Bicycle Mechanics - LOOK PP396 pedals creak. suggestions?

I've owned two sets of LOOK pedals, my latest are the PP396 and I've had them for 2+ years now. Like all LOOK pedals, they creak where the cleat contacts the pedal. I get the usual black residue on the cleat and I have to scrape it off every third ride or so to keep them quiet. It's very annoying...

Does anyone have a sure-fire trick to making this stop, or at least go away for more than three rides?

I've played around with oil and such, but that didn't really help. I normally just use a flat-head screwdriver and scrape away on the two spots that it contacts, and sometimes the tip as well.

Thanks.
-Josh

About every two to three weeks, I spray a little WD-40 or PAM cooking spray on the pedals where they contact my cleats. For me, this works for about 200 miles. It doesn't take too much.

Look pedals don't creak. That's because of the cleats. Go get the red arc cleats if you aren't using them already. If not check cleat screw grease.

Look pedals don't creak. That's because of the cleats. Go get the red arc cleats if you aren't using them already. If not check cleat screw grease.

Right, sorry, it's the cleats. I have the red cleats, and they contact the pedal at the tip, and two spots on each side half way back from the tip. The metal rubs off the pedal onto the cleat and leaves black residue that is tough to get off. When I scrape it off, the creaking goes away, so I know that's where the problem is. I just with I could get rid of it forever....

I'll try a little WD40 and see what happens.

Look pedals don't creak. That's because of the cleats. Go get the red arc cleats if you aren't using them already. If not check cleat screw grease.Actually, the red ones will creak too and it's not about cleat screw grease either.

Right, sorry, it's the cleats. I have the red cleats, and they contact the pedal at the tip, and two spots on each side half way back from the tip. The metal rubs off the pedal onto the cleat and leaves black residue that is tough to get off. When I scrape it off, the creaking goes away, so I know that's where the problem is. I just with I could get rid of it forever....

I'll try a little WD40 and see what happens.armourall or wax works too.

I use silicon spray; doesn't attract dirt and it smooths the entry/exit process as well.

I just changed over to the red ones w/ the Teflon inserts; does anyone have experience with those?

get the ones with the teflon inserts, no squeak, i use them on my KeO pedals, you just have to be a little more careful with them than usual since the teflon parts can crack out of the cleat, which happened on a pair of mine. Look warrantied them though

I use silicon spray; doesn't attract dirt and it smooths the entry/exit process as well.

I just changed over to the red ones w/ the Teflon inserts; does anyone have experience with those?
I have the new bi-material cleats, and no squeak yet. However, I find walking without cleat covers very trickey.

I'm using the bi-material red Look cleats with old Dura-Ace 7400 pedals, and was getting the usual creak noise. I tried the silicone spray idea, but found that it lasted only for half a ride. Then I tried that Pam spray that you have in your kitchen for cooking, and I've had fantastic success with it. It lasts for three or four rides, and helps with the float tremendously. You end up with the bottom your shoes and cleats covered in a light vegetable oil so walking gets tricky (I use cleat covers), but that's a small price to pay for silence.

Try paraffin wax. It doesn't attract as much dirt and works as well as anything. Nothing really cures the problem, they just mask the symptoms.

Rub the contact points on pedal/cleat with a candle. Solid beeswax is better and 'stickier' but harder to get hold of. This works on other pedal types as well. www.wheelspincycles.com