# Can't remove pedals...



## norwish (Feb 22, 2010)

Hey, anyone have any advice on how to remove pedals? I swear the ones I have are welded on or something. 
I'm trying to swap pedals on a used bike and I'm starting to think the owner before me didn't grease the threads at all or something. 
Any suggestions before I take it in to the shop?


----------



## MRisme (Mar 22, 2010)

I believe it is the non drive side that is reverse threaded... Just remember to loosen it is always turning towards the rear of the bike.

Find a nice long 15mm wrench to get some torque...


----------



## nbwallace (Oct 8, 2007)

*I don't know if this will help*

I've gone through this at least twice in the last year, always someone else's bike. Always shimano pedals on a road bike too.

Liquid wrench and let it sit for an hour. If the pedals have wrench flats use a wrench, I've snapped off 6mm allen keys on pedals and also rounded out the sockets on the pedals. I like to get a mallet and whack the wrench a couple of times to see if I can break it loose.

The last time I was taking the cranks off anyway, so I put the crank arm in a vise (wrapped it in a rag first) and beat on the wrench with the mallet. It eventually worked.

If it were on a car I would put a torch on it just to warm it up a bit and then hit it with an impact wrench.

At least when you finally get them out, be sure to use anti-sieze on the threads when you reinstall. I've never had a problem with pedals installed with anti-sieze.


----------



## Richtacular (Apr 10, 2012)

I went through this last week. Good advice from nbwallace, but I was away from my garage and only had a small bag of tools. I double fisted with an allen wrench and a long open end wrench to get one off, and then for the other just put the crank down and put the long wrench on it sideways and stood on it for a while.


----------



## TiGeo (Jul 31, 2008)

This is precisely why you should liberally grease the spindles when you install them.


----------



## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

TiGeo said:


> This is precisely why you should liberally grease the spindles when you install them.


Better yet, use anti-seize.


----------



## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

and don't over tighten them during installation!


----------



## AlienRFX (Sep 27, 2006)

Shark said:


> and don't over tighten them during installation!


That doesn't always work. I've noticed my Mallets, even if you just snug them up, the nondrive side pedal always gets stupid tight after a year of riding. I gave up trying to remove it with a 6mm allen key or socket on a wrench. Now I just use my impact wrench to remove it. Less chance of messing up the 6mm hex in the spindle due to not imparting a force out of line with plane of rotation. And no there are no wrench flats to use on that pedal.

And no I would never use an impact wrench to tighten a fastner on a bike.


----------



## WarBoom (Dec 13, 2011)

Whack the crank itself with a dead blow hammer resting against something solid
Seems to jar the threads loose, making them easier to remove


----------



## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

if you find yourself at the trailhead in a pinch and have an allen key handy... pop off your seat post and use it as a breaker bar with your allen key. If you don't want to scratch the paint on your post potentially, a trick a mech showed me was to face the key parallel with the ground (in the pedal obviously) and then lock the brakes hard and stand on the allen key (you may need to 'bounce' a little). It worked like a charm and will likely crack loud enough to wake the dead. Anti seize or grease next time will make the difference.

A.


----------



## jrastories (Aug 2, 2008)

nbwallace said:


> I've gone through this at least twice in the last year, always someone else's bike. Always shimano pedals on a road bike too.
> 
> Liquid wrench and let it sit for an hour. If the pedals have wrench flats use a wrench, I've snapped off 6mm allen keys on pedals and also rounded out the sockets on the pedals. I like to get a mallet and whack the wrench a couple of times to see if I can break it loose.
> 
> ...


These are great suggestions, I have had to do this a few times working in a shop, wrench or breaker bar with a snipe and a hammer works great. An Impact works better if the pedal allows for it. For those really tough ones don't be afraid to use a torch at worst it will strip off some paint.


----------



## tb801 (Apr 5, 2011)

Wear some gloves. When you finally break it loose you don't want to smack your hand on the crank or something else.


----------



## thegooddoctor (May 16, 2012)

Many (most?) pedals have the allen key socket in the back and pedal wrench flats on the other side of the threads. If yours do, use both an allen wrench and pedal wrench (or open end wrench) on the pedal. Align the wrench flats so you are pulling with one wrench and pushing with the other. This puts the center of rotation at basically the center of the axle, where you want it to be and it also gives you the additional torque of another wrench. As is always the case, make sure your allen socet on the pedal is free of debris so the allen wrench can go all the way into the hole. Also, look closely at your allen wrench and open ended wrench to make sure they are not rounded off. If the allen wrench is rounded on any of its 6 sides you can usually grind off a few mm's to get to good edges. Lube the pedal threads before replacement with anything that you have around. Most people don't have anti seize around the house (and don't know what it is realy used for) and grease works great but even vaseline or sunscreen is much better than nothing or sand! Happy pedal removal.


----------



## nbwallace (Oct 8, 2007)

*Good idea*



tb801 said:


> Wear some gloves. When you finally break it loose you don't want to smack your hand on the crank or something else.


When that 6mm hex key broke off it cut me pretty good.


----------



## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

nbwallace said:


> When that 6mm hex key broke off it cut me pretty good.


That's precisely why I suggested that you stand on it. Barefoot would be a tad hero. Shoes are suggested but optional depending on the amount of beer present. I agree with using whatever you have as I put sunscreen on my seat binder once to shut it up mid ride. Of course if you build bikes with Coppertone you may have other unresolved issues. Jokes aside, if you are really strapped for lube, pull the oil dipstick out of your car and drizzle a little wherever you need it. Even if it's black and crusty it will be better than nothing...

A.


----------



## AlienRFX (Sep 27, 2006)

neex said:


> if you find yourself at the trailhead in a pinch and have an allen key handy... pop off your seat post and use it as a breaker bar with your allen key. If you don't want to scratch the paint on your post potentially, a trick a mech showed me was to face the key parallel with the ground (in the pedal obviously) and then lock the brakes hard and stand on the allen key (you may need to 'bounce' a little). It worked like a charm and will likely crack loud enough to wake the dead. Anti seize or grease next time will make the difference.
> 
> A.


Yeah I had a pedal so tight from a couple years of riding that none of those tricks worked.


----------



## bing! (Jul 8, 2010)

pedal wrench and a rubber mallet works for me. the impact releases the pedal. just need to keep tapping at it.


----------



## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

AlienRFX said:


> Yeah I had a pedal so tight from a couple years of riding that none of those tricks worked.


A breaker bar on a ratchet or pedal wrench didn't work? I had a pedal on a bike trip so tight that I thought I was going to have to leave the rental with my pedals on it... Sometimes they are a royal PITA although I'm sure that being rushed getting packed, etc I left the threads bone dry... Bouncing on the pedal wrench was the ticket as I didn't fly with a mallet. 

A.


----------



## golfduke (Mar 20, 2007)

I've had this happen to me before on a set of ritchey pedals with hex heads instead of wrench flats. What I ultimately found out after milling the pedal shaft out was that the pedal actually cracked between the threads and hex head, causing the threads to lock up. I destroyed the pedal, but the cranks were saved. It wasn't an easy fix though, as my machinist at work bailed me out with the bridgeport mill and an EZ-out.


----------



## AlienRFX (Sep 27, 2006)

neex said:


> A breaker bar on a ratchet or pedal wrench didn't work? I had a pedal on a bike trip so tight that I thought I was going to have to leave the rental with my pedals on it... Sometimes they are a royal PITA although I'm sure that being rushed getting packed, etc I left the threads bone dry... Bouncing on the pedal wrench was the ticket as I didn't fly with a mallet.
> 
> A.


Mind you the pedal only had a 6 mm allen hex in the part that threads into the crank, no wrench flats whatsoever to accept a standard pedal wrench. The proper socket on a long ratchet or breaker bar put enough offset torque so as to round out the flats in the pedal, well before the pedal even had a notion of budging. So now I just get the impact wrench out to remove pedals like that, It works great with a lot less sweat, and cussing.


----------



## zenxteninc (May 18, 2012)

Heat is generally an enemy but can really be your friend on any bolt giving you grief. The expansion / contraction helps break threads loose just enough that you can get them to move. No matter how many times I crank on things then finally get some heat on it I always wonder why I didnt do this earlier...


----------



## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

AlienRFX said:


> Mind you the pedal only had a 6 mm allen hex in the part that threads into the crank, no wrench flats whatsoever to accept a standard pedal wrench. The proper socket on a long ratchet or breaker bar put enough offset torque so as to round out the flats in the pedal, well before the pedal even had a notion of budging. So now I just get the impact wrench out to remove pedals like that, It works great with a lot less sweat, and cussing.


Forgive the ignorance but what are you hitting with the impact? The 6mm head? I'd be interested to see a mammoth modified 1.2" or 3/8" socket that spans over the pedal and clamps the flats (now that would be awesome).

Back to the 6mm... An impact on this doesn't round it out? I guess I'm thinking air tools so maybe a driver and hammer or small electric would be the ticket. I'm thinking 500- 600ft/lbs in reverse might be harsh....

A.


----------



## Econoline (Mar 5, 2004)

norwish said:


> I swear the ones I have are welded on or something.


Are you sure they aren't welded on? I had a tricycle like that as a youth.


----------



## AlienRFX (Sep 27, 2006)

neex said:


> Forgive the ignorance but what are you hitting with the impact? The 6mm head? I'd be interested to see a mammoth modified 1.2" or 3/8" socket that spans over the pedal and clamps the flats (now that would be awesome).
> 
> Back to the 6mm... An impact on this doesn't round it out? I guess I'm thinking air tools so maybe a driver and hammer or small electric would be the ticket. I'm thinking 500- 600ft/lbs in reverse might be harsh....
> 
> A.


Yes the Crank Bros Mallet pedals I have have a 6mm allen key hole broached into the threaded part of the spindle, the spindle has no wrench flats, so the allen key or ratchet compatible allen bit is on the back side of the crank when installing or loosening the pedal. I have found that over time the non driveside pedal tightens itself to stupid tight levels for a pedal with a 6mm allen wrench, 8 would be more appropriate for this application, but that isn't what they used.

I work as an automotive mechanic, though previously a bike mechanic years ago. So I have plenty of tools to choose from. I have found that there are occasions where an impact wrench is able to provide torque to a fastner in a manner that won't result in a risk of damaging the fastner. This is especially true when working on an assembly that will rotate freely.

Anyhow, I used a 6mm allen bit designed to attach to a 3/8's ratchet. I put that on my 3/8s pnuematic impact wrench and set it to spin counterclockwise so as to remove the left pedal (remember that you are engaging that pedal from the backside of the crankarm) pulled the trigger, and it didn't budge, mind you this impact wrench is supposed to put out something like 4-600 lb-ft of torque, but since the crank is free to rotate, it absorbs some of that torque by moving.

So I get out my IR 2135Ti 1/2" drive impact wrench and an adapter to fit the allen bit to it. I pull the trigger, and presto chango the pedal cleanly unthreads itself from the crank with no damage to anything. I have also had to do this on a friends bike with a set of mallet pedals on it.

It just flat out works and gets the job done easily.

However, I repeat DO NOT try to INSTALL anything on a bike using an impact wrench, or use on a fastner that may be galled to another part, damage will likely result.

I will also say that the left pedal of my first set of Mallet C's is still installed in an unused crankset because I tried to use conventional methods to remove that pedal, and the hex in the spindle is jacked up. (since I was replacing cranks at the time, it was just a case of getting new pedals)


----------



## nbwallace (Oct 8, 2007)

*Similar problem with internal bottom bracket*

I had to remove a couple of internal bottom brackets this week. The last one I had to use an impact wrench. It was a 15 year steel frame. I would suggest that if you ever want to remove your square taper or splined bottom bracket, you install using plumbers teflon tape (costs about $1/roll at any hardware store) and grease.

By the way both bottom brackets were irretrievably trashed. I never want to hear anyone complain about external bottom brackets again.

Oh yeah, the pedals on the bike are stuck too.


----------



## AlienRFX (Sep 27, 2006)

nbwallace said:


> I had to remove a couple of internal bottom brackets this week. The last one I had to use an impact wrench. It was a 15 year steel frame. I would suggest that if you ever want to remove your square taper or splined bottom bracket, you install using plumbers teflon tape (costs about $1/roll at any hardware store) and grease.
> 
> By the way both bottom brackets were irretrievably trashed. I never want to hear anyone complain about external bottom brackets again.
> 
> Oh yeah, the pedals on the bike are stuck too.


I bet that one made ya cringe. How long did you have to hammer on the bb to unthread it?


----------



## alexplantman (May 1, 2006)

OK, so I have to admit, the last time I removed a set of pedals was , umm, well when I was riding bmx bikes , about , umm, well about two decades ago lol... Anyway, I got some new pedals for my 1 month old Trek Mamba, and what a PIA to remove the original ones.. I don't remember if these came on the cranks already from the factory or did the dealer install them, but they are hard as F*CK.. I read a few pointers on here, on the web, etc.. I ended up ordering the Park Professional Pedal Wrench. Should this make a major difference vs just using an open ended wrench or will it still be a PIA? I can't imagine bike shops going through this PIA every time they work on a bike.


----------



## char1i3 (Jul 23, 2012)

I just had to remove a crankset with pedals attached, then one pedal came off easily the other is stuck solid so I got a 15mm spanner, put the crank on the ground with my wife standing on it, slipped a scaffold pole over the spanner and leant all my weight on it... the spanner snapped! And the pedal is still attached. 

Leverage is what you need. And a strong spanner.

Charlie


----------



## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

i normally just put the 15mm wrench on and give it a hit with a mallet (towards the rear of the bike)


----------

