Bicycle Mechanics - What tool to remove pedals?

Hey-
I need to remove my old shimano platform pedals before I can install my new ones. Unfortunately I don't have a pedal wrench....what tool should I use? Is there any trick to doing it? Thanks,
-Stephen

Almost all pedals all use a 15 mm open end wrench. If the flats are wide enough, a regular mechanics wrench will do. If not, there are specific pedal wrenches with narrow jaws to fit them. Park makes a very good one but there are others. A few pedals have a 6 mm hex recess in the inside face of the spindle but that's not common.

Remember the right pedal (drive side) has regular right-hand threads (counterclockwise to remove) while the left pedal (non-driveside) has left-hand threads (clockwise to remove). One way to keep them straight is to position the wrench handle pointing straight up. Then both pedals unscrew by turning the wrench toward the rear of the bike.

As almost nothing other than pedals and hub cones use 15 mm so I scarificed one that came in a craftsman combination wrench set, ground down the width with a grinder to fit pedal/cones.

Great answer Hill... +1 to what he said.

I use the adjustable wrench and inserted a 3/4 inch copper pipe for extra leverage.

One caution with the adjustable wrench... be careful.

I ended up gouging an otherwise great looking crank by scraping it with the adjuster wheel of an adjustable wrench when I exerted the pressure to break the pedal free. :(

Other than that, it worked well... so, just be careful!

+2 for Hillrider.

whatever 15MM or adjustable wrench that is thin enought to reach the wrench flats. HOWEVER@@@@@ DO NOT USE A CONE WRENCH! They are not strong enough (leverage and in construction) and you will ruin the wrench.

A technique that I like to use is to phase the crank and wrench so that I am pulling straight up or pushing straight down on the wrench while keeping my body weight on the saddle.

Say for the left pedal:

get the left crank somewhere between 12 to 4 o'clock position
Apply the wrench to the pedal with the handle facing the front of the bike, try to get the wrench as horizontal as possible. step to the right side of the bike, hold the rear brake w one hand, push the saddle down with your chest, and pull up on the wrench. ... goah , I hope I wrote this properly

There are plenty of other techniques, but this one works for me everytime.

I use a regular 15mm wrench. If the pedal been on there for a while (like a decade) I use alittle WD40 to loosen it up a bit. Just spray some on the threads and let it sit for a while. I've also heard putting alittle meduim weight grease on the threads before putting the pedals on will ease getting them off later.

Although I have a number of thin wrenches for adjusting automotive valves, I purchased a pedal wrench at my LBS and am I ever glad! Changing pedals is one of those tasks where you are REALLY happy to have the correct tool.

I had so many issues using "home" wrenches.... this was worth every penny... took the pedals off instantly...

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=27&item=PW%2D3

I disagree about the cone wrench. It can be done but it will not be sturdy enough for the very tight pedals. If the pedal is not really jammed on, you can do it with the cone wrench. Even better, if you have two of the same kind, you can use two of them.

I was 20 miles from home last July, I lost the right pedal, melted it(Plastic garbage), had to ride hime on one leg. No more plastic pedals for this dude.

I disagree about the cone wrench. It can be done but it will not be sturdy enough for the very tight pedals.Yes. A proper pedal wrench is twice as long as a cone wrench and about 4mm thick. Years ago I picked up a couple of these on sale in a hardware store for 88 cents each. One end has a 9/16" opening and the other is 5/8". These are Cyclo brand, made in England. You put it on the pedal and give it a good whack with a hammer.

If you're going to be cheap and balk at the Park Tools pedal wrench price, you might as well buy a cheapo Lifu kit.

http://www.pricepoint.com/images/styleImages/D_325%20SET145.jpg (http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/14583-325_SET145-2-Accessories-42-Tools/Sette-Torx-ST-14-Tool-Kit---14-Tools.htm)

There are some real stinker tools in there (like the spoke wrench and cone wrenches). But most of them are pretty good and use sockets instead one piece bodies. This is extremely useful as they are then compatible with your other tools in terms of using wratchet, leverage and torque wrenches.

BTW, when you're working around the cranks, make sure you wear lever gloves as pedals and chainrings can deliver pretty nasty gashes to your hands.

i just use the one attached to the bottle opener on my park mtb-3... it works too... you just have to used your heel to loosen and tighten it.

All the Shimano pedals I have, including one dating all the way back to 1986, accept a 6mm (8mm on MTB pedal) hex wrench on the end of the pedal spindle that screws into the crank arm. Look around the other side of the crank arm from the pedal and see if your's don't as well.

Come on guys, the proper 15mm pedal wrench is <= $10. There should be no talk of using cone wrenches.

Is there any trick to doing it?

There are two tricks I'll add to the above advice: (1) increased leverage if you can't get a pedal off with normal effort, ie, a length of pipe, as shakeNbake mentioned, and (2) put the chain on the big ring, to provide some protection against gashing your knuckles open on the teeth.

I bought a pedal wrench off nashbar.com last week for ~$6 ... actually made use of it today to install my Speedplay X5s. Even with the nice length and lots of leverage, it was a real b*tch to get the overtightened stock pedals off. I can't even imagine trying to do it with a smaller wrench or one not designed for the job. I'd rather not scratch my brand new crankarms up.

I forked over the cash for an ELDI, available through Rivendell and Harris, among others. It was worth the dough, I use it all the time.

I bought mine on sale for 88 cents at the local hardware store some years ago. I guess they weren't selling because nobody knew what they were. It's made in England by Cyclo.

Another thing to ease extraction is to pour boiling water over the crank, because aluminum expands more than steel with the heat. If you want a bit more heat put 50% water 50% automotive antifreeze in your kettle, but I wouldnt want to have a cup of tea made from that kettle after you have removed the pedals.