Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

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JDPower
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Joined: 27 Sep 2018, 2:18am

Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by JDPower »

How do you adjust DMR V8 v2 pedals???

I've stripped, cleaned and greased them, but putting them back together is more of a ball-ache than seems normal.

I'm used to pedals having a tabbed washer between the bearing side nut and the lock nut to reduce the bearing side tightening, but they don't have one. I tried bodging it by loosening and tightening repeatedly till the lock nut tightened at the same point the bearing side was right, but just a couple of miles riding today and one side came loose, so obviously NOT tight enough :roll:

There's no room to fit a screwdriver (or anything) down the side of the socket to hold the bearing side nut still while tightening.

So how the hell do you adjust the sodding things?
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Paulatic
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by Paulatic »

I don’t know I just keep pumping grease in them, but this might help https://steveukmtb.wordpress.com/dmr-v8 ... -and-cone/
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Eyebrox
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by Eyebrox »

I use a mini socket piece on the axle nut with an Allen key inserted at the crank end. Both together allow access and enough purchase to tighten up the mechanism. Be careful about overtightening though.
Brucey
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by Brucey »

all the V8 pedals I have looked inside had a tabbed washer. Are the very latest ones different then?

Any details/photos?

BTW to adjust pedals without a tab washer the usual arrangement is to have a thin-walled socket tool to hold the cone, and another to hold the locknut.

cheers
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alexnharvey
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by alexnharvey »

I've used an old butter knife to jam the cone on one side, then an open ended spanner on the locknut.
JDPower
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by JDPower »

Paulatic wrote:I don’t know I just keep pumping grease in them, but this might help https://steveukmtb.wordpress.com/dmr-v8 ... -and-cone/

That's for the original V8s, the newer versions are bushings instead of bearings and (as I've sadly discovered) no tabbed washer

Brucey wrote:all the V8 pedals I have looked inside had a tabbed washer. Are the very latest ones different then?

Any details/photos?

BTW to adjust pedals without a tab washer the usual arrangement is to have a thin-walled socket tool to hold the cone, and another to hold the locknut.

cheers

Nope, the V2 versions don't have a washer (and the thread doesn't have an indent for one either, as I did wonder whether they were just missing).

There is a thin walled DMR tool like you describe for exactly the job (https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/Peda ... ic-V8-Tool), but they list it as being for the original V8s, and rather annoyingly don't state what size cone nut it fits (and states the outer nut as 12mm, when the V2 versions are 11mm, so potentially the cone side is smaller than original V8s too). And it may be my rubbish googling or tool knowledge, but can't find an alternative (ie thin walled, straight through, with a nut style outer to hold it in place).
Brucey
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by Brucey »

I'm slightly baffled as to what pedals you have; just today I went into an LBS near me and looked inside a brand new set of DMR V8 pedals, and what greeted me was exactly the setup I am familiar with, ie. a locknut, a tabbed washer (well actually one with two flats that match flats on the pedal spindle) and a cone beneath that. They had seen all the other DMR pedal variants that I am familiar with but they hadn't seen anything that is a V8 pedal that is as you describe.

A suggestion; if the thread is still M8 on the spindle, just grind a couple of flats on the spindle and fit a couple of washers out of an old set of pedals; M8 and two flats is still the most common arrangement on cheap pedals, so any old set of pedals will likely have the correct washers in them.

cheers
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JDPower
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by JDPower »

Brucey wrote:I'm slightly baffled as to what pedals you have; just today I went into an LBS near me and looked inside a brand new set of DMR V8 pedals, and what greeted me was exactly the setup I am familiar with, ie. a locknut, a tabbed washer (well actually one with two flats that match flats on the pedal spindle) and a cone beneath that. They had seen all the other DMR pedal variants that I am familiar with but they hadn't seen anything that is a V8 pedal that is as you describe.

They obviously hadn't seen "all the other DMR pedal variants" :wink:

There are two different V8s - The original V8s with traditional ball bearings(and seemingly WITH a washer according to google, and yourself). And the newer (2017) V8 V2 with bushes instead of ball bearings (and no washer). Both are still sold, hence the confusion with two different V8 pedals on sale:

https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/Peda ... V8-Classic

https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/Pedals/V8-2/NEW-V8
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Paulatic
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by Paulatic »

That seems confusing when they still sell the originals. I’d never heard of them until this post. You’d wonder why they didn’t give these v2 a different model number. A rrp of £10 more for an less servicble pedal does make you wonder why.
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Brucey
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by Brucey »

I see.... well I think they have done a disservice to original V8s by calling these new pedals V8s; they are more like V6s with a metal body.

The rebuild kit here

https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/Pedals/Pins-Bearings-Axles-and-Tools/V8-New-Rebuild-Kit

list only locknuts not 'cones' (how could they be cones; there are no ball bearings....?).

There is also a v2.1 rebuild kit that does not contain any locknuts or other parts that screw onto the end of the spindle. Maybe you are meant to reuse the old ones.

If you can post photos of your parts this would help make things clearer; in the absence of any other information I'd assume that the locknut just screwed up until it hit the shoulder on the axle and that the axial clearance is set by the lengths of the parts (most of the force and wear ought to radial not axial). But from what you say this isn't the case? Maybe it is meant to be shim-adjustable or something.

FWIW bushings in pedals is how the Victorians did it, before ball bearings became commonly available. Cycling stimulated the ball bearing industry; everyone wanted ball bearings because they ran so much easier than bushings. Yet here we are, 150 years later, and pedal manufacturers keep trying to palm this rubbish off as 'good'.

cheers
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JDPower
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by JDPower »

Paulatic wrote:That seems confusing when they still sell the originals. I’d never heard of them until this post. You’d wonder why they didn’t give these v2 a different model number. A rrp of £10 more for an less servicble pedal does make you wonder why.

To be honest, if I'd known about the adjustment PITA I'd have bought the originals. It's also ironic they sold a tool specifically to help with adjustment of the originals, but not for the far harder to adjust new ones :roll: (the tool may well fit the new ones too, I have emailed them to ask, and also to ask how the hell THEY expect people to adjust the new ones :mrgreen: )

I have had the suggestion to slightly overtighten them, then loosen the 'cone' nut back into the lock nut to tighten the two together. Which I think will be my next attempt. Possibly with a blob of threadlock to save going through the hassle again
JDPower
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by JDPower »

Brucey wrote:I see.... well I think they have done a disservice to original V8s by calling these new pedals V8s; they are more like V6s with a metal body.

The rebuild kit here

https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/Pedals/Pins-Bearings-Axles-and-Tools/V8-New-Rebuild-Kit

list only locknuts not 'cones' (how could they be cones; there are no ball bearings....?).

There is also a v2.1 rebuild kit that does not contain any locknuts or other parts that screw onto the end of the spindle. Maybe you are meant to reuse the old ones.

If you can post photos of your parts this would help make things clearer; in the absence of any other information I'd assume that the locknut just screwed up until it hit the shoulder on the axle and that the axial clearance is set by the lengths of the parts (most of the force and wear ought to radial not axial). But from what you say this isn't the case? Maybe it is meant to be shim-adjustable or something.

They are like the V6s in that respect, but also have aspects of the V12 (bigger, flatter, all replaceable pins).

That is the wrong rebuild kit for mine - just to add to the confusion, there appears to be a V2.1 also (which I seemingly have). This is the rebuild kit for mine: https://www.dmrbikes.com/Catalogue/Peda ... ld-Kit-V21
And it doesn't include the nuts.

Pic of the nuts, and the end of the pedal (the cone looking nut is the larger one that goes on first, with the flat side to the inside/bushing side, then the lock nut, with a plastic end cap just pushing onto the end of the pedal to cover it)
Attachments
Pedal 1.jpg
Pedal 2.jpg
Brucey
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by Brucey »

ah, I see. That looks like a bit of a lash-up tbh. The cheapest and worst pedals I have ever seen have had plastic bodies with what looks like a cone and locknut (with a tabbed washer) to adjust the axial float in the bearing, only the plastic body ran directly on the spindle and there were no ball bearings. Total rubbish. These DMR pedal bearings are only a small step above those, and don't even have a tabbed washer to facilitate axial adjustment.

I can think of several alternative solutions

1) measure the parts and get some thin-walled sockets to do the job
2) grind flats on the spindle and fit a suitable tabbed washer
3) cut a short length of tube to act as a spacer between the cone and the spindle shoulder, so that you can fully tighten the locknut/cone with its load being reacted against the shoulder on the spindle
4) trim the bushings to length so that the 'cone' bears against the shoulder on the spindle
5) clean the threads very carefully and use high strength threadlock to secure the cone/locknut

The threadlock solution is very easy and will probably work well enough; by the time the axial float needs adjusting, the bushings will have radial slack in them anyway, I would imagine. If you drill the pedals for a lube port, and use it to inject clean grease, you can delay the onset of the next rebuild as long as possible.

IMHO the 'old' V8 is a much better pedal.

According to the manufacturer's own data, DU bushings have between x10 and x100 more friction than a good ball bearing. There are no pedals that include DU bushings which I would recommend that you buy.

cheers
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alexnharvey
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by alexnharvey »

Might as well recycle them and buy some proper v8 or wellgo lu987u pedals which have ball bearings.

I wish someone could explain this resurgence of bushings in pedals. Cost I suppose? Caveat emptor. I've been stung myself with a pair of single sided spd clones.
JDPower
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Re: Adjusting DMR V8 pedals

Post by JDPower »

Just a final update, for anyone that comes across this topic when searching.

After a few back and forth emails with DMR, they basically admitted the 2017 version of the V8 V2 pedals are a PITA:

"I’ve spoken with the workshop and they have confirmed it isn’t the easiest to set the tolerance on the nut. We are In the process of looking into a tool to make adjustment more straight forward but this isn’t an immediate solution."

They also very kindly offered to adjust them for me, or swap them for the earlier version of the V8 V2 for me (which is a lot more sensible to adjust if/when the time comes). I shall be taking them up on the latter offer, I don't wanna ever see the inside of the current version pedals ever again! :lol:
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