My pedal won't come off!!

ryan93

Hey guys, does anyone know how I can removed a Shimano M-540 pedal that is stuck in the crank arm? The 8mm allen key head is useless since the allen key just spins out. I've tried filing two slots on either side of the axle itself but the file made no impact on the axle, other than remove a little bit of the paint.

Anyone have any other ideas on how to get this thing off, it doesn't matter if the axle is wrecked, so long as the crank arm is not damaged.

Thanks,
Ryan

nicklouse

first are you turning it the correct way?

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-hel ... w-5-hcw-16

ryan93

Sorry should have mentioned that. The pedal is the left one, but all I have is the crank arm (Shimano SLX) and I've been turning it clockwise as you look onto the pedal, like in your picture, but it still isn't moving.

I've also tried it in a vice, but the axle just spun around in there too, maybe I should try and close the vice up tighter to it bites into the metal?

Deputy Dawg

A good dose of plusgas or similar wouldn't hurt. Since the peddle is gonna be toast anyway I'd try a pair of stilsons on the axel.

Jay dubbleU

Get some penetrating oil into the thread and leave it over night - it may be that when it was put on the bike it had Loctite put on the threads

ryan93

Never thought about trying some stilsons, would they work? When I had it mega tight in the vice it still kept spinning because the axle is hardened steel so the vice couldn't bite into it.
Anyways, it's lying in the vice with some shock and unlock stuff we had lying around the shop in it, hopefully it will find its way down the threads over night.

Deputy Dawg

ryan93 wrote:

Never thought about trying some stilsons, would they work? When I had it mega tight in the vice it still kept spinning because the axle is hardened steel so the vice couldn't bite into it.
Anyways, it's lying in the vice with some shock and unlock stuff we had lying around the shop in it, hopefully it will find its way down the threads over night.

The stilsons are designed to tighten as you push down on them so should work better than a vice.

Anonymous

3-in-1 penetrating oil is worth a go. Much better than WD40.

I'd say a breaker bar is another option, but if the socket is stripped that's not much use.

If you get it off, use copper grease on the threads of the new one. No need for locktite. Just torque up to spec. Good torque wrench is handy rather than guessing or over tightening.

Should be easy to get off next time if you do it right.

jamojaw

tight threads seem to loosen easier when hit straight down with a mallet or similar as the force breaks the seal slightly. just support the crank arm from behind when doing it. can you not get a spanner on them or are they chewed too.

nicklouse

so the pedals are history?

find a man with a welder. weld a block onto the axle so that you can get purchase on the axle and unscrew the arm.

allthegearnoidea

with my stuck ones i put the arm in the vice (bit of padding on the sides) and used a Big set of mawl wrenches as the pedal spindle with goosede allen head and no spanner slots is semi useless! got them clamped tight to the spindle and with a bit of grief and a couple of swear words (vital you use said words!! ) they loosened off nicely!

Catfish

You could also try warming the crank arm slightly with a hot air gun, this will expand the crank a bit and should help, I used this method after a good soak with wd40 failed to free both a stuck pedal and a steel sump plug in an alloy sump.

02gf74

....so did you managed to ndo them yet?

most pedals have flats next to the crank so you use a specal pedal spanner as shown in Nick's photo post.

as ^^^^ said, you can heat up the crank - the alloy wlil expand more than the steel spindle whcih may help - unfortunatly with pedals, the spindle has a shoulder that butts up against the crank arm that can gouge into the alloy so the heating up may make it harder to undo - so put them into a deep freezer.

use penetraitng fluid - not wd40 or 3-in-1 or virgin olive oil. use a scriber or other sharply pointy object to scribe round the spindle/crank to break any seal to allow the fluid to penetrate.

Chunkers1980

That's a beast of a spanner too - I picked up a second hand one from an LBS closure, can't think of much that could beat it.

But then I bought XTR spds with only an 8mm allen so now have less use for it.

I'm sure normal second pressing olive oil would suffice!

jakeeeeeee

push the let hand crank down to the bottom make sure the spanner is on tight and step on it.
make sure you hold on to something sturdy because when or if it loosens you don't want to be face planting stuff :P

The Big Cheese

This is why some decent quality grease/anti seize compound is worth putting on the pedal threads.


Seriously, hope you get it out without too much drama.

The Northern Monkey

I usually just stand on the pedal spanner and gently bounce

16 1/2 st can be useful now and then!

Anonymous

The Big Cheese wrote:

This is why some decent quality grease/anti seize compound is worth putting on the pedal threads.

Something I wish bike shop staff would do. They just seem to overtighten to ensure they won't come off, possibly using thread lock as well!

The main problem I've had with maintaining my bike is getting off the stuff that's been overtightened when assembled. I then use copper grease and torque to spec. Getting the stuff off again is simple, but they tight enough and don't loosen up during rides. Just right.

That's why I'm thinking building a bike is better as you get the components you want and get it put together properly (assuming you know what you're doing that is).

The Big Cheese

deadkenny wrote:

Something I wish bike shop staff would do. They just seem to overtighten to ensure they won't come off, possibly using thread lock as well!

Seems a lot of bikes that are assembled in bikes stores are done so without a care in the world, no matter what the price of the bike = Bone Dry Assembly

deadkenny wrote:

That's why I'm thinking building a bike is better as you get the components you want and get it put together properly (assuming you know what you're doing that is).

^^ This +100000000000

cavegiant

For those above who are not aware plusgas is a good quality penetrating oil, it does what most people think WD40 is for. Much better, though try not to get any on your hands.

If you do not mind trashing the pedals. Undo everything and remove pedal so you are just left with axle/arm.

Drill a hole though the axle, metal rod in for torque then twist.

Use a blowtorch on the crank arm as well, get it hot, that might be enough to break the cold weld.

If that doesnt work, try drilling out the axle, not easy to get right, but I have managed it once (and fkd it up 4 times)