Bicycle Mechanics - Can't take pedals off

I have a PartkTool PW 5 pedla wrench

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=27&item=PW-5

and I can't seem to remove the pedals.

I tried to push towards the rear tire and tried to get the wrench lined up with the crank arm as much as possible (it does not seem to line up...I think the other type of 15mm wrench can do it better (like the pw3 and pw4)...the one with the opening on the side not the front)...any ideas...the pedals were put on by the LBS?

I'm also trying to learn how to work on my own bike...what books or DVDs should I look at?

Oh man, I have been where you are. Do you have aluminum cranks? You get so frustrated that you start to question if you are pulling in the right direction.

Just remember that when the wrench is in the vertical upright, you pull toward the rear of the bike to remove the pedal whether it is the right or left pedal.

OK, that said, if you have a REALLY stuck pedal, the best thing to do is to remove the crank arm from the bike and put it in a vice. Use a torch to heat up the end of the crank by the pedal. Pull or push on the wrench like an SOB. If you are lucky, you will get it to budge. Repeat the process until she is loose enough to get the pedal off.

This technique works pretty well most of the time. The deal is that you want to heat up the crank arm and start wrenching before the pedal pin heats up and expands. In other words, you want to get the diameter of the crank arm hole to expand while the pedal pin is still cool and small.

This is you best shot IMO.

Good luck. I've been there. Tough gig to be sure.

Always remember to liberally grease your pedal pin threads and the crank arm threads when you put the pedals back onto the crank arms. This will make it easier for you or the next guy when the pedals have to be removed again.

Oh man, I have been where you are. Do you have aluminum cranks? You get so frustrated that you start to question if you are pulling in the right direction.

Just remember that when the wrench is in the vertical upright, you pull toward the rear of the bike to remove the pedal whether it is the right or left pedal.

OK, that said, if you have a REALLY stuck pedal, the best thing to do is to remove the crank arm from the bike and put it in a vice. Use a torch to heat up the end of the crank by the pedal. Pull or push on the wrench like an SOB. If you are lucky, you will get it to budge. Repeat the process until she is loose enough to get the pedal off.

This technique works pretty well most of the time. The deal is that you want to heat up the crank arm and start wrenching before the pedal pin heats up and expands. In other words, you want to get the diameter of the crank arm hole to expand while the pedal pin is still cool and small.

This is you best shot IMO.

Good luck. I've been there. Tough gig to be sure.

Thanks I will give it a shot...

I have 105 cranks. I was kind of practicing just trying to see if I can do it by myself (looking at getting some LOOK pedals) without taking it to the LBS. Do you think the PW 3 and 4 give you more leverage?

If you get them off, and the crank threads are still in good shape, put anti-sieze on the new pedal threads before you install them. Then you won't have this problem next time. bk

Thanks I will give it a shot...

I have 105 cranks. I was kind of practicing just trying to see if I can do it by myself (looking at getting some LOOK pedals) without taking it to the LBS. Do you think the PW 3 and 4 give you more leverage?

More leverage isn't the answer. You could increase the leverage by puting a long pipe over the wrench handle and then pulling on the pipe. However, that is likely to damage the tool.

The problem is that the aluminum crank and the steel pedal pin have fused together. It is a phenominon that occurs when aluminum and steel are placed together. It is a real bugger to get off. When this happens with seat posts WHEW BROTHER, do you have a mess on your hands. However, with pedals you have a reasonable chance at making it happen.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

By the way, someone is bound to respond by suggesting you soak the crank and pedal in strong ammonia and then penetrating oil.

Let me save you the time and expense and hassle and clean up and suggest you go straight to the torch method.

when you come to putting the pedals back on make sure that you grease the threads and try using a pedal washer

Liquid wrench!

PB Blaster, hammer to crank wrench, bigass pipe.

PB Blaster, hammer to crank wrench, bigass pipe.

A friend of mine got them off using a huge pipe. Then we tightened them down at a more reasonable level so I can't take them off with my PW 5 when my Keo Classics arrive from PBK.:)