Shimano SPD Pedal Adjustment

[MarkInNC]

My left pedal is not holding my shoe tight enough and I went to adjust it today. It was not obvious just how to do this. I tried adj. the allen but that did not seem to do anything. I read the information on the Shimano web site. The information was not very clear. It said the adjuster was under the clip. I was to adj both side the same by looking at the red indicator. I looked at the pedal and guess they want me to remove the clip that fits around the clip on the shoe. I tried to remove these but two screws on each clip were so tight that I could not get them loose. I will get a new bit for my impact driver and try that.

Unless I am doing something way wrong it seems I am going to a whole lot of trouble for a common minor adjustment.

Mark

 

[HowardSteele]

Unless I am doing something way wrong it seems I am going to a whole lot of trouble for a common minor adjustment.

Mark

Which model spd is it?

 

[artemidorus]

No SPD pedal that I have ever seen requires anything to be removed to allow adjustment of the pedal spring loading. There should be two allen bolts, one for each side and at opposite ends of the pedal.

 

[MarkInNC]

The pedals are PD M424 pedals. I have just read the adjustment instructions again. It says the spring tension may be adj by adjusting two bolts. It says that the adjusting bolts are behind the bindings. The instructions talk about a red indicator getting larger and smaller as the bolt is adjusted. Looking closly I see a flash of red under the clip held on with the two phillips head screws which I can not break loose. Looking at the pedal the obvious is an allen bolt which is in the end of the pedal. I have turned this allen both ways and it does not appear to do anything. I cant get a good enough view of the red indicator to see if it moves at all as a result of turning the allen head bolt.

I did attempt to break the four phillips head screws loose using an impact driver after going to the store an purchasing a new bit which fits that pedal. I was able to break one screw out of four loose.

These pedals are only about a month and a half old. If they are going to be this difficult to work with I am begining to think I need to get something else.

Mark

My left pedal is not holding my shoe tight enough and I went to adjust it today. It was not obvious just how to do this. I tried adj. the allen but that did not seem to do anything. I read the information on the Shimano web site. The information was not very clear. It said the adjuster was under the clip. I was to adj both side the same by looking at the red indicator. I looked at the pedal and guess they want me to remove the clip that fits around the clip on the shoe. I tried to remove these but two screws on each clip were so tight that I could not get them loose. I will get a new bit for my impact driver and try that.

Unless I am doing something way wrong it seems I am going to a whole lot of trouble for a common minor adjustment.

Mark

 

[HowardSteele]

The pedals are PD M424 pedals.

Mark

Sorry Mate,
i've never owned a set of pd's yet,
the Spd series are very simple to adjust,I looked at the pictures on the web but couldnt locate the adjusters,the pics just arn't detailed enough,however.
Seems someone else on this forem had the same problems checkout ,
just contact him and he should be full off advise.
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t23862.html

 

[John M]

If you do switch, consider crank brothers. Nothing to adjust on the pedals. Just put the cleats on the shoes and go.

I have used many SPD and SPD clones, and the crank bros are the best by far that I have used (although I have not personally used Time ATAC or Speedplay Frogs).

 

[Camilo]

My left pedal is not holding my shoe tight enough and I went to adjust it today. It was not obvious just how to do this. I tried adj. the allen but that did not seem to do anything. I read the information on the Shimano web site. The information was not very clear. It said the adjuster was under the clip. I was to adj both side the same by looking at the red indicator. I looked at the pedal and guess they want me to remove the clip that fits around the clip on the shoe. I tried to remove these but two screws on each clip were so tight that I could not get them loose. I will get a new bit for my impact driver and try that.

Unless I am doing something way wrong it seems I am going to a whole lot of trouble for a common minor adjustment.

Mark

Hey Mark - The first hint is that if you have to use an impact wrench, you're working on the WRONG screws. Stop working on those screws, in my opinion you're dismantling the pedals with those screws.

I own two SPD pedals, a road pedal and a double sided MTB pedal. Neither are the model you're referring to, so I can't give you specific help. However, both sets of my pedals are dead simple to adjust and it's obvious how to adjust them - so I'm really thinking you're working on the wrong screws.

Look at the exploded view http://media/techdocs/content/cycle/EV/actionsports/PD/EV-PD-M424-1953A_v1_m56577569830608610.pdfEV-PD-M424-1953A (NOT the adjustment instructions document) of your pedal on the Shimano website. i really think those four allen screws (two on each side) you're using the impact wrench on are not adjustment screws, but are the "body plate fixing screws".

My adjustment screws are on the ends of the pedals like the other allen head screws you're describing. Don't pay any attention to the indicator - it may or may not be accurate, but who cares? There's a better way to adjust and test adjustment:

Screw those adjustment screws all the way out, don't "caveman" them like you're doing on the other screws, just gently screw out to the limit. This is the "full loose" position. (I suspect they are close to full loose now - based on standard shipping adjusment and based on your release problem). Do this to all four of them (one on each end of each pedal, right?).

Then screw them all the way in, COUNTING THE NUMBER OF TURNS, again, no need to force anything. This will be the "full tight" position.

Now, screw all four back out an equal amount - say about 1/2 way, counting the turns since you know how many turns it took from "full loose" to "full tight". Ride the bike and clip in and out a couple of times and decide if you want them tighter or looser. BE A LITTLE CAREFUL BECAUSE YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TIGHT THEY ARE AT THIS POINT, THEY COULD BE TOO TIGHT (I doubt it though).

Then tighten all four adjustment screws in whichever way you need- clockwise to tighten, counter clockwise to loosen. Again, I always just count the rotations on the allen wrench rather than looking at the indicator. In fact, one of my pedal sets doesn't have any indicators.

As a future hint, if you study an SPD pedal, you can figure out which part needs to move when the cleat clips in or releases out. It will be obviously hinged or have a spring, or both. Your adjustment screw will be in close proximity to that part.

I'd be interested in knowing if that works.

Good luck.

 

[artemidorus]

I've just had a look at the exploded diagram for the 424 - there is ONE adjustment screw at each end. You increase the spring loading by turning it clockwise. You need the same number of turns at each end, probably. Don't worry about the indicator - turn the screw until the resistance to clipping out is where you want it.

 

[MarkInNC]

First of all I want to thank everyone for their replys. I was fortunate in that I had not touched my right pedal and was able to inspect it and determine the approx distance that the adj screw pushed the red indicator. The left pedal at this point was very much differant. I then adj the left to more or less equal the right. Then started putting my left shoe on my foot and locking it in and then removing my foot and looking at the cleat. Turns out my ignorance caused all of my issues. I had the left way way too tight and the rear part of the shoe cleat was not snapping into place.


I then followed the posted procedure of counting the wrench turns from all loose to all full and begining at the half way point. This procedure works fine. Apparently you do have to remove the top clip on the pedal to see the indicator and I was not able to do that but it does not matter. Both pedals are now adjusted and working as I want.

thanks again,

Mark