can't remove pedals

youngy81

Got new pedals today, problem is I can't get the old ones off. I am turning them the right way (towards the rear wheel) but they aren't budging. Any tips??

Thanks in advance[/quote][/list]

flateric

Had a similar problem, took ages, utterly 100% certain was trying to unscrew the pedal the correct way, had right size tools, even took crank and held in vice, used torque wrench, bar extension to increase leverage, lubricating oil, every trick i knew.

Then discovered that yes, i was in fact turning the bolt in the wrong direction, turned it the correct way and it came straight off.

Not saying you are wrong but worth checking and double checking the obvious.

colint

Just to clarify, you should be turning up and over the back wheel

If that's what you're doing, try soaking them in WD40 or siimilar and leaving for a few hours

Pickled Pig

Are you using a hex key or a 15mm spanner? A (good) spanner will be much easier.

Bobbinogs

I had exactly the same problem when I wanted to move from toe clip pedals to clipless. Struggled completely, phoned my Father in Law for advice "should have use some anti seize grease". Great advice but TFL.

Ended up going to my LBS. I watched two burly chaps with the longest, beefiest spanner in the world huff and puff and finally free up both pedals. I bought some anti-seize grease from them and have rewarded them by never asking them to do the same.

Echo the comments about WD40 (careful where you spray it though as it will strip the grease off anything) and a decent spanner or allen key (I now have a Park ones).

jawooga

+1 for LBS. One of my more embarassing trips to the local bike mechanic was to say "...erm, can't get my pedals off, can you do it please, and fit these whilst you're down there..." Closely followed by telling different LBS that my 105 left shifter was suspect and it was a 'known problem' etc. only to learn it needed some lube down the cable (which worked a treat)

Applespider

+2 for LBS. I've gone twice with different bikes when fitting clipless. Each time, my initial intention was just to ask to borrow a pedal wrench... but since the chaps offered both times just to do it for me, I'd have been an idiot to say no.

Fenred

It'll move, been in this postition many times! Make sure you're wrenching in the right direction and a bit of brute force and you'll feel the threads parting company.

Stoo48

Advice for when you get them off, a little and I'm talking a smear of grease on the threads of the new pedals, then just put them in finger tight, they don't need any more than that and won't come undone.

CrackFox

Grease, a pedal wrench and a mallet. Works every time.

nferrar

+1 for Stoo48's advice, most people seem to do pedals up way way too tight

RowCycle

I had one difficult on.

I put a short scaffold pole over the crank arm of the one I got off and had someone hold it. I then placed another short scaffold pole over my pedal spanner and pulled it.

The extra torque worked fine. I couldn't free it any other way (spent a week trying to do it!)

keef66

+1 for a decent pedal spanner plus extra leverage.

I use an old mtb handlebar; amazing what you can achieve with the resulting 3 foot spanner.

And then some copperslip when putting the new ones on.

rhext

I've still got a set stuck in some old cranks I replaced last year. I'll give some of these ideas a go: spare pedals are always worth having :-)

keef66

If the cranks are off the bike it's even easier cos you can clamp them in a bench vice (use something to protect the alloy from the vice jaws) before you start swinging on the spanner

colsoop

I had this issue with a friends bike. He didn't grease the pedal spindles before installation and after 4 years of use they were solid. I ended up using a pedal spanner slid down the end of a trolley jack handle to essentially give me a 3 foot breaker bar and it still took some doing.

If your not confident get it across to an lbs they will have had to deal with this issue before and should be able to sort it.

pneumatic

two ingredients:

easing oil

time

I had this problem the night before going on tour with friends, trying to put the bikes in bike bags. I wore through three allen keys (using a metal tube for leverage) and dented my shin with a flying spanner after hitting it with a mallet) Swore a lot, calmed down, soaked the thing in easing oil, went to bed.

Next morning, it turned like David Cameron.

Problem solved.

StillGoing

Right size hex socket and a pri-bar will shift it without effort.

Monty Dog

Use this technique, you don't need to worry about direction as it works on both sides and minimises the risks of skinned knuckles. If you can't get this to shift then it usually means removing the crank, a big bench vice and some serious leverage.

1. Point cranks forward toward front wheel
2. Put wrench / spanner on pedal in-line with crank i.e. pointing forward
3. Grab wrench spanner with 2 hands and press down with foot hard on pedal