Rebuilding pedals

[The Rookie]

Have a pair of reasonable diamondback pedals in a 'box'o'bits I picked up, anyone know how they come apart so I can regrease and adjust the bearings, only way I can see of twisting the retainer is via the flats on the 'outside' - anyone any ideas?

Simon

 

[Mr Pig]

I depends, there are lots of different kinds of pedals.

Most do come apart though, it's usually quite simple. One thing to watch for is that on one pedal the bolt holding it together may be a reverse thread!

 

[The Rookie]

Thanks, my LBS who are a DB dealer suggest that they aren't good enough to warrant trying to rebuild, the cost would probably be more than a new pair!

Simon

 

[tyred]

If you do the work yourself, it should only cost peanuts to buy a handful of lose ball bearings in the right size and some grease.

On any pedal I've ever worked on, there should be a plastic cap which pops out with a small screwdriver or similar lo reveal a cone and locknut. Remove the locknut and any washers and uncrew the cone and the pedal body should slide off the pedal spindle. Do it over an old biscuit tin or something if you want to collect the balls from it. Clean the cups and cones, pack with grease, add bearings and put it all back together, adjust the cone, tighten the locknut and job's done. As only one cone moves, you use it to adjust both bearings at the same time, just like the front hub of an old Raleigh three speed.

 

[mickle]

Don't bother taking them apart, without slimline sockets they can be impossible to adjust back up. Drill a teeny hole in the body and pump grease through until it comes clean.

 

[The Rookie]

Plastic cap removed, nut undone and washer removed, can't find anyway to undo either cone though.....both spin cleanly, but one has about 1mm of lateral play which I'd like to sort, but without finding a way to undo (do up!) a cone I'm stuck, there is nothing visible at the crank end, the other end is buried into the body of the pedal making viewing it hard!

Simon

 

[mickle]

Don't bother taking them apart, without slimline sockets they can be impossible to adjust back up. Drill a teeny hole in the body and pump grease through until it comes clean.

 

[The Rookie]

So good he said it twice - not sure it will help the lateral play though!

Simon

 

[swee'pea99]

adjust the cone, tighten the locknut and job's done.

Now this is where it always goes tits-up for me. Because you can't actually hold the cone while you tighten the lock nut, when you try to tighten the lock-nut, it tightens the cone, and the whole thing binds up. So I end up loosening the lock nut and cone, and then the whole thing's too loose. Is there a solution to this?

 

[fossyant]

Bin 'em get SPD's............

 

[fossyant]

Buy the good stuff, you don't need to touch it................

Nuf said...........................

 

[The Rookie]

[quote name='swee'pea99']Now this is where it always goes tits-up for me. Because you can't actually hold the cone while you tighten the lock nut, when you try to tighten the lock-nut, it tightens the cone, and the whole thing binds up. So I end up loosening the lock nut and cone, and then the whole thing's too loose. Is there a solution to this?[/quote]

I had exactly that problem, ended up doing it lots of times by trial and error and it finally worked, they will do for now until I can justify buying some new ones!

Simon

 

[tyred]

I had exactly that problem, ended up doing it lots of times by trial and error and it finally worked, they will do for now until I can justify buying some new ones!

Simon

[quote name='swee'pea99']Now this is where it always goes tits-up for me. Because you can't actually hold the cone while you tighten the lock nut, when you try to tighten the lock-nut, it tightens the cone, and the whole thing binds up. So I end up loosening the lock nut and cone, and then the whole thing's too loose. Is there a solution to this?[/quote]

On mine it's just about possible to hold the cone with a pair of narrow nosed pliers.

 

[The Rookie]

OK, not a hope, but I could wedge a screwdriver in there that almost stopped it turning, OK it took several goes, but its now nice and tight laterally and spins freely, so happy enough!

Simon