Removing stuck pedals

[andharwheel]

Hi guys,
Trying remove an old pair of SPD's from my commuting bike. Completly stuck in my XT cranks. I have tried good proper tools, penetrating oil and lots of force. Just cant seem to get the trheads moving. Any suggestions? And yes I did fit them with copperslip on the threads. The pedals need to come off as they are well worn.
regards

 

[Tim Bennet.]

Have you tried some of these that might help:

1. Use a real penetrating fluid like PlusGas, rather than a water repellent (WD40).

2. Warming the aluminium crank should get it to expand away from the steel peddle axle. Start with boiling water, then a hair dryer and only move on to oxyacetylene with caution!)

3. A really long peddle spanner (extended to 3ft) with it positioned to lay back along the line of the crank arm. This makes it easier to resist the turning reaction on the chainset as a whole.

4. Double, double check you are turning them the right way. The spanner sticking up on the axle will move to the back of the bike on each side as they are handed.

 

[Chris James]

Have you tried hitting the pedal spanner with a hammer? A sharp tap sometimes loosens things a bit to allow them to be backed off properly.

(I realise this was probably the first thing you tried!)

 

[HLaB]

Once I tried WD40 and left it to penetrate came back later, it seemed to work. On my 1st bike I took it to a lbs and with a longer wrench they manage no problem. But as Tim says double check you turning them the right way, the way I remember is "into the frame to loossen", I think somebody on C+ said this and it has seemed to stick.

 

[NickM]

Leverage is your friend! I keep an old straight bar to fit over the end of an Allen key - it shifts difficult pedals without drama.

 

[Pete]

Last-ditch stuff. By 'old SPDs' do you mean old to scrap? If so, disassemble pedal right down to bare spindle. Remove crank from B/B. Clamp spindle in vice, making sure jaws clamp on flats. Give the crank all the wellie you can muster. Remember which way to turn! (left hand thread for the left pedal so turn clockwise, right hand thread for the right pedal so turn anticlockwise).

That's usually done it for me. I suppose, for the left crank only, you could find a bit of pipe that goes over crank, as an extension, but I've never needed to go that far.

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Another trick to do is to try to tighten them slightly, this can often 'crack' the bond that is locking them together, steel on alloy is a notoriously grippy situation. Theory being that the threads will slightly make their own 'route' in, so to loosen them you need to move them in the direction they have cut their 'land'.

 

[redcogs]

Once you achieved your task remember to use some copperslip on reassembly. Its worked for me. :-)

 

[Pete]

Once you achieved your task remember to use some copperslip on reassembly. Its worked for me. :-)

In the OP he says he already did that. Just shows: nothing is foolproof.

I use ordinary grease (N.B. not lithium grease) - it helps somewhat but I still get problems if the pedals have been in situ too long. Best, probably, is to unship your pedals at least once a year, even if you have no reason to... Same probably goes for seat post, etc.

 

[Elmer Fudd]

In the OP he says he already did that. Just shows: nothing is foolproof.

I use ordinary grease (N.B. not lithium grease) - it helps somewhat but I still get problems if the pedals have been in situ too long. Best, probably, is to unship your pedals at least once a year, even if you have no reason to... Same probably goes for seat post, etc.

Agree with that Pete

 

[andharwheel]

Thanks for your help guys. Gave in and got the LBS mechanic to remove them with his Park workshop tool. A lot longer and tougher than the one I was using. they were tight though.
cheers