To Avoid Winter Conveyor Failures, Pay Close Attention to These 5 Areas

Updated: 2026-07-18 View Count: 71

At mines across Canada and the northern US, sub-zero winter weather can expose the weak points in your conveyor system Ice on rollers, frozen material in chutes, or stiff grease in a cold bearing can quickly turn into slippage, misalignment or a no-start situation after a shutdown. These failures are predictable and manageable if you know where to look.

This article runs through the five conveyor areas that typically need more attention in freezing weather. We’ll explain the causes, what to watch for, and practical steps you can take to keep your conveyors running. 

1. Rollers & idlers: small ice build-up, big tracking problems

 Often, the first winter problem you’ll notice is ice on your rollers. 

It only takes a few millimetres of frozen build-up for a roller to change shape enough to push the belt off to one side. According to Travis Moore, VP North America at YILUN, “I’ve seen rollers with six inches of ice on them. If you’re not checking often enough, it builds up fast.”

Once a roller develops a layer of ice, you might start to see:

◆ Belt drift towards one side

◆ The belt rubbing on stringers or structural steel

◆ Edge damage to the belt

◆ Spillage at loading and discharge points

“The ice creates a reverse hourglass shape that’s thicker in the middle, and thinner on the ends. That small bulge is enough to pull the belt off-line,” explains Travis.

What you can do about ice buildup

To avoid ice problems, more frequent inspections are your first line of defence.

Once temperatures stay below freezing, exposed conveyors should be walked every shift. Travis says that in the coldest periods, “twice a day is not unusual,” especially on return idlers that tend to collect moisture. Early detection is everything in winter.

If you do find ice build-up, remove it straight away. That normally means stopping the conveyor and knocking it off with heat or a rubber mallet. “If you leave it for another shift, that’s when things get expensive,” says Travis. Even a few hours of continued running can turn a small frozen collar into a big tracking issue.

If the same conveyor section gives you trouble every winter, it’s worth looking at longer-term upgrades. Components like HDPE rollers shed condensation more easily, PU disc returns release build-up between discs, and lagged return rollers can break ice as they rotate. These aren’t seasonal swaps, but if the same conveyor freezes up every winter, upgrading the rollers permanently can save a lot of downtime.

2. Pulley slippage, uneven tension, and no-start situations

Ice on the drive pulley or belt surface creates slippage or a conveyor that simply won’t start. The pulley turns, but nothing travels with it. As Travis explains, “If there’s ice between the belt and the pulley, you basically lose all traction. The belt just won’t move.”

Uneven ice build-up creates its own problems. If one side of the pulley collects more ice than the other, the effective diameter changes. That puts extra stretch on one side of the belt and reduces tension on the other which can create tracking issues, belt wear, and edge damage.

This usually happens after a shutdown, when the belt sits in sub-zero conditions for several hours without moving. While the conveyor is running, the friction and movement keeps contact surfaces warm enough. But, the moment you stop, everything cools quickly and moisture starts to freeze.

How to handle pulley slippage

Belt de-icers are often the simplest prevention. Products like biodegradable liquid heat or ice melt can be applied to the pulley and belt before startup, especially ahead of planned maintenance or any shutdown expected to last several hours.

If ice has already formed and the belt won’t move, traction aids can help you recover. Sand or a  floor-dry compound work in the same way as grit under a car tyre. They give the belt enough grip to get moving again. 

The most important thing is to not wait until everything freezes solid. If the same pulley or outdoor section has caused slippage before, plan ahead. Treat the belt before the first cold snap, or apply de-icer before any shutdown that will leave the conveyor sitting idle in freezing conditions.

3. Chutes & skirt: frozen material and blockages

Frozen material in chutes and skirt areas is a common winter problem, often caused when material comes off a stockpile that has frozen overnight. Once temperatures stay below zero, material can freeze together and stick to the chute walls. 

As Travis explains, “Rock freezes solid in the stockpiles. Then the crushers warm it up just enough to melt the surface, and when it refreezes, it sticks together even more.”

This build-up can choke a chute, cause spillage at the transfer point, or force a shutdown so the blockage can be cleared. Even partial choking can throw off loading patterns enough to create downstream tracking issues.

How to manage frozen material

The most effective preventative tools are air cannons or air lances, which dislodge material before it freezes into a solid mass. Air cannons are especially useful because they fire automatically. “Once the material freezes to the chute wall, it’s tough to get it off without heat,” says Travis. “Air cannons help you stay ahead of it.”

If the build-up has already frozen hard, some sites use controlled heating such as propane torches. This is usually a last resort because it’s slow and labour-heavy.

Like most of these winter problems, winter chute work requires more frequent inspections and extra hands. Frozen material builds and refreezes quickly, and it often comes back shortly after being cleared if the temperature stays low. “It’s one of those winter jobs where you just need more people available,” Travis says.

If the same chute freezes every year, it may be a sign that the design needs attention, whether that’s different liners, better heating, or improved flow geometry. There may be an underlying design problem that becomes more apparent during winter. 

4. Bearings and lubrication — thickened grease and stalled components

Cold weather affects pulley and roller bearings differently. Pulleys are easy to re-grease, but rollers are sealed-for-life, so you can’t just switch to a cold-weather grease in your rollers for winter. When temperatures drop, standard grease thickens and the bearings can stall or drag.

According to Travis, this is especially noticeable on conveyors that stop and start throughout the day. “If a conveyor sits for eight hours in the cold, that grease can stiffen right up. Once it’s running, it stays warm enough. It’s the startup that hurts them.”

When a pulley bearing stalls, you’ll normally hear it quickly. Rollers are trickier because a frozen bearing can stay locked long enough to wear a flat spot on the shell. If enough rollers freeze at once, you can end up with tracking issues or belt wear long before anyone spots the problem.

What to do about bearing problems

For pulleys, the fix is straightforward: switch to a cold-weather grease ahead of the winter and re-grease on your normal schedule.

With rollers, you can’t change the grease once they’re installed. If your site has recurring roller bearing problems in winter, it might be time to consider a change to cold-weather-rated rollers. Travis recommends looking at long-term options: “You’re not going to swap rollers just for winter, so it’s something you’d want to get right for the long-term”

For conveyors that are prone to freezing, some sites also adjust operating patterns: keeping certain belts turning slowly, or avoiding extended idle periods when temperatures are extremely low. Anything that prevents a full cooldown helps maintain grease mobility and reduces startup strain.

As always, frequent inspections matter. You want to catch bearing issues early before it becomes a larger problem. And if the same roller locations give you grief every year, it may be worth reviewing whether the duty cycle, loading, or component selection is contributing to the issue.

5. Ice on walkways and component access points

Snow and ice can build up on any elevated walkway beside your conveyor, turning routine inspections into a safety hazard. As Travis points out, “It only takes one icy step for someone to go down. And most conveyors have walkways all the way along them.”

Snow can also bury lubrication points, inspection covers and ventilation openings on motors or gearboxes. When these areas freeze over, you may not be able to reach the components that need attention, and equipment can overheat if vents or cooling fans are blocked.

Even if most of your conveyors are enclosed, there are usually sections like transfer points, outdoor drives, and returns where weather exposure is unavoidable.  

How to stay ahead of walkway and access issues

Clearing walkways regularly is essential. Some sites use antifreeze compounds or ice melt around high-traffic access points to prevent refreezing after clearing. Many sites prioritise the most heavily used access routes and block off the areas that become too hazardous to maintain in severe weather. “Sometimes it’s safer to restrict access than try to keep every walkway clear,” Travis says.

On the equipment side, it’s important to keep vents, fans and lubrication points accessible. Snow buildup around drives and gearboxes can block airflow or trap heat, especially if the equipment has been idling and then starts under load. A simple visual check during each winter inspection round can prevent an unexpected shutdown.

Like the other winter issues, this usually comes down to frequency: more walkdowns, more checks and more attention after storms.

Plan ahead for extra winter maintenance

Freezing winter conditions put extra pressure on your conveyor systems. But, these issues tend to follow the same patterns each year, which means you can plan ahead and anticipate them.

Most of the work comes down to earlier inspections, and having maintenance crews available for a quick response. Be extra careful when planning shutdowns that will leave equipment sitting idle in the cold. 

Being deliberate about these five areas can save your team time, reduce unplanned stoppages and make winter conveyor maintenance far more predictable.