[oldandintheway]

15 to 18 amps is way too high you should try slip coating the deck with landice slip coat it will reduce your amp draw greatly should be 10 to 15 range maximum

I agree amps too high. Bottom line here. But I have worries about using a silicone lubricant on a cotton backed rubber belt. I don't want to have to replace the walking belts and or the decks (I have two of each) until near the end of my time on this planet. The Cybex manuals say use nothing as nothing is required. The other side of the coin is that if the machine could do what I want to do when it was new, why can't it do it now using the same technology. I have given the belt a coating of paraffin and the deck had a factory coating of wax when I flipped it. I bought one machine in practically new condition. Seriously from the grand-daughter of a rich old man who had Cybex come in to do all the service. It hadn't been used since he died. I bought it for parts because mine overheated but his overheated too, and there is nobody from Cybex who was around during that era and Cybex now doesn't want to talk about it.
By the way Extra Miler, thanks for your reply. If you know that the use of silicone isn't necessary please let me know. I feel sure it would help. I have also considered a product called Fluid Film, it's made with wool oil. I am waiting for a reply from the company if it would damage the materials in my machine. My other thought was a dry teflon spray from Dupont.