Pedal stuck to arm

[livpoksoc]

Not a comical ailment, I lent my roady to a friend to complete a sportive that I was running. He was using SPD, whereas I use SPD-SL so he asked Decathlon to fit new SPD pedals to the bike for the sportive. Now we can't get the pedal off from the ring side (right). The non ring side (left) came off fine, but I can't get the other to budge no matter how hard I push on the alan key (short of wanting to slice my hand off on the big ring if it slipped). I also tried using a spanner to hold the pedal whilst trying to turn the alan key.

Has anyone ever had this issue before & got any remedies, or should i take it to my lbs?

 

[jack smith]

Soak it in penetrating oil such as gt85 or the likes overnight just spray it on plentiful and let it soak in and try again in the morning, it will work it's way into the threads if you lie the bike on it's side and spray from the top

 

[ColinJ]

You do know that the pedals have opposite threads, don't you?

I've had problems with getting pedals off so I bought a proper pedal spanner and use that instead of an Allen key. It's much easier.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Has anyone ever had this issue before & got any remedies, or should i take it to my lbs?

Forget the allen key. Position crank arm facing forward with the aim of having the pedal spanner as close to 10 o'clock as possible. Put weight on the saddle with your left hand while using your right hand to pull on the front brake lever to stop the bike moving forward, then you step on the pedal spanner with your right foot.

By putting weight with your left hand on the saddle, it stops the rear wheel (and therefore the crank arm) spinning, your right foot is essentially applying much of your body weight to unscrew the pedal from the crank arm counter-clockwise.

 

[livpoksoc]

Ok thanks, I'll try soaking some GT85 into it & try again tomorrow with above methods.

I was aware the turn opposite ways, but just to check my sanity, did try both ways.

 

[MartinQ]

Remember to stick a bit of grease on the threads when you replace the pedals. Won't help this time ... but should help next.

 

[livpoksoc]

Remember to stick a bit of grease on the threads when you replace the pedals. Won't help this time ... but should help next.

What kind of grease? Is petroleum sufficient?

 

[MartinQ]

Just about any sort of grease (but not GT85, oil, petroleum ... ), something like
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/weldtite/cycle-grease-with-teflon-150ml-tube-ec038132
but any normal grease would do.

 

[Pale Rider]

Ok thanks, I'll try soaking some GT85 into it & try again tomorrow with above methods.

I was aware the turn opposite ways, but just to check my sanity, did try both ways.

As posted in another thread, GT85 is not much use, you need a dedicated penetrating oil, sometimes called penetrating fluid.

This one is made by WD40, note it is not standard WD40.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/wd-40-specialist-penetrant-400ml/86063

As regards reassembly, any grease will do, but a copper-based grease is the 'correct' stuff.

 

[raleighnut]

^ +1 from me but Vaseline will do at a pinch, not grease though as the soap used in its manufacture promotes corrosion.

 

[Pale Rider]

not grease though as the soap used in its manufacture promotes corrosion.

Ah, I wondered why copper grease is specified for the job.

 

[biggs682]

had the same prob on a n other members bike a few weeks ago , we got it out by putting a set of steel flat bars over the end of a 3/8" drive break bar and heaving , threads were bone dry

 

[nxn2020]

I've been engineering for over 25 years and can say from experience penetrating oil does not work unless you've already get the thing moving. Put the Allen key in and shock it round with a hammer. Couple of good smacks and it should go, could try getting someone pushing on a spanner at the same time. If in doubt. ....... Give it a clout!

 

[raleighnut]

If its silver i.e. not painted black a bit of heat might help on the aluminium arm, do not use heat if its a carbon fibre crank

 

[eck]

IME, you can get much better leverage on the pedal if you can take the crank ("arm) off and clamp it in a vice (if you have access to a vice).
Plus, as someone else said, use a pedal spanner if your pedal has flats to take one rather than an allen key
And, as nxn2020 said, once everything is held tight, a clout wiff an ammer can work.