Seized pedals help?!
- Thread starter MrFixed
- Start date
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Globalti
Legendary Member
Stop wasting time with WD40 and Plus-Gas, these will not penetrate a tight thread. It always cracks me up when I see this nonsense trotted out.
Buy a quaity pedal spanner like this: http://www.dalescycles.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/park_pw5_tool.jpg notice the strength of the area around the flats, designed to prevent the "jaws" from opening under leverage.
Work out which way to turn to unscrew. From beside the bike, you unscrew towards the back of the bike, i.e. clockwise on the left and anticlockwise on the right.
Stand the bike upright and set the spanner on the crank so that it is as near as possible parallel to the crank, with its head as close as possible to the centre of the BB. On the left side, this means the crank will be facing forwards horizontally with the pedal engaged with the flats on the pedal spindle and facing backwards close to horizontal.
Put your foot on the end of the spanner and apply pressure.
Marvel at how the right technique makes even difficult tasks easy and go and pour yourself a beer.
Buy a quaity pedal spanner like this: http://www.dalescycles.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/park_pw5_tool.jpg notice the strength of the area around the flats, designed to prevent the "jaws" from opening under leverage.
Work out which way to turn to unscrew. From beside the bike, you unscrew towards the back of the bike, i.e. clockwise on the left and anticlockwise on the right.
Stand the bike upright and set the spanner on the crank so that it is as near as possible parallel to the crank, with its head as close as possible to the centre of the BB. On the left side, this means the crank will be facing forwards horizontally with the pedal engaged with the flats on the pedal spindle and facing backwards close to horizontal.
Put your foot on the end of the spanner and apply pressure.
Marvel at how the right technique makes even difficult tasks easy and go and pour yourself a beer.
OP
OP
MrFixed
Active Member
- Location
- Greater Manchester
I've just bought myself a Park Tools PW-4 as I had some left over cash in my PayPal, the new pedals haven't arrived yet anyway, so I'll try that when the new tool comes and then I throw my shoddy equipment away.
jonny jeez
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chislehurst, Kent, UK
From the bottom or the top?
Tom B
Guru
- Location
- Lancashire
If your still struggling when your tool arrives give me a pm...
All failing... I know a man!
All failing... I know a man!
Globalti
Legendary Member
The spanner must turn towards the back wheel at the top.
OP
OP
MrFixed
Active Member
- Location
- Greater Manchester
Cheers mate. I'll PM you if it's still stuck. I'm hoping this Park Tools Wrench will do it at the price I paid for it!
And I can't afford to replace the crank arms because that'd be a last resort if everything fails.steve50
Disenchanted Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
I would try one of these, self adjusting pipe wrench, will grip even slippy surfaces and not too costly. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-PC-SELF...831?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4adc76df47
OP
OP
MrFixed
Active Member
- Location
- Greater Manchester
I've bought myself a Park Tools PW-4. Paid £30, so it better work. From the reviews I've read, nothing seems to comes close to it. Let's hope that's true before I end up pulling all my hair out.
Globalti
Legendary Member
Bad advice. That tool won't fit the narrow flats on the pedal spindle and it will chew up the finish on the surface. The pedal spanner is thin but strong for a reason. Spend the money and get a tool you'll be able to use for life.
steve50
Disenchanted Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Not "bad advice" just a suggestion, I have a pair of those wrenches and have used them on a few occasions when a nut has been rounded off, they work as a last resort much the same as vice grips with the exception the wrenches grip tighter as you turn them.
Globalti
Legendary Member
Here; I went and took a couple of pics of how to do it. Firstly with a hex key in the end of the pedal spindle - hand flat on the tool pushing down but well clear of the chainring:
NB: this is tightening as I'm turning towards the front of the bike!
The point of pressure is almost adjacent to the BB centre so the effort becomes "out and back" leverage and is self-cancelling. If hand pressure isn't enough a smart tap with a mallet will shock it free.
Then with a traditional pedal spanner, again the "out and back" lever arrangement:
Again, you can put considerable pressure on this and if hand pressure fails, actually straddle the bike, put a foot on it and bounce. This is loosening as I'm turning towards the back of the bike.
Never fails.
NB: this is tightening as I'm turning towards the front of the bike!
The point of pressure is almost adjacent to the BB centre so the effort becomes "out and back" leverage and is self-cancelling. If hand pressure isn't enough a smart tap with a mallet will shock it free.
Then with a traditional pedal spanner, again the "out and back" lever arrangement:
Again, you can put considerable pressure on this and if hand pressure fails, actually straddle the bike, put a foot on it and bounce. This is loosening as I'm turning towards the back of the bike.
Never fails.
OP
OP
MrFixed
Active Member
- Location
- Greater Manchester
Here; I went and took a couple of pics of how to do it. Firstly with a hex key in the end of the pedal spindle - hand flat on the tool pushing down but well clear of the chainring:
NB: this is tightening as I'm turning towards the front of the bike!
The point of pressure is almost adjacent to the BB centre so the effort becomes "out and back" leverage and is self-cancelling. If hand pressure isn't enough a smart tap with a mallet will shock it free.
Then with a traditional pedal spanner, again the "out and back" lever arrangement:
Again, you can put considerable pressure on this and if hand pressure fails, actually straddle the bike, put a foot on it and bounce. This is loosening as I'm turning towards the back of the bike.
Never fails.
That's brilliant. Thanks mate.
Once I've shifted this shoddy tool I have now I'll give it another go otherwise it's going to have to be a vice job at the LBS.
Fingers crossed it doesn't come to that
OP
OP
MrFixed
Active Member
- Location
- Greater Manchester
From the top.
