Can't get my pedals off - Help!

DSK <[email hidden]> wrote:

: Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
: anything to get the old pedals off?

A much bigger spanner. Pedal spanners are much longer than a standard
15mm spanner. If that doesn't work (and it often doesn't), attach
a length of scafold pole to the pedal spanner.

Attaching scafold pole to a normal spanner tends to result in a
snapped spanner mind.

And some pedals are indeed to frozen on to remove.

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

cheers, will try that for the extra levereage. I am using industrial quality spanners not the stuff that you tend to get with the purchase of some bicycles. So a bar on that should hopefully do the trick.

"DSK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
anything to get the old pedals off?

Sorry if it's stating the obvious put don't forget that left and right
pedals have opposite threads. So you might be tightening it instead of
loosening it (depending on which pedal you're doing and which way you're
turning).

"DSK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

cheers, will try that for the extra levereage. I am using industrial
quality spanners not the stuff that you tend to get with the purchase
of some bicycles. So a bar on that should hopefully do the trick.

--
DSK

I am not a cycle guru but a motor vehicle technician. I recently had the
same problem, I had to remove the cranks and put them in a vice with an
adjustable spanner ( very good quality) and as the previous post suggested
put a scaffold bar on the end. I couldn't believe how tight these pedals
were!

The cranks were aluminium and several threads were removed on extraction of
the pedals but job was still a success.

Release fluid is not all that good in my experience and usually I would of
heated the components to cherry red with oxy acetylene but obviously with
aluminium melting at I think 600 degrees C this was not possible.

HTHs :-)

DSK said:

Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
anything to get the old pedals off?

We all presume you are turning the spanner the correct way!

May sound obvious, but the thread on one side goes the other way.

--
Kev

"Derek Grebe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"DSK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
anything to get the old pedals off?

Sorry if it's stating the obvious put don't forget that left and right
pedals have opposite threads. So you might be tightening it instead of
loosening it (depending on which pedal you're doing and which way you're
turning).

Oops! well said, I forgot that bit :-( Left hand side LH thread, sometimes
marked with an L.

in message <[email hidden]>, Firefox

(') said:

"DSK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

cheers, will try that for the extra levereage. I am using industrial
quality spanners not the stuff that you tend to get with the purchase
of some bicycles. So a bar on that should hopefully do the trick.

I am not a cycle guru but a motor vehicle technician. I recently had
the same problem, I had to remove the cranks and put them in a vice
with an
adjustable spanner ( very good quality) and as the previous post
suggested put a scaffold bar on the end. I couldn't believe how tight
these pedals were!

They should not be. Use copper grease when you put them back in - it
helps prevent seizing. Also remember that the left hand pedal has a
left hand thread!

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Do not sail on uphill water.
- Bill Lee

DSK said:

Got myself a set of Look A3.1 pedals the other day and have spend the
whole morning trying to muscle the old pedals off my Claud Butler
Milano. However, I have tried GT85 penetration fluid and I am using
the correct spanner size, but I can't get the old pedals off.

Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
anything to get the old pedals off?

A longer spanner. And turn the LH pedal clockwise to undo it.

DSK said:

Got myself a set of Look A3.1 pedals the other day and have spend the
whole morning trying to muscle the old pedals off my Claud Butler
Milano. However, I have tried GT85 penetration fluid and I am using
the correct spanner size, but I can't get the old pedals off.

Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
anything to get the old pedals off?

Make sure spanner isn't too wide and you're turning in the correct
direction, then give it some welly. Try hitting end of spanner with club
hammer or mallet.

Right pedal unscrews anticlockwise, left pedal unscrews clockwise.

~PB

"DSK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
anything to get the old pedals off?

As well as using a good strong spanner with a long handle, the following
technique will give you the best leverage.
(This is easier if someone else is holding the bike or it is in a stand)

Left Pedal:
Stand facing the rear of the bike and with the bike on your right.
Set cranks horizontal with left crank ponting to rear of bike.
Reach through (or over) frame with right arm and engage spanner on left
pedal.
With left hand hold right crank near pedal.
(You are now holding spanner in right hand and crank in left)
Feet apart, back straight; pull spanner UP and push crank down with
everything you've got.
Once it's broken loose, keep spanner engaged and simply use to rotate cranks
forward.
This will unscrew the pedal the rest of the way.

Right Pedal:
Exactly as above, swapping the words "left" and "right"

Ian

"Firefox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"D

Release fluid is not all that good in my experience and usually I would of
heated the components to cherry red with oxy acetylene but obviously with
aluminium melting at I think 600 degrees C this was not possible.

We use "Plus Gas" on our chemical plant which is much less viscous than
release fluid and seems to penetrate better.
http://www.tool-up.co.uk/shop/diy/EAC803.html
--
Simon M.

In article <[email hidden]>, Simon Mason

Quoted message said:

We use "Plus Gas" on our chemical plant which is much less viscous
than release fluid and seems to penetrate better.
http://www.tool-up.co.uk/shop/diy/EAC803.html

I couldn't afford to use it at that price but is very good otherwise.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

"Sandy Morton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Simon Mason

Quoted message said:

We use "Plus Gas" on our chemical plant which is much less viscous
than release fluid and seems to penetrate better.
http://www.tool-up.co.uk/shop/diy/EAC803.html

I couldn't afford to use it at that price ...

Hear, hear.

And £6.50 for postage too.

DSK <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Got myself a set of Look A3.1 pedals the other day and have spend the
whole morning trying to muscle the old pedals off my Claud Butler
Milano. However, I have tried GT85 penetration fluid and I am using
the correct spanner size, but I can't get the old pedals off.

Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
anything to get the old pedals off?

Remove cranks from frame.
Dis-asemble pedal.
Place pedal axle flats in vise jaws.
Tighten like you MEAN it.
Attach 8 foot 2x4 to crank with hose clamps.
Turn crank the correct way - separation will occur.

"Sandy Morton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Simon Mason

Quoted message said:

We use "Plus Gas" on our chemical plant which is much less viscous
than release fluid and seems to penetrate better.
http://www.tool-up.co.uk/shop/diy/EAC803.html

I couldn't afford to use it at that price but is very good otherwise.

It's in the post ;-)

--
Simon M.

DSK said:

Got myself a set of Look A3.1 pedals the other day and have spend the
whole morning trying to muscle the old pedals off my Claud Butler
Milano. However, I have tried GT85 penetration fluid and I am using
the correct spanner size, but I can't get the old pedals off.

Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
anything to get the old pedals off?

The problem is likely not "tightness" but a alloy-steel
bond.

Hence, this (surprisingly) may be a relevant webpage:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/stuck-seatposts.html
Tip XIII is the one!

BugBear

bugbear said:

The problem is likely not "tightness" but a alloy-steel
bond.

Hence, this (surprisingly) may be a relevant webpage:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/stuck-seatposts.html
Tip XIII is the one!

Failing that, XIV. Heat crank.

~PB

On 21/9/04 6:55 pm, in article 1095789348.N6w+X9a+qt50DikjzcrrQA@teranews,

wheelsgoround said:

"DSK" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Does anyone know if I am doing something wrong? Can anyone suggest
anything to get the old pedals off?

As well as using a good strong spanner with a long handle, the following
technique will give you the best leverage.
(This is easier if someone else is holding the bike or it is in a stand)

Left Pedal:
Stand facing the rear of the bike and with the bike on your right.
Set cranks horizontal with left crank ponting to rear of bike.
Reach through (or over) frame with right arm and engage spanner on left
pedal.
With left hand hold right crank near pedal.
(You are now holding spanner in right hand and crank in left)
Feet apart, back straight; pull spanner UP and push crank down with
everything you've got.

That depends which way the spanner is facing.

David's easy method (works for both sides):

point crank to back of bike.
Put spanner on facing forwards.
Push down on spanner and pedal.
(if necessary you can put your weight on both..foot on pedal and foot
carefully on the end of the spanner).

The advantage of this method is that the force on the spanner and the force
on the pedal are balanced on the crank so you have less risk of damage. It
is also easy to remember.

...d

Quoted message said:

Once it's broken loose, keep spanner engaged and simply use to rotate cranks
forward.
This will unscrew the pedal the rest of the way.

Right Pedal:
Exactly as above, swapping the words "left" and "right"

Ian

David Martin wrote:
[snip]

Quoted message said:

David's easy method (works for both sides):

point crank to back of bike.
Put spanner on facing forwards.
Push down on spanner and pedal.
(if necessary you can put your weight on both..foot on pedal and foot
carefully on the end of the spanner).

Isn't that the exact opposite of what is required? As I picture it it
gives anti-clockwise force on the LHS and clockwise on the right both of
which are tightening forces.

Quoted message said:

[snip]

Peter