Getting the pedals off

[Garry Booth]

Schoolboy stuff I know - but does anyone have any tips on how to get the pedals off when they are on real tight? I have the proper spanner for the job. I know it is anti-clockwise on the right and reverse on the left. But I can't seem to get enough wellie on to budge them on either side.
Should I tap the spanner with a mallet or will that bugger up the bottom bracket? Should I give in and take it red faced to my LBS? I feel a right idiot. Help.

[Brucey]

if you set the right crank at 3 o'clock and lean over the bike to have one hand on the pedal and the other on the spanner, you will be able to bear down on it with some force. Just be careful not to gouge yourself with the chainring teeth.

A little heat will help too. Tipping a kettle full of boiling water over the end of the crank falls into the 'won't do any harm, might do some good' category. Just be careful you don't distort any plastic parts.

Hitting the spanner might be OK if you don't overdo it, but usually the spanner will fail if you hit it very hard, so be careful if you start down this road.

If the pedal is really stuck, dismantling the pedal, then grinding two flats on the axle so that you can hold it in a vice will provide maximum purchase.

cheers

[Vorpal]

You could also try some penetrant like 3-in-1 on them.

When I need more force, I usually use a cheater bar, rather than a hammer; that's a length of pipe that fits over the spanner to extend the lever arm.

Can you remove the cranks? If the above fail, you can take the cranks out, and put them in a vice or try more heat (likely to be effective if they are aluminium).

p.s. when you reassemble them, it may be worth putting a little grease on the threads

[LollyKat]

if you set the right crank at 3 o'clock and lean over the bike to have one hand on the pedal and the other on the spanner, you will be able to bear down on it with some force. Just be careful not to gouge yourself with the chainring teeth.

Or get a friend to help - get him/her to straddle the bike and stand on the pedals (i.e. both) while leaning against a wall. Put the spanner in place, then put your own foot on the end and apply some body weight.

My husband and I got a stubborn pedal off like this recently. He assured me I wouldn't go flying out of the shed and I didn't - but put the front brake on just in case . Of course you may damage the spanner jaws but our one survived fine.

[meic]

In addition to what they say, I stick a large wooden block under the end of the crank so that it doesnt move or flex itself and the frame when applying the force

[Redvee]

I've got a 13" pedal wrench and as I haven't got anybody to assist me for stubborn pedals I use toe straps on the chainstays.

[Valbrona]

I have the proper spanner for the job.

Like one of these: http://pedros.com/products/tools/pedal- ... al-wrench/

[531colin]

I've got a 13" pedal wrench and as I haven't got anybody to assist me for stubborn pedals I use toe straps on the chainstays.

Yes, this is what I do.
Tie the opposite pedal to the chainstay using a toestrap. ziptie, rope, etc........then the cranks stay put and you can undo the pedal by pushing the spanner down with your foot....no skinned knuckles here!

[Garry Booth]

Brilliant advice everyone. I will let you know how I get on when the bandages come off Thanks a lot. Garry

[Mick F]

What I've done, is to take off the cranks and put them on a workbench, or fit the spanner tightly in a vice.
At least that way you have the ability to get at the problem in an easy situation with a solid base to work from.

I took the rings off as a precaution too.

[Neilo]

Try tightening it a little first, then try and uno it. (Old mechanics trick for stubbon nuts and bolts)

[mig]

and grease the beggars when they go back on.....!!

[Brucey]

Try tightening it a little first, then try and undo it. (Old mechanics trick for stubbon nuts and bolts)

I've done this.......by accident....

cheers

[CJ]

and grease the beggars when they go back on.....!!

NOT with grease though. Use anti-seize compound such as 'Copaslip' or even more preferably 'Alumslip'.

Once the oil has been squeezed and/or evaporated out of grease, the soap that remains, plus water and salt, forms a kind of cement between aluminium and steel. It's the same process that cements alloy seatposts into steel frames and alloy quil stems into steel fork steerers. Everyone says don't forget to grease them, which is fine for those who take their bikes completely apart every year and re-grease them again for fun. But nobody does that with a car and most people don't with bikes either. So the grease dries out and then they're in trouble.

If you want a fit and forget kind of bike, it's important to use the most appropriate kind of lubricant in each part of it.

[Vorpal]

NOT with grease though. Use anti-seize compound such as 'Copaslip' or even more preferably 'Alumslip'.

That's a good point, and one I probably should have mentioned with my suggestion to grease the threads when reassembling.