getting pedals off

flester
flester Posts: 464
edited July 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
when they don't want to come off. Any ideas? i know the left one has left hand thread etc. but it just won't budge. using a good spanner but its just slipping off. heat to expand the crank? drill it out from the back of the crank? don't mind if i destroy the existing pedals, am going to replace them.
'I do not believe in the three-speed gear at all', the sergeant was saying. 'It is a newfangled instrument, it crucificies the legs, the half of the accidents are due to it.' (From 'The Third Policeman')

Comments

  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    Try removing the crank arm and putting it and the pedal in the freezer for a few hours! Then rapidly heat it with something like a heat gun or hair dryer that won't damage the paint finish. Can't hurt (unless you're married and the wife finds oily bike parts in the freezer).
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  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Hammer.
    I don't do smileys.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    big spanner and hammer. And eat more red meat.
  • John Stevenson
    John Stevenson Posts: 962
    If the pedals were fitted with no grease - or not enough - and have been ridden through the winter, they may be corroded into place and anything you do with damage the cranks getting them out.

    That said, try taking the cranks off the frame, giving the pedal/crank interface a good dousing in WD40 or PlusGas, leaving it overnight and then mounting the crank in a vise (use soft jaws to avoid damage) and leaning on it with a big spanner.
    John Stevenson
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    I couldn't get one of my pedals out of a really nice crank i had no matter what i tried, just took the crank arm to my LBS and they had it off in less than a minute. I can only assume they had a vice and some sort of long spanner/extension bar.
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  • flester
    flester Posts: 464
    hmmm...

    one for the bike shop I think.
    'I do not believe in the three-speed gear at all', the sergeant was saying. 'It is a newfangled instrument, it crucificies the legs, the half of the accidents are due to it.' (From 'The Third Policeman')
  • Bikehawk
    Bikehawk Posts: 102
    +1 for the penetrating fluid apporach. If you haven't got any then a bit of diesel will do the same job, just be careful of any painted surfaces. If that fails then the LBS.
  • wordnumb
    wordnumb Posts: 847
    flester wrote:
    hmmm...

    one for the bike shop I think.

    No. Beef.
  • beverick
    beverick Posts: 3,461
    Heating the joint may help (it may not also).

    Try to extend your spanner in some way. It'll give better leverage and may do the trick. I have a 1m length of steel pipe which I can wedge over the end of a set of stilsons for such occasions!


    If you can hold the crank firmly in somethig like a vice, giving the end of the pedal shaft (the end showing at the back of the crank arm) a pretty hefty whack with a hammer - but use something like a hex socket to make sure you just hit the pedal shaft - may release enough tension out of the threads to allow you to free it.

    Penetrating fluid (WD40) may help but, in my experience, you're stuffed!

    I ended up needing a new crank arm - bu&&er!

    Bob
  • Koiler
    Koiler Posts: 513
    loads of WD40 or similar (plus gas is better) and then try tightening it slightly (very slightly), just enough to make the threads move a bit, then undo with a looooong spanner
  • thecremeegg
    thecremeegg Posts: 284
    This happened to me, had to take it to the LBS in the end and they did it for free :)
    My Enduro S-Works
  • gaff_taff
    gaff_taff Posts: 346
    Hammer :twisted:

    It does work because i had to do it yesterday :p
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    Forget WD40. 3-in-1 penetrating oil is the way to go. Way better stuff and it's what the pros use.

    Heating with fire can help too.

    Other than that, make sure you have the crank firmly secured, and I'd use as long a handled spanner as possible. I used strong rope to anchor the crank to the frame whilst doing mine. Attaching the spanner at 45 or 75 degrees to the crank may help (depending which way the thread needs to go).

    If your pedals have a hex socket (not all do), then you're better off as you can use a socket wrench or if it comes to it a breaker bar!

    And use gloves in case of slippage of hand = spiked by pedal pins or jammed into crank etc :D

    When fitting the new pedals, use anti seize grease to make life easier next time, and don't over tighten (as many shops tend to). Again if there's a hex socket you can use a torque wrench if you aren't sure of the correct torque.
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    I've used a small adjustable spanner and an old set of handlebars on a mates pedals that he couldn't budge. Leverage makes a big difference.
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  • stumpyjon
    stumpyjon Posts: 3,983
    A proper pedal spanner is a good start, followed by penetrating fluid followed by LBS, followed by new crank, in that order.
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
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  • chedabob
    chedabob Posts: 1,133
    I overtightened one of mine, and I found standing on the pedal at 6 o'clock position, and then stamping on the wrench with my other foot shifted it just enough for me to undo it normally.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    chedabob wrote:
    I overtightened one of mine, and I found standing on the pedal at 6 o'clock position, and then stamping on the wrench with my other foot shifted it just enough for me to undo it normally.
    I also find, sticking the crank arm horizontal to the ground, with the pedal spanner pointing directly opposite the crank arm, holding the rear brake, and applying your full weight to the spanner also works, if an extension bar is not at hand.
  • allthegearnoidea
    allthegearnoidea Posts: 4,077
    if your replacing your pedals anyways then remove the pedal from the spindle, wipe a rag over it to remove any grease, clamp the arm in a vive with something to protect it, and use a set of maul wrenches to undo it, did mine this method on monday! - also soaked in plus gas too!! old spindles only had allen head inside the spindle and no pedal spanner bits,
    had the wrench up Tight and a bit of grunting they spun out,

    the pedal spanner at the lbs is about 2ft long! Beast! not much defeats it by all acounts!
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  • flester
    flester Posts: 464
    No way any kind of open ended spanner would turn these... even with heating. so someone at work cut off the spindles with angle grinder then unscrewed the stubs with a quality socket spanner.

    Have now fitted SPD pedals, first putting anti-seize copper grease on threads so I have some chance of removing them later. Now need to do a few miles and then adjust shoe/pedal/cleat fit if needed.
    'I do not believe in the three-speed gear at all', the sergeant was saying. 'It is a newfangled instrument, it crucificies the legs, the half of the accidents are due to it.' (From 'The Third Policeman')
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    SPDs! Noooo!

    (just kidding :P ).
  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    I have had to cut a pedaloff with a grinder before after all else failed. I then used the same grinder to re-cut flat sides on the pedal axle so that I could get grips to clamp on again.

    In the end it took a pair of grips - held in place with some mole grips and then repeatedly smashed with a rubber mallet to get the buggers off. I now grease my pedal threads on the very odd occasion to make sure it doe snot happen again.
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    surely a pedal spanner with an extension and a mallet would have been better, and less destructive?
    Seems like a waste of pedal.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    3-in-1 penetrating stuff did it for me.
  • beany123
    beany123 Posts: 133
    MTFU!!
    Giant Trance 1

    Live to ride
  • freddiegrubb
    freddiegrubb Posts: 448
    :oops: After spending all my life in engineering & construction I always remember the words of the old greek fella,"" give me somewhere to stand & i'll move the earth " it's all about leverage . The puddings who advocate a big hammer (or small) on a bike want their bumps feeling , I've seen them all my working life BASH-BANG CLATTER , use what the man gave you - the bit between your ears!!! I could have rode the 59 TDF. but I had my paper round to do !!!!!! shame
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    freddiegrubb wrote:
    The puddings who advocate a big hammer (or small) on a bike want their bumps feeling
    Sometimes, a spanner, or extension bar that is long enough is simply not to hand though, but most people have a hammer.
    A quick tap tap with a hammer can undo some frighteningly stubborn bolts.

    You must have a very limited experience of engineering if you've always been able to get a long enough spanner for leverage.
    Try being inside a generator, with only a few inches either side of you, trying to undo 80mm nuts. Ain't no way in hell you'd get enough leverage in there, so the only option is either hydraulic power tools, or a lump hammer.

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