Removing pedals from old MTB...

[Mazz]

I had to get the pedals off of a 45 year old Bridgestone last year. No amount of brute force, big ass wrenches or bigger mallets would stir them.

A friend advised me to heat the crank arm around the pedal area with a propane torch and then drop it in a bucket of cold water... three times... the silly thing came apart very easily after that. The shock breaks down the oxidation apparently.

Thing is, in my case, the pedal is attached to the bike. I don't have a bucket big enough 😆. I guess I could pour water over the heated area, if I decide to use this method. This bike's probably about 40 years old.

I'm going to borrow a 15mm spanner and a tube for extra leverage and see how I get on. Thanks all 👍

 

[raleighnut]

Point the crankarm forwards put a spanner on the flats then stand on the spanner..................Pedals have a different thread each side....one left handed the other right but both unscrew towards the back of the bike. All this with 'hitting em with a hammer' is absolute bull and as for using a 'cone spanner' words fail me and as for blocks of wood and 'car jacks' I've never come across such bollocks in my life.
Get a proper pedal spanner (I think they're 15mm)) get the crank in the right position (facing forwards is best ) then simply (standing on the bike) with the spanner facing towards the back wheel stand on the spanner, your body weight will apply more torque than any lever could. Do not hit them with a hammer (you'll only damage the bearings) and never try to remove pedals on a 'workstand) With the bike on the ground just stand on the pedal spanner and it will either come undone or rip the threads out in which case the crank is 'toast'
Just remember that one pedal has a 'right hand' thread and the other has a 'left hand' thread but they both unscrew towards towards the back of the bike

 

[Mazz]

Pedal just crumbled off now I have bare spindle on RHS, tried again and second 15mm spanner snapped now. Would it help if I removed the entire crank arm via this 14mm nut or is that making even more work? What a complete ball ache.

 

[Paulus]

If you take that crank off, you will have to take the Chainrings with you.
Now that the pedal is toast, get some penetrating oil, plus gas or similar and give the threads a soaking for a day or so. In the meantime, get yourself a proper pedal spanner, the larger the better, they are a handy tool to have.
Then using a bit of grunt and with your body weight it should come off.
It does look very corroded.

 

[GuyBoden]

Take the crank off and put the spindle into a vice. Turn the crank the correct direction to remove the pedal spindle.

 

[Mazz]

If you take that crank off, you will have to take the Chainrings with you.

Excuse my ignorance - Why would the chainrings have to come off?

 

[Cycleops]

Excuse my ignorance - Why would the chainrings have to come off?

Meaning the rings are fixed to it so might be harder to deal with rather than attached to the bike.
I second the suggestion to get a dedicated pedal spanner. Mine, a Decathlon one (only available in their fifty quid tool kit, which is well worth buying anyway), is pressed steel so won’t break. FWIW using that and a lump hammer I’ve never had one I couldn’t shift and I’ve had some horrors.

 

[sevenfourate]

Heat will also do wonders to break down the corroded joint.

Even a hot air gun (If you have one) on the Aluminium crank arm would help to expand that faster than the mild steel pedal spindle: breaking down the seal corrosion has caused and opening up a minuscule gap / break…..

 

[richardfm]

You'll need a crank extractor as well as a pedal spanner if you are going to take the crank off

 

[Mazz]

Heat will also do wonders to break down the corroded joint.

Even a hot air gun (If you have one) on the Aluminium crank arm would help to expand that faster than the mild steel pedal spindle: breaking down the seal corrosion has caused and opening up a minuscule gap / break…..

Yes, I've just applied blowtorch to bare spindle side. Then did same for pedalled side and after a while the pedal started melting, caught fire and started dripping on the floor. Good job I did this outside.
Are you meant to allow it to cool down before attempting removal or does that defeat the object?

 

[Mazz]

You'll need a crank extractor as well as a pedal spanner if you are going to take the crank off

Deffo not taking crank off. It'd be an even bigger ball-ache than it already is.

 

[sevenfourate]

Yes, I've just applied blowtorch to bare spindle side. Then did same for pedalled side and after a while the pedal started melting, caught fire and started dripping on the floor. Good job I did this outside.
Are you meant to allow it to cool down before attempting removal or does that defeat the object?

Hold crank arm firm. Hot air gun would be my initial weapon of choice, wet towel over (plastic ?) pedal. And undo while warm. Get the heat into crank arm - not pedal / spindle as much as possible. You want only the crank arm to expand slightly…..

 

[richardfm]

Deffo not taking crank off. It'd be an even bigger ball-ache than it already is.

It might be easier with the crank off, but leaving it on will save buying another tool.
Have you got a pair of Stilsons and someone to help?
If the crank is facing forwards and your helper stands on it you could use the Stilsons on the pedal spindle (after soaking in Plusgas and then heating the crank).

 

[Mazz]

Have you got a pair of Stilsons and someone to help?

Don't have Stilsons.
I'm going to borrow some stronger tools tomorrow & hopefully return them all in one piece.

 

[GuyBoden]

Get a good tool and take that crank off, you'll need to any way in the future for a new BB or re-greasing the old BB at least.