pappyon

I have tried soaking the threads with WD40. I have used a piece of tubing on the end of the spanner for extra leverage, and still the pedals will not budge. The bike is nearly 20 years old, and I think a lot to do with it is the fact that the pedal screws are HSS (high speed steel) and the cranks are aluminium. In case anybody mentions it I have no access to heating equipment, eg an oxy-acetylane torch.

I have tried supporting the cranks while I am trying to loosen them, and employing all the tips that I managed to find by doing a search in this forum, and I still cannot get the pedals to loosen. I am afraid of causing damage to the threads in the cranks if I exert too much torque, which would ruin them!

PS I am aware that the LH pedal has a left hand thread and loosens by turning clockwise!

KinetikBiker

rust. rust. rust. and since your aware of the reverse thread left side...then that should be the only reason...

demoncyclist

Try using PB Blaster. It eats rust. AVailable at you FLHS (friendly local hardware store).

AndrewP

Ammonia is the release agent for aluminum to steel corrosion. Try boiling water for heat. Use a longer pipe.

sydney

What??? With an aluminum crankarm and steel pedal spindle? Now, rust I have seen on a steel to steel interface.Main reason I have seen for too tight pedals is that they were put on by a gorilla on steroids with a cheater bar, and that includes the cases where the gorilla even had enough IQ to grease the threads.

alecw35

If you have the crank arm off the axle you can take the peddle to bits and put the spindle in a vice VERY TIGHTLY then if its the left one put a large tube over the crank arm and turn it. If its the right one wrap it in a large piece of cloth and try to pull it round.

LóFarkas

I have already broken a crappy vise that way (turning the vise on the crank manually). Very narrow flat surface exerts huge force on vise jaw.
In the end, pounding the end of the wrench with a 2kg hammer worked.

phidauex

Hitting the wrench with a hammer after soaking in a release agent (again, i recommend PBlaster, though the ammonia is an interesting idea) is a good plan. Impact like that can exert huge amounts of torque for short periods of time, which is sometimes just what you need to 'break' a tight connection.

Good luck...

peace,
sam

Raiyn

No it's basic chemistry.

Alloy Addict

Does that make it not interesting and/or an idea?

phidauex

Don't be a dork. I've got a pretty good understanding of basic chemistry. Advanced chemistry too, seeing as how I teach science for a living. I just hadn't thought to apply ammonia in that application, so I found the "IDEA" to be an "INTERESTING" one. Did I not use either of those words correctly?

peace,
sam

ivan_yulaev

Get a cheap torch from home depot, should be about $15. Very useful item to have, especially in order to massage threads apart...

jsalassi

go to home depot and getyour self a little torch. Those things worked wonders on frozen brake lines.