PROBLEM SOLVING ON
CONVEYORS
PROBLEM
CAUSE & SOLUTION
A
Conveyor runs to one side at given point on structure
5
4
1
2
3
44
b
particular section oc belt runs to one side at all points of
conveyor
6
7
-
-
-
C
Belt runs to one side for long distances or entire length of
conveyor
39
8
5
1
2
3
D
Belt runs off at tail pulley
33
10
1
-
-
E
Belt runs off at head pulley
33
10
1
3
F
Belt slips
34
33
31
10
G
Belt slips on starting
41
42
43
12
32
35
H
Excessive belt stretch
41
42
43
12
32
35
I
Grooving, gouging or stripping of belt cover
13
14
15
16
J
Excessive wear on top cover, uniform around belt
19
20
10
8
36
K
Severe wear on pulley cover
4
9
10
17
11
27
L
Longitudinal grooving or crackling on bottom cover
4
10
9
33
M
Cover hardens or cracks
23
37
N
Covers swell in spots or streaks
21
O
Belt breaks at or behind fasteners; fasteners pull out
24
22
12
23
P
Vulcanized splice seperation
38
10
40
7
Q
Excessive wearing on the edges
8
10
40
7
R
Transverse breaks at belt edge
18
25
26
S
Short breaks in carcass parallel to belt edge, star breaks in
carcass
16
17
T
Ply Seperation
29
30
23
U
Carcass fatigue at idler junction
25
26
27
28
29
V
Cover blisters or sand blisters
45
21
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
1
Idlers or pulleys out of square with centre line of belt
Re-adjust idlers in affected area
2
Conveyor frame or structure crooked
Straighten in affected area
3
Idler stands not centred on belt
Re-adjust idlers in affected area
4
Sticking idlers
Free idlers and improve maintenance and lubrication
5
Build up of material on idlers
Remove accumulation, improve maintenance, install scrapers or other cleaning
devices
6
Belt not joined squarely
Remove affected splice and re-splice
7
Bowed belt
Belt may need to be straightened or replaced. Check storage or handling of belt
rolls. A new belt, once broken in, will cease this condition
8
Off centre loading or poor loading
Adjust chute to place load on centre of belt. Discharge material in direction of
belt travel at or near belt speed.
9
Slipping on Drive Pulley
Increase tension through screw take up or add counterweight; Lag Drive pulley,
increase arc of contact
10
Slipping of material and build-up
Improve loading and transfer condition; install cleaning devices; improve
maintenance
11
Bolt heads protrude above lagging
Tighten bolts; replace lagging; use vulcanised lagging
12
Tension too high
Increase speed; same tonnage; Reduce friction with better maintenance and
replacement of damaged idlers; decrease tension by increasing the arc of contact
or go to lagging pulley; reduce CWT to minimum amount
13
Skirt-board improperly adjusted or wrong material
Adjust skirtboard supports to minimum 25mm between
14
Belt spanking down
Install cushion idlers
15
Material hanging up in or under chute
Improve loading to reduce spillage; install baffles; widen chute
16
Impact of material on belt
Reduce impact by improving chute design; install impact idlers
17
Material trapped between belt and pulley
Install plows or scrapers on return run ahead of tail pulley
18
Belt edges folding up on structure
Same solution as 1, 2 and 3. Install limit switchers. Provide more clearance
19
Dirty, stuck or misaligned rolls
Remove accumulations; install cleaning devices; use self-cleaning return rolls:
improve maintenance and lubrication.
20
Cover quality too low
Replace with belt of heavier cover gauge or higher quality rubber
21
Spilled oil or grease: over lubrication of idlers
Improve Housekeeping; reduce quantity of grease used; check grease seals.
22
Wrong type of fasteners: too tight or too loose
Use proper fasteners and splice technique; set up schedule for regular fastener
inspection.
23
Heat or chemical damage
Use belt designed for specific condition
24
Fastener plates too long for pulley size
Replace with smaller fasteners; increase pulley size
25
Improper transition between troughed belt and terminal pulleys
Adjust transition
26
Severe convex (hump) vertical curve
Decrease idler spacing in curve; increase curve radius
27
Excessive forward tilt of trough rolls
Reduce forward tilt of idlers to no more than 2 from vertical
28
Excessive gap between idler rolls
Replace with heavier belt
29
Insufficient transverse stiffness
Replace with the proper belt
30
Pulleys too small
Use larger diameter pulleys
31
Counterweight too light
Add counterweight or increase screw take-up tension to value determined from
calculations
32
Counterweight too heavy
Lighten counterweight to value required in calculations
33
Pulleys lagging worn
Replace pulley lagging
34
Insufficient traction between belt and pulley
Lag drive pulley; increase belt wrap, install cleaning devices
35
System under belted
Re-calculate belt tensions and select proper belt
36
Excessive sag between idlers causing load to work and shuffle on
belt as it passes over idlers
Increase tension if unnecessarily low; reduce idler spacing
37
Improper storage or handling
Improve Storage of handling
38
Belt improperly spliced
Resplice using proper method
39
Belt running off-centre around the tail pulley and through the
loading area
Install training idlers on the return run prior to the tail pulley
40
Belt hitting structure
Install training idlers on carrying and return run
41
Improper belt installation causing apparent excessive belt stretch
Pull belt through counterweight with a tension equal to at least empty running
tension; run belt in with mechanical fasteners
42
Improper initial positioning of counterweight in its carriage causes
apparent excessive belt stretch
Re-position counterweight
43
Insufficient counterweight travel
Re-position and reset counterweight
44
Structure not level
Level structure in affected area
45
Cover cuts or very small cover punctures allow fines to work under
cover and cut cover away from carcass.
Make spot repair with vulcaniser or self-curing repair
INDUSTRY STANDARDS & COMPLIANCE
SANS 1313 | SANS 1173:2013 | SANS 971:2013 | SANS 968:2013 | SANS 1366:2013
PROBLEM SOLVING ON
CONVEYORS
PROBLEM
CAUSE & SOLUTION
A
Conveyor runs to one side
at given point on structure
5
4
1
2
3
44
b
particular section oc belt
runs to one side at all
points of conveyor
6
7
-
-
-
C
Belt runs to one side for
long distances or entire
length of conveyor
39
8
5
1
2
3
D
Belt runs off at tail pulley
33
10
1
-
-
E
Belt runs off at head
pulley
33
10
1
3
F
Belt slips
34
33
31
10
G
Belt slips on starting
41
42
43
12
32
35
H
Excessive belt stretch
41
42
43
12
32
35
I
Grooving, gouging or
stripping of belt cover
13
14
15
16
J
Excessive wear on top
cover, uniform around belt
19
20
10
8
36
K
Severe wear on pulley
cover
4
9
10
17
11
27
L
Longitudinal grooving or
crackling on bottom cover
4
10
9
33
M
Cover hardens or cracks
23
37
N
Covers swell in spots or
streaks
21
O
Belt breaks at or behind
fasteners; fasteners pull
out
24
22
12
23
P
Vulcanized splice
seperation
38
10
40
7
Q
Excessive wearing on the
edges
8
10
40
7
R
Transverse breaks at belt
edge
18
25
26
S
Short breaks in carcass
parallel to belt edge, star
breaks in carcass
16
17
T
Ply Seperation
29
30
23
U
Carcass fatigue at idler
junction
25
26
27
28
29
V
Cover blisters or sand
blisters
45
21
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
1
Idlers or pulleys out of square with
centre line of belt
Re-adjust idlers in affected area
2
Conveyor frame or structure crooked
Straighten in affected area
3
Idler stands not centred on belt
Re-adjust idlers in affected area
4
Sticking idlers
Free idlers and improve maintenance
and lubrication
5
Build up of material on idlers
Remove accumulation, improve
maintenance, install scrapers or other
cleaning devices
6
Belt not joined squarely
Remove affected splice and re-splice
7
Bowed belt
Belt may need to be straightened or
replaced. Check storage or handling
of belt rolls. A new belt, once broken
in, will cease this condition
8
Off centre loading or poor loading
Adjust chute to place load on centre
of belt. Discharge material in
direction of belt travel at or near belt
speed.
9
Slipping on Drive Pulley
Increase tension through screw take
up or add counterweight; Lag Drive
pulley, increase arc of contact
10
Slipping of material and build-up
Improve loading and transfer
condition; install cleaning devices;
improve maintenance
11
Bolt heads protrude above lagging
Tighten bolts; replace lagging; use
vulcanised lagging
12
Tension too high
Increase speed; same tonnage;
Reduce friction with better
maintenance and replacement of
damaged idlers; decrease tension by
increasing the arc of contact or go to
lagging pulley; reduce CWT to
minimum amount
13
Skirt-board improperly adjusted or
wrong material
Adjust skirtboard supports to
minimum 25mm between
14
Belt spanking down
Install cushion idlers
15
Material hanging up in or under
chute
Improve loading to reduce spillage;
install baffles; widen chute
16
Impact of material on belt
Reduce impact by improving chute
design; install impact idlers
17
Material trapped between belt and
pulley
Install plows or scrapers on return
run ahead of tail pulley
18
Belt edges folding up on structure
Same solution as 1, 2 and 3. Install
limit switchers. Provide more
clearance
19
Dirty, stuck or misaligned rolls
Remove accumulations; install
cleaning devices; use self-cleaning
return rolls: improve maintenance
and lubrication.
20
Cover quality too low
Replace with belt of heavier cover
gauge or higher quality rubber
21
Spilled oil or grease: over lubrication
of idlers
Improve Housekeeping; reduce
quantity of grease used; check grease
seals.
22
Wrong type of fasteners: too tight or
too loose
Use proper fasteners and splice
technique; set up schedule for regular
fastener inspection.
23
Heat or chemical damage
Use belt designed for specific
condition
24
Fastener plates too long for pulley
size
Replace with smaller fasteners;
increase pulley size
25
Improper transition between
troughed belt and terminal pulleys
Adjust transition
26
Severe convex (hump) vertical curve
Decrease idler spacing in curve;
increase curve radius
27
Excessive forward tilt of trough rolls
Reduce forward tilt of idlers to no
more than 2 from vertical
28
Excessive gap between idler rolls
Replace with heavier belt
29
Insufficient transverse stiffness
Replace with the proper belt
30
Pulleys too small
Use larger diameter pulleys
31
Counterweight too light
Add counterweight or increase screw
take-up tension to value determined
from calculations
32
Counterweight too heavy
Lighten counterweight to value
required in calculations
33
Pulleys lagging worn
Replace pulley lagging
34
Insufficient traction between belt
and pulley
Lag drive pulley; increase belt wrap,
install cleaning devices
35
System under belted
Re-calculate belt tensions and select
proper belt
36
Excessive sag between idlers causing
load to work and shuffle on belt as it
passes over idlers
Increase tension if unnecessarily low;
reduce idler spacing
37
Improper storage or handling
Improve Storage of handling
38
Belt improperly spliced
Resplice using proper method
39
Belt running off-centre around the
tail pulley and through the loading
area
Install training idlers on the return
run prior to the tail pulley
40
Belt hitting structure
Install training idlers on carrying and
return run
41
Improper belt installation causing
apparent excessive belt stretch
Pull belt through counterweight with
a tension equal to at least empty
running tension; run belt in with
mechanical fasteners
42
Improper initial positioning of
counterweight in its carriage causes
apparent excessive belt stretch
Re-position counterweight
43
Insufficient counterweight travel
Re-position and reset counterweight
44
Structure not level
Level structure in affected area
45
Cover cuts or very small cover
punctures allow fines to work under
cover and cut cover away from
carcass.
Make spot repair with vulcaniser or
self-curing repair
INDUSTRY STANDARDS & COMPLIANCE
SANS 1313 | SANS 1173:2013 | SANS 971:2013 | SANS 968:2013 | SANS 1366:2013
COPYRIGHT @ 2026 | KANGALA CONVEYOR CC | designed by jacqueline designs
Quality comes first
COPYRIGHT @ 2026 | KANGALA CONVEYOR CC
designed by jacqueline designs
Quality comes first
