# Tape or Loctite Pedals



## smokinoak (Aug 17, 2010)

when you guys put on new pedals ,do you use any teflon tape or loctite on them, or just metal to metal.Thanks in advance, Oak


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## ATinkerer (Aug 13, 2010)

*Pedal retention*

Since they are threaded to encourage retention. I usually put anti-seize on the threads.

ATinkerer


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## jpick915 (Jan 25, 2006)

I put a little grease on the threads an roll.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

Grease. Anti-seize might actually be more appropriate, but I use grease. I want to be able to get them off later on.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

^^^
Getting the damn things off is the hard part. I use grease, because it's what I have around.


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## fireball_jones (Mar 29, 2009)

Grease. You want the threads protected but not necessarily locked onto the crank as loctite or teflon tape would do.


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## whiskeytangofoxtrot (Jul 19, 2010)

Grease here too. I want to be able to take them off when needed and I have yet to have one come loose on its own...


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## mmik (Oct 17, 2009)

Yea loctite is a bit counter-productive.


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

+1 on grease and hand tightened. Lasting you want is to muscle with the pedal wrench trying to get it off. You should be able to use allen wrench and moderate effort to release the pedal. 

Don't worry it would never come off, I've tried. To prove a point to my friend I barely screw the pedal in not even all the way snug and went for a 9mile ride the pedal just self tightened by the time we got back to the car. It's not recommend for every because dirt can find the way into the threads.


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## pfox90 (Aug 8, 2010)

Grease and hand tighten and maybe just a snug with the pedal wrench like once. I can understand why bike shops tighten them though, liability and they want to charge you to come back to get it off lol.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Grease and hand tightened. Pretty gently actually: it will not become loose unless there's something seriously wrong with the pedal.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Because the pedals are both threaded to screw forward, in the same direction as pedaling, the likelihood of them coming off is remote. Getting them off can be troublesome if the threads have corroded or seized, so apply a bit of waterproof grease, and do not over tighten.


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

Ideally you use anti-seize, though grease works fine.


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## eluv (Apr 22, 2005)

pfox90 said:


> Grease and hand tighten and maybe just a snug with the pedal wrench like once. I can understand why bike shops tighten them though, liability and they want to charge you to come back to get it off lol.


+1 you may need to take it off


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## manual63 (Nov 5, 2006)

Only grease. Don't use loctite at all!

Pedals are designed so they are always rotating in the direction to tighten them, which is why one side is reverse threaded....

So put a little grease on the threads and thread them on. I would tighten them with a pedal wrench fairly snug, not super tight. Not sure why people are suggesting just hand tightening them......if you do that they won't be snug in the threads and may strip out, because of a little play, when being used hard like what you would expect mountain biking. Snug em down with a wrench and the grease will make them easy to take off with the wrench later.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

I know pedals are hard to get off but you have to use a wrench to tighten them. If you don't, just like Manual said above, you could strip the threads of the cranks and those things are expensive to replace. Go ask any shop mechanic. It's just one of those unavoidable things about working on bikes, put the chain on the big ring and grin and bear it and grunt through the pain! 

And yes, only grease.


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## aerius (Nov 20, 2010)

For pedals with steel axles I just grease them and tighten them down snugly with a pedal wrench. With titanium pedals, grease the threads in the crank then wrap a few layers of teflon tape around the pedal threads, I find this helps to prevent weird noises or having the pedal seize to the crank. 

It's important to snug the pedals down since if you don't you'll end up with a nice case of fretting and fretting fatigue. The pedaling motion won't tighten down a pedal enough to prevent the threads from moving against each other, over time this will gradually wear away the threads and damage the cranks. You gotta tighten it down good so the threads can't move.


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## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

manual63 said:


> So put a little grease on the threads and thread them on. I would tighten them with a pedal wrench fairly snug, not super tight.


+1. I agree. The operative word is "snug". No need to ream on the wrench with all your might and main, but do tighten them with more than just your fingers.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Better specify what I meant by finger tight. My pedals go on and off with a 6mm hex key. Perfectly ordinary ones. I use a couple of fingers to make it snug with the hex key. Not like using my palm and most of my weight to put on the wheels on my car.


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