1 old fart

Does anybody have a good trick for unsticking frozen Campy pedal spindle? We can't apply too much force without stripping the Campy crank threads. If it was steel I'd just heat it with a torch but don't know if that would work with aluminum or not.

trailangel

How would it strip the crank?

rmfnla

My turn to handle this:

Are you sure you are turning it the right way?

The left side has left-hand threads...

alcjphil

I assume that you are trying to remove the pedal from the crank. If you are turning the pedal in the correct direction, it would be pretty much impossible to strip the threads in the crank arm. Keep in mind that pedals are threaded in different directions, the left side pedal is reverse threaded which can lead to confusion. The only way that you would strip the threads in the crank arm would be if you were tightening instead of loosening the pedal

dsbrantjr

I recommend Kano Kroil for getting tough threaded joints un-stuck. Apply liberally, give the piece a few sharp raps to shake things up and WAIT for some time like overnight for it to penetrate. Try to remove it and if no joy, repeat.

fietsbob

I have a couple Helpers in the LBS when I have stubborn to remove Pedals

and have the HD Park Pedal; Wrench and Pedro's 6& 8 mm allens with a handle on it

for the ones needing to unscrew that way

bike on the ground stepping on the pedal wrench with your Foot, will also apply More force..

Additionally got a Bench vise ? take the crank arm off hold it in the vise and then unscrew the pedal from the crankarm

It may help that you have the arm immobile rather than spinning around the BB.



./.

woodcraft

A little heat is a good idea.

drlogik 

I've seen pedals get stuck on old bikes with steel pedal spindle screwed into a steel crank arm but not too often with steel into an aluminum crank. As others have said, you sure you're turning the pedal in the correct direction to remove it?

Sitting on the bike with your hands on the handlebars, the right side pedal comes off by turning counter-clockwise (opposite the way the crank turns). The left pedal comes turning clockwise (also opposite the way the crank turns).

If you're doing that then yes, Kroil (or Mr Wrench, WD-40, etc) is your best bet. Patience, go slow with steady increasing pressure. It may have been cross-threaded when it was installed.

1 old fart

Steel spindle in an aluminum crank that simply does not want to come out. It has a large pedal wrench recess and several bike techs have given it their best shot. Might have to brute force it and thread chase hole and take $500 shot.

maddog34

use a quality penetrant oil(NOT WD-40, it's just kerosene, BTW)... wait two days... apply heat with a propane torch... remove pedal from crank. The aluminum will expand more quickly than the pedal spindle, and the heat helps break up oxidation on the threads, too.... WEAR leather GLOVES to prevent burns, and reduce the chance of bloody knuckles......

loxx0050

Has anybody tried a dead blow hammer to the pedal wrench? I've found that extra nudge will get stuck bolts to move.

And next time, a bit of bearing grease or anti-seize compound (if you have some) on the threads will help prevent this in the future.

dsbrantjr

A four-pound hand sledge is my persuader of choice; it has a shock effect that a dead-blow hammer (especially the urethane kind) lacks. I apply Tef-Gel to the threads and mating surfaces, and use pedal washers; both seem to help avoid seizing.

miamijim

Spray it with whatever and let it soak overnight. Blast it for 2 or 3 seconds with propane torch. Remove with big wrench.


Once it begins to move immediately STOP if you feel resistance. At this point spray with whatever and work the spindle back and forth to get the lube worked all the way.


If you force it you will strip the threads.


If you cant get it off send it to me and I'll do it for free.

JohnDThompson 

Don't be afraid to increase leverage. As noted above, removing the arm and clamping it in a sturdy, bench-mounted vise will help. I doubt you could destroy the threads in the arm, and even if that happens you should be able to helicoil the arm to restore them.

sch

Aluminum expands twice as much as steel with heat, so make sure you heat the crank and not the pedal
or you will make things worse. A blast of CO2 from a tire expander will cool something a lot for a short
time but unless there is an allen wrench socket in the pedal shaft it is not likely to work. Lever arms
are a problem with cranks on the bike, so removal of the opposite side pedal and using a suitable pipe
on the opposite side might get you some more leverage.

chedarhead

You can try beeswax as a penetrating oil. Mildly heat the crank arm and let the beeswax flow into the stuck thread . this and kroil was the preferred way to remove bound threads at a foundry where I worked. Be careful not to ignite the wax. Work on the parts while still warm.

WizardOfBoz

There were some studies done on penetrating oils. One of the best was automatic transmission fluid and acetone 50/50. Or Kroil. I suspect that Kroil is more complex that simply kerosene. It's MSDS includes different petroleum fractions, glycol ethers, alcohols, and 5-15% of proprietary solvent. Which may be kero, or ATF, or acetone, or a mix.

Anyway, here's where your 300 pound, fastened-to-the-floor, Wilton-10"-jaw-vice-equipped workbench comes in handy. Remove crank arm, soak pedal threads in Kroil overnight, wrap arm in leather and put in vice, make sure you have a good quality wrench, and try to remove the pedal (as others have mentioned, ensure that you remember that the left pedal is righty-loosey, lefty tighty, or reverse threaded.)

If you don't want to remove the crank, soak the thing in Kroil, make sure that the crank arm (on either side) is pointed towards the front of the bike, put your wrench on the pedal flat in a way such that the wrench is parallel with the floor and pointing backwards. Push down, or use your weight to step on the wrench to push down.

For the drive side, make sure the chain is on the large chainwheel. This will keep you from getting speared by a cog.

Mild heating (a couple hundred degrees F) will not draw metal temper or anything like that, but you might have to repack your pedal bearings with new grease.

I like dsbrandtjr's approach to antiseize gunk, and a washer. For future reference.

AlexCyclistRoch

I usually start out using a rubber/plastic mallet. Never want to start out with a metal hammer; it will cause too much damage to your tools.

San Rensho 

Stand back and take a deep breath. Mix equal parts of acetone and auto tranny fluid and spray liberally on the threads. Wait a week. You in a hurry?

Put a big breaker bar on the pedal and go to town.

loxx0050

A dead blow hammer is plastic. Most are Urethane as the one I have. In my experience they are superior to rubber mallets.