blackcoffee

i have been overhauling my colnago, and have hit a sticky point. I successfully rebuilt the drive-side pedal with no issue, and figured the next pedal would be easy as well. After replacing the loose ball bearings, I tightened the first nut to the axel so that the pedal spun freely. Then placed the second nut on the axel, careful not to over tighten. Still spun freely. Put on the dust cap. Spun freely. Took it out for a ride, different story. It appears as if the first nut is tightening as I ride, but this did not happen on the drive side. I am assuming I am missing something obvious, but I have not been able to figure it out. The only thing that is different between the two pedals is the threading into the crank, but I am not sure how this would affect the tightening of the axel nut, nor how to remedy that. Anyone have any ideas? More clarification? Thanks in advance for your help.

FBinNY 

There's a reaction force on the inner faces of a ball bearing. That's why pedal threads are right and left. The same applies to the nuts inside the pedal. Since both have a RH thread, one will tend to tighten, and the other loosen.

Best design, isolates the locknut form the rotation tendency of the cone with a keyed washer, and some of the older Campy pedals had these. But even the keyed washer won't prevent the pedal from tightening if the cone and locknut aren't tightened against each other firm enough, since the cone rotates away from the keyed washer.

Open the pedal, check the adjustment, make sure the cone and locknut are jammed tight enough against each other. If that doesn't work, wash the threads of the spindle, cone and locknut with acetone, and use locktite T-242 (blue) to maintain the adjustment.

fietsbob

hold the cone(1st nut) on the end of the pedal, with a thin [cone] wrench,
to keep the adjustment
and tighten the locknut against it.. the keyed washer will help.

Ssofsky

But where does one find cone wrenches small enough for this application? I've never seen anything smaller than a 13mm for sale and I'm pretty sure that's too big for my Campy Gran Sport pedals...ok, ok I have seen a Campy pedal cone wrench but those, as stated on online, were made in the 90's and I'm unsure they'll work on my vintage pedals. Can anyone advise on this? From what I see, this wrench has the needed offset to reach down to the cone flats and is probably thin enough to fit under the vintage Campy pedal cap/locknut wrench. I'd hate to make a $100.00 mistake. But if it works it is worth it's weight in gold. Once again,can anyone advise? It almost seems like some sort of industry wide conspiracy...we will sell you the parts for a rebuild...but not the proper tools...buy more pedals! BTW...Locktite seems like the most suitable jury-rig so thanks for that hint.

FBinNY 

I might have pedal cone wrenches that'll fit. let me know what size you need & I'll check on Monday. Also, is the cone beyond the face of the pedal body, or do you need something that'll work within a recess.

BTW- I used to produce KINGSBRIDGE cone wrenches in sizes down to 11mm, and still have some. But they're too large to work if the cone is sub-flush within the pedal body.

miamijim

The cone wrench is to wedge between the pedal body and cone to keep it from spinning not to actually fit onto the cone. I use flat bladed screw driver to make cone adjustments.

You SL pedals should have the toothed washer, if its not there its missing and unfortunately you'll never get that pedal properly adjusted. Assuning you have the washer in place I find this method of adjustment easiest.

1. Place a wrench on the pedal flats and hold the wrench and pedal body in the same hand.
2. with your other hand adjust the cone so there's a fair amount of play. You'll have to let go of the wrench on the pedal flat to check the adjustment
3. While holding the wrench on the pedal flats and holding the body tighten down the nut with your other hand. As you tighten the nut the play in the adjustment will go away. If there's play when tightened go back and redo the adjustment.

There's no reason you should ever need Loctite....

Ssofsky

Greetings...

On the Campy Gran Sport pedals the cone is definitely recessed. In order to get a wrench on the flats you'd have to tilt the wrench to get a purchase and that's only provided the wrench head is small enough to fit in the recess.

I have a set of NOS NR spindles and cones waiting for that someday rebuild. Anyway, I grabbed one to see if I could approximate a measurement by comparing it to my smallest known-measurement tool, my 13/14 hub cone wrench. I was astonished when it mated up perfectly with the 13. (It seemed so much smaller just looking at it) Now, I'm assuming this measurement is spot-on because I used my (you guessed it) Kingsbridge cone wrench. I have the 15/16 too and both look almost as good as the day I bought them in '79 or '80. I used to have the presta tire pressure gauge from back then too but sadly gremlins stole that from my toolbox. If you have one of those to spare I'd be interested. You did such a good job on the spanners I KNOW they'll be just as tight and just as good-looking 33-34 years into the future.

Mark Kelly 

I had this problem with different pedals. I simply bought a spanner of the appropriate size (10mm in my case) and ground the head down until it was thin enough to fit on the shoulder without interfering with the locknut. Went into the "special tools" box with the 3.5 mm Allen key and other such creatures.

JohnDThompson 

Rather than a cone wrench, which often has a hard time reaching the flats on the pedal cone, I usually use a small, flat-blade screwdriver jammed between the cone flat and pedal body to prevent it from rotating whilst tightening the locknut.

Kimmo

Only some of Campy's older pedals used these?

Geez, that's pretty lame. Pretty much every pedal I've had apart used a keyed washer... if I had some otherwise nice pedals I was overhauling with no keyed washers, I'd grind a flat on the spindle and pinch the washers from some cheap pedals.