How to get old pedals off?
- Thread starter jwroubaix
- Start date
Yes they do. Do note that the left one unscrews clockwise while the right one unscrews counterclockwise. Be prepared that it can require considerable force to break them free.jwroubaix said:
Unless you have the worlds strongest fingertips you do need a tool. Standard pedals usually have flats milled to the sides of the axles where a tool can grip. Depending on the clearance offered by your particular pedals you might get the job done with an ordinary monkey wrench or you might have to find a open-ended fixed wrench. There ARE special pedal wrenches available, but usually an ordinary wrench is sufficient.jwroubaix said:
Some pedals haven't got the milled surfaces to the axles, they have a countersunk hex face on the end of the axle instead. Some pedals have both. You'll be able to find out easily enough when you buy your pedalsjwroubaix said:
Nah, both names refer to the same item.jwroubaix said:
Regardless of the tool you might choose to use to install your pedals, you are advised to use a PEDAL WRENCH to remove them because (as noted by dabac) "it can require considerable force to break them free."jwroubaix said:
A working part of a PEDAL WRENCH (15mm) is thinner than on a regular wrench to allow it fit between the crank arm & pedal body. The length of the handle varies ... a longer handle will give you more leverage.
NB. The ONLY times I've needed extraordinary force [i.e., more than what a "normal" Pedal Wrench can handle] to remove a pedal is when someone else had installed the pedals.
It depends on what the pedal likes. Some pedals like a slow twisting motion that progressively gets faster. Others like a pushing/pulling motion. Have you tried asking the pedal? Does the pedal make any noises while you're trying to get it off? The noises should give you some indication whether or not you're doing things correctly.
I've had the same problem with my pedals with toe clips. I've been trying for over a month to get the damn stock pedals removed to put my Nashbar ones on that I mentioned I bought like, 3 months ago?
Bike shop told me that there's a chance that they cold be stripped. Is this possible?
Bike shop told me that there's a chance that they cold be stripped. Is this possible?
I'd try whispering some sweet nothings to get your old pedals off. Of course, some might prefer a more aggressive approach and be more receptive to dirty talk. Don't forget some lubrication to ease things along.
Spray them with some form of rust penetration and let them sit for a while then try removeing them. If that doesn't work cut them off at the base, drill the threaded part out to a couple of mm less then its diameter and then tap the rest out with a chisel. That way you shouldn't strip them. If the thread gets a little damaged get your hands on a thread tap and run it through it.sgtpepper64 said:
+1 try something like WD 40 - just keep it away from the pedal bearings if you want to preserve them.Scotttri said:
The only other thing I would add is to put the crank/pedal in the sun to expand the metal a bit as well, allowing the anti-rust compound to seep in between threads a little better.
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That is something that COULD happen to any threaded interface, but I haven't come across it on a pedal yet. You can try the penetrating oils and the moderate heating stuff first, of course, but IMO double-checking that you're twisting in the right direction, finding good leverage and then having a go usually does the trick.sgtpepper64 said:
To get the pedals off I usually leave the bike on the floor, point the crank forward, the wrench to the rear, lean over the bike, put one hand on the pedal to steady things and push down on the wrench with the other.
In one extreme case I ended up supporting the pedal end of the crank on a wooden block while hitting the end of the wrench with a mallet. Even that pedal came out w/o any stripping.
Thanks for the advice guys.
I was a bit apprehensive to consider WD-40 but when I get time I'll give it a shot.
On a subtly related note, there's a bit of rust in the center of my bottle cage screws, would WD-40 fix that?
I was a bit apprehensive to consider WD-40 but when I get time I'll give it a shot.
On a subtly related note, there's a bit of rust in the center of my bottle cage screws, would WD-40 fix that?
WD-40 isn't a great product, neither for its penetrating capacity nor its lubricating capacity, but for something like a pedal thread it'll certainly do more good than harm.sgtpepper64 said:
Depends on what you mean by "fix", it is likely to stop/slow down any further corrosion, particularly if you reapply regularly. And with a bit of scrubbing you can probably shrink the size of the rust stain some(use the end of a match or something to scrub with). But if you're hoping for a permanent solution out of a spray bottle, forget it.sgtpepper64 said:
