS

2-5

QQUUIICCKK RREEFFEERREENNCCEE OOPPEERRAATTIINNGG IINNSSTTRRUUCCTTIIOONNSS WWIITTHH EEXXPPRREESSSS KKEEYYSS --

550000

HHRRCC

,, 554400

HHRRCC

,, CCII

555500

HHRRCC,, CCII MMOODDEELLSS

2-6

MANUAL PROGRAM OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS -

550000,, 554400,, 555500

ALL MODELS 2-7

PRE PROGRAM OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

-

550000,, 554400,, 555500

P, HRC, CI MODELS 2-8

PRE-PROGRAM OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS WITH EXPRESS KEYS

- HRC, CI MODELS

2-9

PRE-PROGRAM PROFILES 2-10

USER PROGRAM OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

2-11

HRC/CI INTRODUCTION

2-12

TRUE HEART RATE CONTROL (HRC) HOW IT WORKS 2-13

CARDIOINTERACTIVE AND HRC TARGET OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 2-14, 15, 16, 17

CRUISE CONTROL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

- HRC, CI MODELS

2-18

HRC/CI INTERVAL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

- HRC, CI MODELS

2-19, 20, 21

HEART RATE CONTROL IMPORTANT POINTS 2-22

TARGET HEART RATE CHART 2-23

THE F. I.T. FORMULA 2-24, 25, 26

SECTION 3

CARE AND MAINTENANCE 3-1

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE 3-2

DIAGNOSTICS 3-3

SECTION 4

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE CHART 4-1, 2

Table Of Contents

1-1

1. Always use the safety key and attach
lanyard to your clothing at about
waist height.

2. Wear comfortable, good-quality
walking or running shoes.

3. Warm-up and cool-down periods are
important for a complete workout.

4. Always straddle the belt and allow it to
start moving before stepping onto it.

5. Hold the handrail while adjusting the
controls.

6. Keeping your eyes focused straight
ahead will help you maintain your
balance.

7. Adjust your own speed and grade.
Never make adjustments for another
person or allow someone else to make
adjustments for you.

8. Always allow the belt to stop completely
before dismounting. Gradually slowing
down also minimizes the sensation of
feeling like you are still moving after you
stop.

9. Allow space behind treadmill and sides
in the event you lose your balance.

10. Always inspect your treadmill to
ensure there are no foreign objects
obstructing the moving parts.

11. To avoid any possibility of being struck
by or caught between moving parts,
bystanders should not be within reach
of the treadmill while it is in motion.

12. For safety reasons and to prevent
damage to your treadmill, allow only
ONE person at a time on your machine.

13. Never leave unsupervised children
near your treadmill.

14. Animals should never be allowed on or
near your treadmill.

15. Keep the power cord clear of the
incline system. Allow extra slack for
inclining the machine. Do not run the
power cord under the treadmill.

16. Your treadmill is designed for indoor
use only.

17 . Never use your treadmill around water

or while you are wet. Using the unit
around a pool, hot tub or sauna will
void the warranty.

18 . Do not operate treadmill while using

bottled oxygen.

Safety Tips

1-2

Congratulations on your purchase of a TRUE residential
treadmill. You have chosen a premium piece of exercise
equipment designed to meet your fitness needs for a
lifetime.

Before using your treadmill, please review this manual to
learn about the unit’s features, functions, maintenance
procedures, and safe operation.

SAFETY TIPS:

SETTING UP

YOUR TREADMILL

Place your treadmill on a clean, level surface.
Make sure the electrical cord easily reaches a
grounded three-pronged outlet and has
enough slack to allow the deck to incline
unhindered by the cord. Do not allow the
treadmill assembly to rest on the cord.
Although your treadmill is designed to oper­ate on most carpeted surfaces, some deeply
padded or heavy shag carpets can cause
damage to the unit. To prevent damage to
your treadmill or carpet, have someone stand
on the deck and make sure the treadmill belt
doesn’t touch the carpet at any point.
Your TRUE treadmill is designed for indoor
use only.

IMPORTANT

ELECTRICAL

REQUIREMENTS

Your True treadmill requires a

ddeeddiiccaatteedd
110 VAC 15 amp grounded outlet circuit.
WWAARRNNIINNGG:: DDoo nnoott uussee aann eexxtteennssiioonn ccoorrdd oorr
aann uunnggrroouunnddeedd oouuttlleett.. TThhee ggrroouunndd hheellppss
pprreevveenntt eelleeccttrriiccaall ddaammaaggee ttoo yyoouurr ttrreeaaddmmiillll
aanndd eennhhaanncceess yyoouurr ssaaffeettyy bbyy pprreevveennttiinngg
sshhoocckk..

AA GGRROOUUNNDDEEDD OOUUTTLLEETT IISS CCRRIITTIICCAALL
FFOORR TTHHEE HHRRCC SSYYSSTTEEMM TTOO FFUUNNCCTTIIOONN
PPRROOPPEERRLLYY..

Learning The Basics

1-3

TTHHEE BBAASSIICCSS

Your treadmill is made up of two main sections: the base and
the pedestal. (See figure 1, page 1-4)

The base of the treadmill consists of a metal frame, a
shock-absorbing deck system and a powerful 3.0 horsepower
continuous-duty DC motor. The motor powers a pulley system
which moves the running belt over the deck.

The pedestal mounts on the top of the frame. It places the
displays, information readout and touch keys within easy sight
and reach.

PARTS INCLUDED:

11 -- HHEEXX KKEEYY

66 -- BBUUTTTTOONN HHEEAADD CCAAPP SSCCRREEWWSS

66 -- SSTTAARR WWAASSHHEERRSS ((LLOOCCKK WWAASSHHEERRSS))

11 -- OOWWNNEERRSS MMAANNUUAALL

11 -- WWAARRRRAANNTTYY CCAARRDD

11 -- HHEEAARRTT RRAATTEE TTRRAANNSSMMIITTTTEERR WWIITTHH

SSTTRRAAPP ((HHRRCC MMOODDEELLSS OONNLLYY))

ASSEMBLY

TRUE treadmills are shipped in two pieces:
the pedestal assembly (which includes the
control console) and the base.
Instructions for assembling the unit:

1. Remove the protective packaging
materials.

NNOOTTEE::

Do not lift the treadmill

by the motor when removing from carton!

2. Lay pedestal on deck as shown. (Fig. 1)

3. Raise top of pedestal into place.

4. Install three of the enclosed screws with lock
washers on each side, then tighten all six
screws. (Fig. 3)

IIMMPPOORRTTAANNTT::

Do not operate unless all six
screws are fastened securely. Be sure
screws and lock washers thread into the
holes in pedestal. Reverse procedure
whenever removing the pedestal. Remove
pedestal console only while treadmill is at
zero grade and unplugged.
EELLEECCTTRRIICCAALL RREEQQUUIIRREEMMEENNTT

:

Your TRUE treadmill requires

aa ddeeddiiccaatteedd
111100 VVAACC 1155 aammpp ggrroouunnddeedd oouuttlleett cciirrccuuiitt..
WWAARRNNIINNGG::

Do not use an extension cord or
an ungrounded outlet. The ground helps
prevent electrical damage to your treadmill and
enhances your safety by preventing shock.
This grounded outlet is critical for the HRC
system to function properly.

NNOOTTEE::

Units
produced for use outside of the U.S.A. will have
voltage indicated on the identification tag.

BELT ADJUSTMENTS

Your treadmill’s running belt has been
properly aligned at the factory. However,
when the treadmill is used on an uneven
surface, please follow these instructions:

PPRREEFFEERRRREEDD MMEETTHHOODD

Level the treadmill by placing shims 1/8” to
3/8” thick under the front wheel and rear
shock absorber on one side.

NNOOTTEE::

This
method will provide extended belt life by
keeping both rollers parallel. Adjusting the
belt tracking by using the roller bolts will
cause the belt to stretch on one side.

Assembly & Belt Adjustment

1-4

Fig. 3

Fig. 2

BASE

Fig. 1

PEDESTAL

NNOOTTEE:: YYoouurr aauutthhoorriizzeedd TTrruuee ddeeaalleerr
mmaayy pprroovviiddee aaddddiittiioonnaall ssuuppppoorrtt..

AALLTTEERRNNAATTIIVVEE MMEETTHHOODD

1. Stand beside the treadmill, attach the safety
key on the control panel and follow oper

ating
instructions for running the treadmill at 3
mph. (Section 2.5)

2. If the belt is off-center to the right, turn the
left roller adjustment bolt counter clock-wise
1/4 turn. If the belt is off-center to the left,
turn the left roller adjustment bolt 1/4 turn
clockwise. (Figure 1 Detail 1) Observe belt:
if more correction is needed, turn the adjust­ment bolt 1/4 turn and check again. Repeat
as needed.

3. Let the machine run for several minutes to
check the alignment. (Belt alignment does
not need to be perfect).

TREADBELT TENSION:

To assure maximum life of the treadbelt, roller
and drive motor, make sure the treadbelt
tension is set correctly. (Your treadbelt has
been properly tensioned at the factory.)

Turn both rear roller adjustment bolts
(Detail 1) counter-clockwise until treadbelt
just begins slipping when walking on it, then
turn both rear roller adjustment bolts clock­wise in equal quarter turn increments until
treadbelt stops slipping. NOTE: Be sure to
run on treadbelt to ensure that the treadbelt
does not slip while under load.

SAFETY FEATURES

PPAADDDDEEDD HHAANNDD RRAAIILL
The padded hand rail and side rails are
mounted to the rear of the control console.
The bars provide a convenient support to
use throughout your workout.

OONN//OOFFFF SSWWIITTCCHH
The on/off switch is located to the right of the
power cord on the front of the machine. It
completely removes AC power from your
treadmill.

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sswwiittcchh ttoo ttuurrnn tthhee mmaacchhiinnee ooffff aafftteerr eeaacchh wwoorrkk--
oouutt..]]

CCIIRRCCUUIITT BBRREEAAKKEERR
Your TRUE treadmill is protected from
overload by a 15 amp circuit breaker that can
be reset in the event of a power overload. It is
located to the left of the power cord.

SSAAFFEETTYY KKEEYY AANNDD LLAANNYYAARRDD
You can protect yourself from injuries resulting
from unexpected loss of balance by attaching
the lanyard to your clothing at about waist
height when you use your treadmill.

WWhheenn tthhee
ssaaffeettyy kkeeyy iiss ddeettaacchheedd,, yyoouurr ttrreeaaddmmiillll wwiillll nnoott
ooppeerraattee.. SSttoorriinngg tthhee ssaaffeettyy kkeeyy iinn aa sseeccuurreedd
llooccaattiioonn wwhhiillee yyoouurr ttrreeaaddmmiillll iiss nnoott iinn uussee wwiillll
pprreevveenntt cchhiillddrreenn aanndd ootthheerr uunnaauutthhoorriizzeedd
uusseerrss ffrroomm ooppeerraattiinngg yyoouurr ttrreeaaddmmiillll..

RREEAARR RROOLLLLEERR SSHHIIEELLDDSS
Steel guards over the ends of the rear roller
prevent towels and other items from getting
caught in the running belt.

FFUULLLLYY EENNCCLLOOSSEEDD MMOOTTOORR
The motor and flywheel are fully enclosed in a
protective metal compartment.

LLOOWW PPRROOFFIILLEE FFRRAAMMEE
To enhance safety, TRUE treadmills are
designed to be as low to the ground as possi­ble.

Treadbelt Tension & Safety Features

1-5

Figure 1

Control Panel Functions

2-1

500/540 CONTROL PANEL

HRC MODEL SHOWN

START/reset:

Starts the treadbelt in motion. 

Also resets distance, time, 

calories when held for 

3 seconds.

SELECT/enter:

Used to enter your weight.

Also for viewing dual function

windows of speed/pace

and calories/metabolic rate

UP/DOWN:

Adjusts the grade at

any time during your

workout. Sets distance 

to countdown. Also used

to scroll through programs

STOP/PAUSE:

Stops the treadmill

at any point in your

workout. Information

will be retained unless

the safety key is 

removed or key is 

held for 5 seconds 

(Resets to 0)

SLOW/FAST:

Used to adjust speed

in .1 mph increments, to

enter weight, other

workout parameters, and 

to set time to countdown

EXPRESS KEY

(Not available o

500, 540P mod

Access your favorite

workouts.Choose fr

target HRC workout

pre-programs and 

custom programs.

KEYS

METS:

One MET is the 

amount of energy

your body uses at

rest. If a physical

CALORIES:

Indicates estimated

calories burned.

Based on weight,

speed, grade and

activity has an 

equivalent of six METS,

its energy demands

are six times that of 

your resting state

time

EXPRESS KEYS:

(Not available on

500, 540P models)

Access your favorite

workouts.Choose from 

target HRC workout, 

pre-programs and 

custom programs.

SPEED:

Indicates mph in .1

DOT MATRIX

1. Instructs during

TIME:

Indicates elasped

GRADE:

Indicates incline

increments

PACE:

Indicates amount of

setup.

2. Provides updated

information on progress

during workout.



time after pressing

start (0-99minutes 

and 59 seconds).

Can also be set to

countdown, (See

in percent

of grade in .5%

increments

time required to

complete 1 mile at

countdown page 2-7)

that current speed

WINDOWS

DISTANCE:

Indicates miles 

traveled in .01 mile 

increments up 

to 9.99, and .1 mile

increments past 

10 miles. Can also 

be set to countdown

(See countdown on 

page 2-7)

Control Panel Functions

2-2

550 CONTROL PANEL

HRC MODEL SHOWN

Control Panel Functions

2-3

540/550 CI (CARDIOINTERACTIVE) CONTROL PANEL

TTHHEE TTRRUUEE SS..OO..FF..TT.. SSYYSSTTEEMM IISS AA
DDIIFFFFEERREENNCCEE YYOOUU CCAANN FFEEEELL..
True’s unique S.O.F. T. System is the most
advanced shock-absorbing system available.
It cushions the initial impact and then
transitions to a firm, secure surface for
push-off providing lateral stability throughout,
eliminating deck shift from side to side. The
benefit is less stress on the ankles, knees,
hips and back.

AADDJJUUSSTT TTHHEE FFEEEELL WWIITTHH
SS..OO..FF..TT.. SSEELLEECCTT

.
All True S.O.F. T. Select series treadmills (540,
550 models) take the user to a new level of
comfort. Now you can “personalize” the
treadbelt surface to suit your walking or run­ning needs, from soft to firm or anywhere in
between.

This True feature is ideal for users of differing
weights or those with special physical needs.

MMAANNUUAALL AADDJJUUSSTTMMEENNTT
It’s simple for the user to choose from 12
manually adjustable settings on the right side
of the treadmill base.

Simply slide the S.O.F. T. Select control knob
to the desired setting.

EELLEECCTTRROONNIICC AADDJJUUSSTTMMEENNTT ((555500 CCII))
You electronically adjust the settings on the
550 CI models on the control panel. The
display will indicate the level from 1-12. With
1 being the softest and 12 being the firmest.
This special feature makes it even quicker
and easier to meet your changing workout
needs.

•• AAddjjuussttmmeenntt ooff SS..OO..FF..TT.. SSeelleecctt::

Press and

hold either or .

•• TToo rreevviieeww yyoouurr SS..OO..FF..TT.. SSeelleecctt SSeettttiinngg::
Quickly press either or .

NNOOTTEE::

Movement of S.O.F. T. Select motor

does not occur until is pressed.

AACCCCEESSSS YYOOUURR FFAAVVOORRIITTEE WWOORRKKOOUUTT
WWIITTHH EEXXPPRREESSSS KKEEYYSS OONN HHRRCC MMOODDEELLSS..

NNOOTTEE::550000 mmooddeell ddooeess nnoott iinncclluuddee
iinntteerrvvaall HHRRCC..

True HRC models feature Express Keys
which allow simple access to HRC workouts
and pre-programs. 550 Pre-programmed
models also offer one touch Express Keys to
access pre-programs.

S.O.F.T. Select and Express Command Keys

2-4

MESSAGE CENTER

550P MODEL

FIRMERSOFTER

FIRMERSOFTER

Quick Reference Operating Instructions

2-5

BASICS:

••

Straddle Treadbelt

••

Place Safety Key onto the keyboard,
attach lanyard to clothing

QUICK START:

(Manual Workout Only)

Press
Adjust Speed Using Keys
Adjust Grade Using Keys

PROGRAMS: (IF AVAILABLE)

Set Your Weight Using Keys
Press
Scroll To Desired Program
Using Keys
Set Program Level Using Keys

(Pre Programs Only)

Press
Set Time Using Keys

(15:00-99:00 Minutes)

Press

TO END WORKOUT:

Slow Machine To Below 2 mph
Using Key

Press Key

The following is a quick overview of the basic operating
features of your True treadmill.
While more detailed operating instructions are on the
following pages, these quick references will familiarize
you with the basic operating procedures needed to get
started.

Quick Reference Operating Instructions

2-6

WWiitthh EExxpprreessss CCoommmmaanndd KKeeyyss

The following is a quick overview of the basic operating features of your
True treadmill. While more detailed operating instructions are on the
following pages, these quick references will familiarize you with the
basic operating procedures needed to get started.

BASICS:

••

Straddle Treadbelt

••

Place Safety Key onto the keyboard,
attach lanyard to clothing

HEART RATE CONTROL:

Set Weight Using Keys
Press
Press to access HR workout.
Scroll through workouts using same
HRC Key used to access workouts
Press
Edit HR Using Keys
Press
Edit Max. Speed Using Keys
Press
Edit Time Using Keys

(For Interval HRC There Will Be Several Time
Variables To Edit. Total Time, Work Time,
Rest Time.)

Press
Edit Max. Grade Using Keys
Press

QUICK START:

(Manual Workout Only)

Press
Adjust Speed Using Keys

Adjust Grade Using Keys

PROGRAMS:

HHRRCC MMOODDEELLSS::
Set Your Weight Using Keys

Press
Press key to access programs

Scroll To Desired Program
Using Key
Set Program Level Using
Keys
(Pre Programs Only) Press
Set Time Using Keys
(15:00-99:00 Minutes)
Press

555500 MMOODDEELLSS::
Set Your Weight Using Keys

Press
Press Desired Program Key
Set Program Level Using Keys
Press
Set Time Using Keys
(15:00-99:00 Minutes)
Press

TO END WORKOUT:

Slow Machine To Below 2 mph
Using Key
Press Key

PROGRAMS

CRUISE
CONTROL

Enter Manual Workout While Wearing Heart
Rate Transmitter. (Heart Rate Will Be
Displayed In Heart Rate Window.)
When You Reach Desired Heart Rate
Press

CRUISE
CONTROL

CRUISE CONTROL:

CRUISE

TARGET HRC

CONTROL

TARGET HRC

CRUISE
CONTROL

PROGRAMS