Removing stupidly tight pedal!

Moreland
Moreland Posts: 34
edited March 2014 in MTB workshop & tech
Hi.

I have been trying to remove the XTR SPD pedal from me XTR cranks for the past few days now and have had no luck. I managed to get one off after a while but the other is ridiculously tight.

I have been to two bike shops who have failed to get it off.
Tried my self with an 8mm allen key + bar. The allen key rounded off!
Now the pedal has rounded off a little.

My next option (tomorrow) is a local engineering company who can heat it and see if that helps or weld something on for better leverage.

Problem is I dont want the threads stripped on the cranks, the pedal is fooked now so dont mind stripping that.

Any more ideas before I go down this route?
Also before anyone says, these pedals were on when I bought the bike. It looks like the owner has never greased them before fitting!

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Take it to an engineering shop. After taking the crank off the bike.

    They will drill if out.

    And remember some anti seize paste when fitting the new ones.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • bikaholic
    bikaholic Posts: 350
    Dismantle the pedal to get access to the spindle - myself, I would just chop the pedal off with an angle grinder to leave a spindle stump.

    Then, grind two flats onto the stump so that you can fit a spanner onto it. The next step is obvious.

    The action of grinding will generate heat so you don't need to apply it from an external source. Grinding also causes vibration so this may also help in loosening the stump.

    In future, grease the threads before you attach the pedals.
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    You might be able to hammer a suitable size Tork bit into the butchered allen key hole. Take crank off smack Tork bit in, clamp Torx bit in a vice and use the crank as a lever. It has worked for me in the past.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • Twelly
    Twelly Posts: 1,437
    Pedal spanner + handlebar does the job for me (if your pedals have flats for a spanner). You will struggle to get enough leverage using an allen key.
    Epic Threads
  • benjrush
    benjrush Posts: 35
    I have resorted to two strips of tool steel in a big bench vice clamping round the pedal (where you would normally put a 15mm spanner) and then twisting the frame around the vice. Probably stating the obvious but remember you need to turn the pedals in different directions to each other on each side.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    XTR so no flats. Rounded Allen key hole. Unlikely the OP has a vice.


    TBH bike shops sounded poor.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Moreland
    Moreland Posts: 34
    Yeah I have a vice and quite a few specialist tools.
    I have removed the pedal body so left with a spindle, tried clamping that in the vice but with it being round it starts spinning with some force.

    Bike shop couldn't really do too much as I have partly rounded the pedal off. Suggested engineering company who said they could do it but it may fook the pedal and crank up!

    Last thing I want to do it damage both and then have to pay for it to be re-threaded or heli-coil.
  • benjrush
    benjrush Posts: 35
    If there is enough exposed axle between the pedal and the crank arm just grind 2 flats onto that (might be worth taking the rest of the pedal off first to save that from damage) you will need a replacement axle anyway.
  • Terrytibbs
    Terrytibbs Posts: 76
    As has been said, remove the casing until you've just got the axle. Grind flats on and stick in a vice and try to twist it out like that.

    If that doesn't work I'd possibly get a carbide drill bit and drill the axle out of the thread, or at least, most of it until it loosens off. Tough to get through SS but it'll do it. Best with a bench drill if you've got access to one.

    Or, grind the lip off the pedal, the bit that pushes against the crank arm which is actually what's keeping it tight. I'd use a powerful dremel type tool for that as you might mark the cranks a bit but if you're careful you could minimise that.

    Use WD40 penetrating fluid (not regular WD40, this is their specialist penetrating fluid), it's brilliant.

    And lastly...Have you definitely turned the pedal the correct way to loosen it?
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    Sounds like galvanic corrosion, which practically welds the steel spindle and ally crank together. A good light engineering company should be able to sort it without wrecking the crank.

    When I bought my Boardman the Halfords monkey had overtightened the OE pedals so much that when I eventually got them off (brand new, to fit my B54s), at the cost of one bleeding knuckle, the steel spindle had actually cut into the face of the ally crank, and slithers af ally swarf fell out. I insisted on new cranks. God knows how difficult they would've been to get off a few months down the line.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Just weld a bar to the spindle at 90 degrees and use that as the lever to undo........use about 2 foot of bar welded in the middle so you can hold both ends and aren't 'twisting' the spindle with a single sided lever.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • 02gf74
    02gf74 Posts: 1,168
    you are turning the spindle the correct way? LH pedal has LH thread! :?

    sometimes the shoulder on the spindle will dig into the softer metal of the crank making it dfficult to remove. take a look to see if this is the case here and dress the area or carefully grind off the shoulder.

    heating the crank should help remving the spindle as the aluminium alloy will expand to slighly release its grip.

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