TL;DR

Belt tracking off to one side tears the belt edge and causes uneven sanding. Adjust the tracking sensor and idler roller tilt in small increments until the belt runs centered.

What you might see

belt drifting to one side of the rollers
belt edge fraying or tearing
uneven sanding across workpiece width
tracking alarm on control panel

Likely causes

Tap to mark as ruled out

Idler roller tilt out of calibration from vibration or impact
Tracking sensor contaminated by sanding dust giving a false position signal
Roller surface contamination causing uneven friction and pulling the belt
Belt edge damage from a previous tracking event causing asymmetric tension

Required tools

Compressed air
Rubber roller cleaner or eraser stick
LOTO kit

Safety first

The sanding belt runs at high speed and causes severe abrasion injuries. Lock out the machine before touching any belt or roller surface.
Wood sanding dust is a fire and explosion hazard. Ensure the dust collection system is fully operational before starting the machine.

Procedure

7 steps · ~30 min

1
Stop the machine and lock out before opening any guards.
Warning: Wide belt sanders have exposed sanding surfaces that cause severe abrasion injuries. Lock out before opening any guard or adjusting rollers.
2
Clean the tracking sensor with compressed air. Dust contamination is the most common cause of gradual tracking drift.[1]
3
Inspect the belt edge for existing fraying or tears. A belt with significant edge damage should be replaced before re-tracking.
4
Clean all roller surfaces with a rubber roller cleaner or a rubber eraser stick to remove resin and dust buildup. Contaminated rollers pull the belt unevenly.[1]
5
Restore power and run the machine at low speed with a scrap piece. Observe belt tracking and make small tracking adjustments (1/8 turn increments) to the idler roller tilt knob while watching belt movement.
6
Allow 5-10 seconds after each adjustment for the belt to settle before making additional corrections.
7
Once the belt runs centered for at least 2 minutes at production speed, lock the tracking adjustment and resume normal operation.

Sources

Timesavers Timesavers 2300 / 2200 Wide Belt Sander general technical documentation, Timesavers
Wide belt sander tracking adjustment and roller maintenance, general woodworking machinery practice (general)

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