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How to Get Stubborn Pedals Off - Answer [not a question]

Started by wle · · Last activity · 29 posts · 1,255 views

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Cycling Equipment
Published
22 July 2005
Last activity
12 September 2005
Original author
wle
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29
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  1. how i did it.
    by me.

    tried to remove pedals while on the bike.

    then i thought, this isn;t working.

    may as well take the cranks off.

    so i did, headed to the garage with the pedal wrench.

    first thought was, hold crank in the vise.

    but they looked hard to clamp.

    so i did the opposite - clamped the wrench into the vise.

    then i used the crank itself as a lever.

    turns out it was longer than the wrench.

    pedals came right off.

    only tricky thing is to figure out which way to turn the crank.

    wle.

  2. Sounds like a fine solution!

    I always just position the crank forward, and the wrench so it is
    approximately in line with the crank facing backward... then push down
    on the wrench, or squeeze the wrench and crank together if possible
    (wrench angled slightly above the crank). Works for me... but maybe my
    pedals have never been that stubborn.

    -Ron

  3. these things would not come off any other way.

    i was hammering the wrench.

    just made the wrench come off.

    i even used a broomstick [rear wheel removed] to hold the other crank
    still against the chainstay.

    plus the wrench would not line up near parallel to the crank, so the
    squeezing-together method was out.

    it;s the same way i got a stuck freehub off, held the 10mm allen wrench
    in the vise, turned the wheel around it.

    wle.

  4. search to: DIY pedal removal

  5. Well, I was just about to take my old pedals off and get my new SPD
    pedals on, when I found out that the wrench no.15 was a bit too large
    and the wrench no.14 was a bit too small.

    So here I am, with the shops just closed for the weekend.

    *sigh*

    Robin.

    wle said:

    how i did it.
    by me.

    tried to remove pedals while on the bike.

    then i thought, this isn;t working.

    may as well take the cranks off.

    so i did, headed to the garage with the pedal wrench.

    first thought was, hold crank in the vise.

    but they looked hard to clamp.

    so i did the opposite - clamped the wrench into the vise.

    then i used the crank itself as a lever.

    turns out it was longer than the wrench.

    pedals came right off.

    only tricky thing is to figure out which way to turn the crank.

    wle.

  6. Quoted message said:

    Well, I was just about to take my old pedals off and get my new SPD
    pedals on, when I found out that the wrench no.15 was a bit too large
    and the wrench no.14 was a bit too small.

    So here I am, with the shops just closed for the weekend.

    *sigh*

    Robin.

    I presume that you mean 15 and 14 mm wrenches[spanners]. Your pedal
    flats are 15 mm which isn't difficult to verify by measurement. Use the
    15 mm wrench. It's a "bit too large" to allow it to slide over the
    flats.

    Remember that the left pedal unscrews in a clockwise direction, opposite
    from the right pedal and most other threads.

    --
    Ted Bennett

  7. I presume that you mean 15 and 14 mm wrenches[spanners]. Your pedal

    Quoted message said:

    flats are 15 mm which isn't difficult to verify by measurement. Use the
    15 mm wrench. It's a "bit too large" to allow it to slide over the
    flats.

    Remember that the left pedal unscrews in a clockwise direction, opposite
    from the right pedal and most other threads.

    So the 15mm should fit? That's awkward, it feels like it's got just a
    little too much room, it slips over the pedal flats. But that might be
    the spanner themselves, they're the Stanley kind of spanners with an
    asymmetric shape that allow you to fasten or unfasten and then rotate
    the spanner back with out taking it from the bolt. I'll try a symmetric
    spanner tomorrow.

    I guess it hasn't got enough contact area to get the pedals to come out.
    The pedals are *really* right, anyway. Previous owner probably forgot to
    put some kind of lubricant on the threads.

    Robin.

  8. Quoted message said:

    I presume that you mean 15 and 14 mm wrenches[spanners]. Your pedal

    Quoted message said:

    flats are 15 mm which isn't difficult to verify by measurement. Use the
    15 mm wrench. It's a "bit too large" to allow it to slide over the
    flats.

    Remember that the left pedal unscrews in a clockwise direction, opposite
    from the right pedal and most other threads.

    So the 15mm should fit? That's awkward, it feels like it's got just a
    little too much room, it slips over the pedal flats. But that might be
    the spanner themselves, they're the Stanley kind of spanners with an
    asymmetric shape that allow you to fasten or unfasten and then rotate
    the spanner back with out taking it from the bolt. I'll try a symmetric
    spanner tomorrow.

    I guess it hasn't got enough contact area to get the pedals to come out.
    The pedals are *really* right, anyway. Previous owner probably forgot to
    put some kind of lubricant on the threads.

    Robin.

    Some pedals need a thin wrench, but a good pedal wrench is thin and
    long. You want to be able to apply some leverage. Put the wrench on
    the pedal spindle flats with the pedal forward, and you can apply a lot
    of force pushing the wrench downward. It's the same for both sides due
    to the left hand threads on the left pedal. If a pedal is really stuck,
    a rap with a hammer on the wrench may break it free. Application of
    heat can help.

    Good luck.

    --
    Ted Bennett

  9. 9/16" usually works, i think it is about 14.2 mm

    wle.

  10. wle said:

    9/16" usually works, i think it is about 14.2 mm

    wle.

    Well, a different 15mm spanner, a night's soaking in WD-40 and a bit of
    the ol' brute force got them off. New pedals are on with a big dollop of
    lube on the thread and I'm ready to go try my new SM-R060 shoes! Thanks,
    all!

    "Do you hear them cleating, Clarice?"

    Robin

  11. Lot of grease when installing and you won't have this
    problem ever again.

  12. Small adjustable wrench works also.

  13. On 22 Jul 2005 14:06:18 -0700, "Ron Ruff" <[email hidden]>

    Quoted message said:

    Sounds like a fine solution!

    I always just position the crank forward, and the wrench so it is
    approximately in line with the crank facing backward... then push down
    on the wrench, or squeeze the wrench and crank together if possible
    (wrench angled slightly above the crank). Works for me... but maybe my
    pedals have never been that stubborn.

    My procedure:

    Lay concrete block under pedal; shim with blocks of wood as needed so
    that the wrench flats are approximately horizontal. Place wrench on
    flats. Step on end of wrench. This works well for me. (It helps to
    have a really strong wrench...)
    --
    Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
    Some gardening required to reply via email.
    Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

  14. RNK said:
    wle said:

    9/16" usually works, i think it is about 14.2 mm

    wle.

    Well, a different 15mm spanner, a night's soaking in WD-40 and a bit
    of the ol' brute force got them off. New pedals are on with a big
    dollop of lube on the thread and I'm ready to go try my new SM-R060
    shoes! Thanks, all!

    "Do you hear them cleating, Clarice?"

    "It's takes the lotion from the basket and rubs it on the threads (or gets
    the hose again)."

    http://www.transbuddha.com/mediaHolder.php?id=23

  15. Quoting wle <[email hidden]>:

    Quoted message said:

    tried to remove pedals while on the bike.


    [...]

    Quoted message said:

    so i did the opposite - clamped the wrench into the vise.
    then i used the crank itself as a lever.
    turns out it was longer than the wrench.

    That's a pretty terrible pedal wrench.

    I find the nuclear option is to tie the opposite crank to the chainstay -
    use plenty of string - get the wrench horizontal, and stand on it.
    --
    David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field!
    Today is Gaiman, July - a public holiday.

  16. Quoting wle <[email hidden]>:

    Quoted message said:

    tried to remove pedals while on the bike.


    [...]

    Quoted message said:

    so i did the opposite - clamped the wrench into the vise.
    then i used the crank itself as a lever.
    turns out it was longer than the wrench.

    That's a pretty terrible pedal wrench.

    I find the nuclear option is to tie the opposite crank to the chainstay -
    use plenty of string - get the wrench horizontal, and stand on it.
    --
    David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field!
    Today is Gaiman, July - a public holiday.

  17. Quoting wle <[email hidden]>:

    Quoted message said:

    tried to remove pedals while on the bike.


    [...]

    Quoted message said:

    so i did the opposite - clamped the wrench into the vise.
    then i used the crank itself as a lever.
    turns out it was longer than the wrench.

    That's a pretty terrible pedal wrench.

    I find the nuclear option is to tie the opposite crank to the chainstay -
    use plenty of string - get the wrench horizontal, and stand on it.
    --
    David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field!
    Today is Gaiman, July - a public holiday.

  18. Quoting wle <[email hidden]>:

    Quoted message said:

    tried to remove pedals while on the bike.


    [...]

    Quoted message said:

    so i did the opposite - clamped the wrench into the vise.
    then i used the crank itself as a lever.
    turns out it was longer than the wrench.

    That's a pretty terrible pedal wrench.

    I find the nuclear option is to tie the opposite crank to the chainstay -
    use plenty of string - get the wrench horizontal, and stand on it.
    --
    David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field!
    Today is Gaiman, July - a public holiday.

  19. it was better than the wrench i had..

    the real key was being able to pull up on the crank.

    this way, i was able to put more than my own weight into solving the
    problem..

    wle.

  20. it was better than the wrench i had..

    the real key was being able to pull up on the crank.

    this way, i was able to put more than my own weight into solving the
    problem..

    wle.

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