Yes, the motors are in demand as a cheap DC motor for DIYers.
I scrapped a treadmill and sold the motor for more than scrap value on craigslist. I don't know how much it weighed but it had to be ~20+lbs. I sold the motor for $20. It sold quickly and got several replies. The fellow I sold them to asked if I had the logic/control board, which I hadn't thought to save but it makes sense that it would be helpful. He said he was making a wood lathe.
The screw gear is for elevation and i recycled as motor scrap.
As a helpful trick, you don't need to wire the motors up to household current to check them out. You can hook them to car jumper cables or a 12V cordless drill battery. That way you can test the motor even if the other components are fried.
Treadmills are like other consumer products. The nice expensive ones are expensive for a reason. They are made of thick steel and have nice motors. The cheap foldable ones from sears are cheap for a reason. You'll notice the difference when you dissect them.
Just like there are appliance part websites, there are sites for fitness equipment. New belts or control boards are expensive. It might be hard to find a buyer, but I'd at least look into it before resigning to scrap value or trash heap.
If I had a truck I'd never pass up a treadmill.
-junkelly
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