# Removing Jammed Tight Pedals



## JukeboxJezabel (Sep 6, 2014)

I put on some Shimano M540 Pedals maybe in 2008. In trying to remove them I used 8mm hex with about a yard length of piping for leverage. The hex key stripped and those pedals are on tight. They are on a Campy crank and I don't want to use heat from a torch to heat the crank arms to loosen them up because I don't know if it is safe to do so. Cooling the pedals with dry ice won't work in this situation for the reverse because the area to be cooled is really inaccessible.

I ordered a park hex wrench, hopefully it be will more hardened. Is it safe to heat the crank arm or is there a better way to do this. Any help is appreciated.


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## bapski (Jul 27, 2012)

I know that i was only successful in taking a bud's CB pedal out by using torch heat.


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## JukeboxJezabel (Sep 6, 2014)

I think there is no way around for me either. I don't want to discolor the metal. There seems to be some sort of Scotch Guard finish on the crank.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

If you're willing to sacrifice the pedal you can remove the body and bearings and then get a pipe wrench on the spindle. I'd just about guarantee that'll move it.


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## JukeboxJezabel (Sep 6, 2014)

That was a thought but with a thin pair of vice grips & some rubber tape. They still have some life in them though the left pedal doesn't clinch as well from winter salt spray. Pipe wrench you're right would pop those suckers right off.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

J.B. Weld said:


> If you're willing to sacrifice the pedal you can remove the body and bearings and then get a pipe wrench on the spindle. I'd just about guarantee that'll move it.


+1 - Big pipe wrench works every time.

I had to do this to remove an over torqued XTR spindle from a 180mm M952 crank arm. I got it to bite on the spindle at ~170 degrees (between the wrench handle and the crank arm) and broke it free using body weight.


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## marc / fisherbike (Jan 8, 2011)

The safest way to do this without dammaging your cranks is to heat the crank up. Do this by using boiled water, just poor it over the crank and the pedal. The alluminium will expand faster than the steel. 


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## Haggis (Jan 21, 2004)

Are you turning the wrench in the right direction? Just a thought...


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## JukeboxJezabel (Sep 6, 2014)

marc / fisherbike said:


> The safest way to do this without dammaging your cranks is to heat the crank up. Do this by using boiled water, just poor it over the crank and the pedal. The alluminium will expand faster than the steel.


That's an idea! Thanks


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## JukeboxJezabel (Sep 6, 2014)

Haggis said:


> Are you turning the wrench in the right direction? Just a thought...


I'm doing it in the right direction. Prior to these I had Look Nevadas that lasted 14 years. I had less hassle removing those than I'm having with these.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

I like to remove pedals about once/year, clean and grease the threads, saves the pain of this....

Sometimes a solid hard hammer hit to the hex wrench helps to break them free.


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## evrac (Sep 28, 2005)

Liquid wrench, then above comments.


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## Slash5 (Nov 27, 2011)

Impact driver or impact gun. Loosens without applying as much torque, works great.


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## bing! (Jul 8, 2010)

Impact works best. Liquid wrench helps. Put a pedal wrench on, and start hammering the end of the wrench with medium force in the direction loosening the pedal. The impacts will loosen it up.


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## lex_luthor (Aug 12, 2014)

I just removed some super tight pedals with a 15mm wrench, a cheater bar, and a friend.


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## eggdog (Nov 17, 2010)

+1 on the heat method...You can just use a hair dryer for the heat source.. It will heat up enough to expand the crank arm


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## haral (Jun 14, 2014)

I needed to strip the pedal body out from the axle and grind two flats to the axle and then wrench it out by force. Tried everything else before that such as heat, CRC 5-56, pipe wrench (was too soft medal, the axle actually started to deform the pipe wrench teeth and was too hard / slippery for pipe wrench to grab) and vice grips. 

When they finally got out there were some small metal shavings but the crank thread luckily still took new pedals quite easily. Still don't know what actually caused this seize as the installation was only couple of months old and done with the grease. Also the installation was easy so I didn't cross-thread at that point. I'm purely speculating whether some rock hits could have dislodged the pedal a little bit in the threads.


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## thomllama (Oct 3, 2007)

haral said:


> I needed to strip the pedal body out from the axle and grind two flats to the axle and then wrench it out by force. Tried everything else before that such as heat, CRC 5-56, pipe wrench (was too soft medal, the axle actually started to deform the pipe wrench teeth and was too hard / slippery for pipe wrench to grab) and vice grips.
> 
> When they finally got out there were some small metal shavings but the crank thread luckily still took new pedals quite easily. Still don't know what actually caused this seize as the installation was only couple of months old and done with the grease. Also the installation was easy so I didn't cross-thread at that point. I'm purely speculating whether some rock hits could have dislodged the pedal a little bit in the threads.


take them out, use Plumbers Tape (AKA Teflon tape) .. will hold the threads, and it keeps them from seizing together.. doesn't wash out like grease does.. will never have that issue again.


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## SandSpur (Mar 19, 2013)

When it comes to bottom bracket threads, pedal threads, and spoke threads, I use a metal free anti-seize. LOCTITE Heavy Duty Anti-Seize - Henkel


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## thomllama (Oct 3, 2007)

SandSpur said:


> When it comes to bottom bracket threads, pedal threads, and spoke threads, I use a metal free anti-seize. LOCTITE Heavy Duty Anti-Seize - Henkel


That's good, but I've found in most cases the tape is better, it fills/tighten threads better than regular locktite, but also acts like your never seize and costs 1/10th the price, allows for smooth torquing and is MUCH easier to clean up after and during regular disassembly maintenance as a quick run around the threads with your finger removes it.


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## onlycrimson (Nov 11, 2008)

Kroil them and that usually works. Still a pain


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## marc / fisherbike (Jan 8, 2011)

@JukeboxJezebel.
Have you managed to remove the pedal, and what methode have you finally used ??


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## hatake (Jul 16, 2004)

Granted I don't think I ever had this issue, but I usually take off the cranks first, then insert the hex wrench, place the wrench on the ground and put my weight on the crank (right direction, of course ) No banging, heating and drilling. But I'm guessing your pedals are jammed worse.


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## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

I still say that standing on the hex or pedal wrench works everytime... sometimes it takes a 'bounce' or two... the first time I saw a pro mech do this on a trip with just a hex key in our hotel room I was amazed at how simple and effective it was...


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

neex said:


> I still say that standing on the hex or pedal wrench works everytime...


Every time until it doesn't, work on enough bikes and eventually you'll come across one that demands alternate methods.

I don't agree that standing or bouncing are the most effective either, those methods often lead to rounded hex sockets or spindle flats. Plenty of leverage and smooth power work best IME.


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