Bicycle Mechanics - How do you rebuild these pedals?

I think both sets of these pedals need rebuilt. The blue ones have a squeak and both sets do no spin as freely as these should. How do I get into the bearings?

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd385/PukaMiniBulldogs/20120324_170528.jpg

You would get at the bearings on the black pedals by prying off the dustcover with the logo on it.
NOt sure about the blue Shimano pedals.

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/categories/pedal-service

Both seem to kind that use a cheap little Shimano tool (PD-40) to remove the spindle. Here's the tool http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-TL-PD40-Pedal-Axle-Removal/dp/B001GSMPUS and here's how it's done http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/spd-pedal-overhaul

Edit: I don't think the black pedals necessary have a dust cover that needs to be removed. Usually when you see little spines for the PD-40 were the spindle enters the pedal, all that's necessary is to unscrew the spline and pull out the spindle.

Both seem to kind that use a cheap little Shimano tool (PD-40) to remove the spindle. Here's the tool http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-TL-PD40-Pedal-Axle-Removal/dp/B001GSMPUS and here's how it's done http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/spd-pedal-overhaul

Edit: I don't think the black pedals necessary have a dust cover that needs to be removed. Usually when you see little spines for the PD-40 were the spindle enters the pedal, all that's necessary is to unscrew the spline and pull out the spindle.

That is what I did with my shimano M520 pedals, when the spindle is removed, all of the bearing are attached to the spindle. I work on the pedals in a shoe box sized translucent tupperware box. When the tiny bearings are bouncing around, they are contained in the plastic box and easily retrievable.

Shimano has a tiny bearing sub assembly that unscrews.. overhaul is of questionable value.

replacement more practical.

If you unscrew the bearing piece, clean it and grease it,
without taking it apart further.
the bearings are only about 2mm in diameter each,
and there are dozens of them to lose..

Shimano has a tiny bearing sub assembly that unscrews.. overhaul is of questionable value.

replacement more practical.
If the overhaul isn't long overdue, and the pedals weren't damaged, why would it be questionable? It takes little time, some grease and new bearings to service the pedals, and they'll feel like new. In this case (for both pairs of pedals in the original post) you'll also need the Shimano PD-40 to disassemble (and reassemble) the pedals.

Use the PD-40 tool to unthread the spindle assembly. (Note that the left pedal has left-handed spindle threads so look closely at the turn directions embossed on the tool). Remove the spindles and clean off the residual grease and dirt. Clean out the cavity in the pedal body, refill it about 1/3 of the way with fresh grease and thread in the spindles. As the spindle seats, it will force fresh grease into it's bearings and the excess should extrude out of the threads. Use the PD-40 tool to complete tightening the spindles until they just seat. Do not overtighten them.

Wow, thanks everyone for the info. I might give it a go. Too bad one needs a special tool for a one or two time job.

Wow, thanks everyone for the info. I might give it a go. Too bad one needs a special tool for a one or two time job.
The special tool is a small plastic ring that sells for $3 so it's not a major expense. Here is one source but your LBS may also have them:

http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cgi?id=792628311353&d=single&c=Tools&sc=Pedal&tc=Axle/Bearing-Tools&item_id=SH-TL-PD40

I wonder if theres a socket I have that will work?

I wonder if theres a socket I have that will work?

DON'T use a socket in place of the PD-40; that lock nut is high impact plastic and you will damage it by over torquing.

I would bet that your LBS has some of these around for minimal cost.

Save yourself a world of frustration and anger; USE THE RIGHT TOOL!

Alan :thumb:

Use the PD-40 tool to unthread the spindle assembly. (Note that the left pedal has left-handed spindle threads so look closely at the turn directions embossed on the tool).I think you mis-typed. The right pedal has the left hand threading.

I wonder if theres a socket I have that will work?
The PD-40 is the best way to go, as the the force is distributed evenly across all the plastic notches. Using other tools might break the latter off.
For adjusting the bearings you'll need a 10mm and 7mm (maybe 8mm, I don't remember) wrenches.

Edit: oldskoolwrench beat me to it. I type too slowly. :-)

I think you mis-typed. The right pedal has the left hand threading.
Well, that's an interesting point and you are corect My TL-PD40 is quite explicit in showing which direction to turn it and clearly shows the left pedal loosening clockwise which I reported as left-hand threads. However, that's while reading it from the side that, when installed, faces the pedal so it really is right hand threaded and I mis-interpreted it. The pedal spindles have arrows indicating which doirection they tighten and these are correct and unambiguous. Sorry for the confusion.

Ok ok, I'll use the right tool.

It's been the same PD-40 tool since day one, and the tool comes with every set of pedals sold in retail packaging. The bike shop may have a few- ask them if they have extra.

The Shimano bearings are on a "cartridge" of sorts. I use the tool to extract the cartridge, clean off the old grease with solvent (kerosene works OK), and then adjust the bearings. Spinning the spindle will tell you if the bearing surfaces are still good. I then plop a glob of grease in the pedal body and reinstall the cartridge- the grease squeezes out through the bearings, filling every nook and cranny. (This works for the more expensive M540 pedal you have. The cheaper M520 might have a dustcap that will pop off.) Clean off the excess, reinstall, and you're good.

I did this to my Shimano PD-M737 pedals annually. They lasted from 1991 to 2006, on several bikes. The bearings were still good when I retired the pedals, but the cleat mechanism had broken.

Well curiousity got the better of me and I use some piers and paper towels to back the nut off. It put some light teeth marks on the nut but nothing worse than the sratches already on the pedals.

Anyway, the pedal that was suspect do to squeaking, has freash bearings packed into the bearings.

So now I'm at a lose.

"Squeaking pedals" can be so many different things that it's hard to write them all down. Basically, you have to disassemble every metal-to-metal joint, clean it, lube or Loctite it, and then see if it fixes the noise. I once spent a month trying to track down a squeak, taking apart my bottom bracket, cranks, pedals, headset, seat, whatever. Eventually I cleaned and re-greased the pedal threads before reinstalling them. That cured the squeak.

Well, that's an interesting point and you are corect My TL-PD40 is quite explicit in showing which direction to turn it and clearly shows the left pedal loosening clockwise which I reported as left-hand threads. However, that's while reading it from the side that, when installed, faces the pedal so it really is right hand threaded and I mis-interpreted it. The pedal spindles have arrows indicating which doirection they tighten and these are correct and unambiguous. Sorry for the confusion.Yeah, that little tool is kind of weird the way they write which direction to turn. The writing is on the side you can't see while using it. So it is easy to get confused on which way to turn the tool. Very understandable.