Servicing wellgo pedals with lose bearings
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 304
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
Servicing wellgo pedals with loose bearings
I was trying to overhaul some Wellgo clipless road pedals (W40) that contain loose bearings with cup/cone races.
The problem I'm having is getting the jam nut tightened without the cone nut turning. With even a small amount of torque, the cone nut turns and it overloads the bearings such that the pedal won't spin freely. This is because there is no keyway in the spindle for a keyed washer between the cone nut and the jam nut. It doesn't seem to matter how loose I initially leave the cone nut before I start tightening the jam nut.
If I just tighten it enough to let the bearings spin freely, the nuts are sure to back off. Both nuts are deeply recessed in the pedal body with little room to insert even a small flat blade screwdriver to keep the cone nut from moving while tightening the jam nut. The factory tool must involve some sort of very thin outer socket combined with an inner socket to properly assemble the pedal.
These pedals are nothing special so probably the answer is to toss them but I don't like the idea of things not being serviceable when really they should be. The only thing I could think of is to replace the jam nut with a nyloc nut.
Any ideas?
The problem I'm having is getting the jam nut tightened without the cone nut turning. With even a small amount of torque, the cone nut turns and it overloads the bearings such that the pedal won't spin freely. This is because there is no keyway in the spindle for a keyed washer between the cone nut and the jam nut. It doesn't seem to matter how loose I initially leave the cone nut before I start tightening the jam nut.
If I just tighten it enough to let the bearings spin freely, the nuts are sure to back off. Both nuts are deeply recessed in the pedal body with little room to insert even a small flat blade screwdriver to keep the cone nut from moving while tightening the jam nut. The factory tool must involve some sort of very thin outer socket combined with an inner socket to properly assemble the pedal.
These pedals are nothing special so probably the answer is to toss them but I don't like the idea of things not being serviceable when really they should be. The only thing I could think of is to replace the jam nut with a nyloc nut.
Any ideas?
#2
Old fart
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,911
Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3556 Post(s)
Liked 3,332 Times
in
1,899 Posts
I'm not familiar with the Wellgo pedal you have, but have repacked plenty of other cup & cone type pedals and am familiar with the problem you describe. I've found you can often jam a screwdriver blade in to hold the cone in place as you tighten the locknut. Even so, some finesse is needed and several tries before you get it "just right." Be patient.
#3
Senior Member
I'm not familiar with the Wellgo pedal you have, but have repacked plenty of other cup & cone type pedals and am familiar with the problem you describe. I've found you can often jam a screwdriver blade in to hold the cone in place as you tighten the locknut. Even so, some finesse is needed and several tries before you get it "just right." Be patient.
The current tool (tl-pd63) is 7/8mm (small socket) and 10/11 (large). The vast majority of pedals use two of those four sizes for their cones/locknuts.
It is a really expensive tool set for anyone other than a shop (and even then, they're as like to replace the pedals as they are to service them...).
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 304
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
Tried the screwdriver thing but there's so little clearance that I can't get it to work. Cant even get a little pick down there alongside the socket.
#6
Banned
An alternative
Have a plastic dust cover.. add a tiny hole, outer end,
With a Needle grease-gun add grease until it starts coming out the other side where it screws on the crank arm,
Then any grit should be flushed out Too.
..
Have a plastic dust cover.. add a tiny hole, outer end,
With a Needle grease-gun add grease until it starts coming out the other side where it screws on the crank arm,
Then any grit should be flushed out Too.
..
#7
Senior Member
This should be easy enough to figure out, since you have already removed the nut/cone. There is typically a fair amount of clearance around the cone, so I wouldn't be overly-worried about the size of the Shimano tool; I have done it in the past, but I can't recall the specific pedals that I've done it with. As I mentioned before, most shops/customers are going to replace with brand new, rather than pay $15-25 of parts/labor to overhaul a pair of pedals (that probably didn't cost much more, if not less).
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 304
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
That's a great thought but I will need to get the issue with getting the proper pre-load on the bearings with the locknut fully tightened first. I have a grease gun with a needle that would be perfect for this. Only thing I would worry about is that the grease would constantly be working its way out of the pedal so you would have to clean it up pretty frequently. The rubber seals on the threaded side of the spindle are still in good shape but are pretty thin such that they wouldn't hold the grease back very well - really only good for keeping some dust out .
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 304
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
This should be easy enough to figure out, since you have already removed the nut/cone. There is typically a fair amount of clearance around the cone, so I wouldn't be overly-worried about the size of the Shimano tool; I have done it in the past, but I can't recall the specific pedals that I've done it with. As I mentioned before, most shops/customers are going to replace with brand new, rather than pay $15-25 of parts/labor to overhaul a pair of pedals (that probably didn't cost much more, if not less).
#10
Senior Member
The above method is the cheapest way of doing it. The "right" method is using Shimano's socket set:
The current tool (tl-pd63) is 7/8mm (small socket) and 10/11 (large). The vast majority of pedals use two of those four sizes for their cones/locknuts.
It is a really expensive tool set for anyone other than a shop (and even then, they're as like to replace the pedals as they are to service them...).
The current tool (tl-pd63) is 7/8mm (small socket) and 10/11 (large). The vast majority of pedals use two of those four sizes for their cones/locknuts.
It is a really expensive tool set for anyone other than a shop (and even then, they're as like to replace the pedals as they are to service them...).
I think a similar tool is used by car mechanics to adjust tappet valves on engines.
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 304
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
I know exactly what you're talking about as I've rigged up something similar to adjust the valves on my Integra. However, at least in my experience, the part of the valve that you are holding still when you tighten the nut has a screwdriver head so you can hold a deep socket on the outside with a vise grips with a screwdriver inserted down through the socket.
#12
Senior Member
That's right, the central part was a screwdriver. The tool I saw was being used on Dodge Slant 6.
I don't see why Shimano charges such a high price for the tool. Could be there is no competition yet.
That tool would save a lot of time.
I don't see why Shimano charges such a high price for the tool. Could be there is no competition yet.
That tool would save a lot of time.
Last edited by Dsprok; 01-10-17 at 11:51 AM.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 1,109
Bikes: s-1
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 221 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
they are so cheap they aren't meant to be serviced. I rode a pair of these pedals for a few thousand miles, they had a little play but nothing crazy. when I got tired of them I just replaced them, they ar elike $30 WITH CLEATS which is less than most cleats cost for other systems. just toss em.
#14
Banned
I have some MKS pedals that are such close copies of the Traditional Campagnolo pedals
the same tools work and that includes the dust caps, which are interchangeable for replacements.
the same tools work and that includes the dust caps, which are interchangeable for replacements.
#15
Senior Member
Second, don't pull pedals apart. I learned this the hard way when on a 2 day tour, the bearing cone of my left pedal, which I had recently serviced, started to tighten up. I had messed up the reassembly, and not tightened the cone against the lock-nut. So the pedal eventually became seized-up, and then started to unwind from the crankarm.
I think that this has been mentioned before, but I use a small nail to punch a hole in the plastic dust cap. Or use a small drill bit. Then, about every 6 months, I inject grease through the hole, and clean up the dirty grease that comes out inboard. Been doing this for years.
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 304
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 82 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
After I spend a while trying to overhaul the Wellgos, I ended up getting some of these Shimano replacements for a great price (come with cleats and the pedals plus cleats are about what you'd pay for cleats alone). I got the standard action variant.
I still havnen't trashed the Wellgo pedals as I also like the loose bearing design. I can't bring myself to buy the specialized Shimano tool, however so I'll only get these back in working condition if I can borrow the tool or if the nyloc nut idea works.
I still havnen't trashed the Wellgo pedals as I also like the loose bearing design. I can't bring myself to buy the specialized Shimano tool, however so I'll only get these back in working condition if I can borrow the tool or if the nyloc nut idea works.
Last edited by IrishBrewer; 01-10-17 at 01:48 PM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
hospadar
Bicycle Mechanics
3
06-14-10 07:33 AM