Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

Pedals refuse to be removed

Search
Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

Pedals refuse to be removed

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-29-08 | 07:07 PM
  #1  
ShadowGray's Avatar
Thread Starter
I like my car
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,747
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia, PA
Pedals refuse to be removed

Yes, I have a 15mm pedal wrench. I also have a 6mm hex wrench. I am turning above and towards the rear of the bike (left pedal is turned clockwise to remove). It does not come off.

I put one foot on the pedal and then turn the wrench the other way... I've even dipped the crank in gasoline and set it on fire! (okay, maybe not, but I have taken a lighter to it).

What other possible ways are there to remove it? Is there a benefit to using either the pedal wrench or hex key?

And these pedals were put on by the LBS, not me.
ShadowGray is offline  
Reply
Old 07-29-08 | 07:20 PM
  #2  
capwater's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 0
From: Quahog, RI

Bikes: Giant TCR Comps, Cdale R5000, Klein Q-Pro, Litespeed Siena, Piasano 105, Redline Conquest Pro, Voodoo Bizango, Fuji Aloha

Screw the right pedal in halfway and put it in the 6 o'clock position. Then place your foot in front of it to brace the crank against it while turning the left one. Also, you might want to get a breaker bar or hunk of pipe to give yourself more leverage.
capwater is offline  
Reply
Old 07-29-08 | 07:38 PM
  #3  
cab horn
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 28,353
Likes: 30
From: Toronto

Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione

Take the crank off and put it into a vice and use the park tool leverage enhancer and boom.
operator is offline  
Reply
Old 07-29-08 | 08:03 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 0
Use some penetrating oil. That's right, it's labelled as such. Read label.
jsmithepa is offline  
Reply
Old 07-29-08 | 08:13 PM
  #5  
ShadowGray's Avatar
Thread Starter
I like my car
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,747
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia, PA
Well, I've begun to strip the pedal/wrench. I'm going to take it to the LBS tomorrow and see how they take it off... I swear they must have a gorilla for a mechanic. Brings a whole new meaning to wrench monkey.
ShadowGray is offline  
Reply
Old 07-29-08 | 09:48 PM
  #6  
Ex Pres's Avatar
Cat 6
Titanium Club Membership
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,522
Likes: 236
From: Mountain Brook, AL
They just have a much bigger wrench than you do. Take a look at it.
__________________
72 Frejus (for sale), Holdsworth Record (for sale), special CNC & Gitane Interclub / 74 Italvega NR (for sale) / c80 French / 82 Raleigh Intl MkII f&f (for sale)/ 83 Trek 620 (for sale)/ 84 Bruce Gordon Chinook (for sale)/ 85 Ron Cooper / 87 Centurion IM MV (for sale) / 03 Casati Dardo / 08 BF IRO / 09 Dogma FPX / 09 Giant TCX0 / 10 Vassago Fisticuff








Ex Pres is offline  
Reply
Old 07-29-08 | 10:06 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,104
Likes: 1
From: Athens, Ohio

Bikes: Custom Custom Custom

Tell them that they put on pedals too tight. Pedals naturally tighten themselves. I've spun on pedals by hand (because it didn't have a wrench) and went out for a ride before. After the ride, I had to use the wrench to get them off. My boss is super paranoid about pedals falling off and makes them impossible tight. Me on the other hand, they are fairly loose but snug.
nitropowered is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 06:17 AM
  #8  
treebound's Avatar
aka: Mike J.
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,405
Likes: 60
From: between Milwaukee and Sheboygan in Wisconsin

Bikes: 1995 Trek 520 is the current primary bike.

Could be cross-threaded too making it a bear to get off. I've assembled a few bikes with cross-threaded pedals from the factory.

You might be able to tighten it a nudge and then get it to come off.
treebound is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 06:36 AM
  #9  
rodrigaj's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Madison, WI
Back in March, I had a similar problem. I brute forced it and I got the pedal off. I also did a partial tear to the distal bicept tendon of my right arm. I am still going for PT.

The lesson I learned, after 59 years, is that the LBS can be great friend for a relatively small amount of money.
rodrigaj is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 08:17 AM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: Centennial, CO

Bikes: Lynskey 210R, Cannondale CAAD2 MTB

If a pedal is this stubborn, it usually means that it was assembled with insufficient grease. I've managed to get them off when they are *really* stuck by positioning the crank arm horizontally towards the back of the bike, placing a block of wood under the crank arm at the pedal, putting the the pedal wrench on the pedal pointing to the back, then tapping the wrench with a dead-blow mallet.

Make sure you use plenty of grease on the threads and the bolt shoulder when you remount the pedal.
tedshuck is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 10:56 AM
  #11  
ShadowGray's Avatar
Thread Starter
I like my car
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,747
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia, PA
Well, I'm adequately surprised. I took it to the LBS, the mechanic just took it off in about 10 seconds. Of course their wrench looks a lot higher quality than my $10 spin doctor wrench, and they used an actual work stand, but still... I was amazed with what ease they got it off with.

Wrench size does matter!
ShadowGray is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 10:57 AM
  #12  
Georgia Traveler
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 139
Likes: 5
Originally Posted by ShadowGray
Yes, I have a 15mm pedal wrench. I also have a 6mm hex wrench. I am turning above and towards the rear of the bike (left pedal is turned clockwise to remove). It does not come off.
Isn't "turning above and towards the rear of the bike" turning the pedal counter-clockwise--I guess it depends on which side of the bike you are viewing from...
richart is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 11:01 AM
  #13  
treebound's Avatar
aka: Mike J.
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,405
Likes: 60
From: between Milwaukee and Sheboygan in Wisconsin

Bikes: 1995 Trek 520 is the current primary bike.

Glad they got it off for you without further hassle.

I use one of these:
https://www.parktool.com/products/det...27&item=PW%2D4
Nice and sturdy, long enough so I don't gouge my knuckles on chainrings when installing pedals, and stout enough to remove stubborn stuff.
treebound is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 12:55 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 998
Likes: 0
Last time I had a stuck pedal, I used the Park Tool mentioned above, and hit the handle end of it with a rubber mallet to get enough force for the initial breaking loose.
mlts22 is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 01:48 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by ShadowGray
the mechanic just took it off in about 10 seconds. Of course their wrench looks a lot higher quality than my $10 spin doctor wrench, and they used an actual work stand, but still...
Still nuthing. A work stand provides the necessary leverage. Deceptively simple yet...
jsmithepa is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 02:16 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 600
Likes: 0
From: angus scotland

Bikes: Grifter BSA 20

Ive had stuck pedals.
took the crank arm off and clamped up in vice
use my fave scaffold pole on a spanner

still doesnt always work

and sometimes the pedal rips the threads out of the crank arm
clogs its threads with alloy
which is difficult to remove
griftereck is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 02:28 PM
  #17  
Wanderer's Avatar
aka Phil Jungels
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,234
Likes: 91
From: North Aurora, IL

Bikes: 08 Specialized Crosstrail Sport, 05 Sirrus Comp

Instead of grease or assembly lube(actually moly fortified grease) you really should be using anti sieze compound, especially if you are connecting disimilar metals, i.e, steel and aluminum. Doesn't take much, but it will make a difference.
Wanderer is offline  
Reply
Old 07-30-08 | 03:05 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,169
Likes: 1
From: SoCal
Facing the left side of bike put the crank arm at close to 10:00 position. Place wrench on pedal with handle to the rear. Place foot on it and push down or smack it with a mallet.
Mirror image for right side.
Has NEVER failed me.
dvs cycles is offline  
Reply
Old 11-20-08 | 07:23 PM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 73
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by dvs cycles
Facing the left side of bike put the crank arm at close to 10:00 position. Place wrench on pedal with handle to the rear. Place foot on it and push down or smack it with a mallet.
Mirror image for right side.
Has NEVER failed me.
Does mirror image means you place the right side pedal at the 2 oclock position ? And still the wrench with handle towards the rear ?
sapolin is offline  
Reply
Old 11-20-08 | 07:37 PM
  #20  
sth's Avatar
sth
Senior Member
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, Wet Coast
Me thinks you were turning the wrong way...gotta go to the bike to be sure but in my head, I am thinking: above and to the front, ie counter clockwise. I use the Park tool and a long steel pipe for an extension. Glad you got it off anyway.
sth is offline  
Reply
Old 11-20-08 | 08:46 PM
  #21  
Bikedued's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,984
Likes: 144
I just had a GT MTB give this much trouble. It would not loosen. It took about three threads to scrap the crank. I had another crank laying around, and I was not up for this type of punishment, lol. This was with a Craftsman 15mm, and a 3 foot piece of pipe. The pedal wrench was put down several minutes before. It never stripped, or broke? Amazing. It makes me wonder if someone had put the pedals on the wrong sides somehow.,,,,BD
__________________
So many bikes, so little dime.
Bikedued is offline  
Reply
Old 11-20-08 | 09:12 PM
  #22  
jgedwa's Avatar
surly old man
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,393
Likes: 44
From: Carlisle, PA

Bikes: IRO Mark V, Karate Monkey half fat, Trek 620 IGH, Cannondale 26/24 MTB, Amp Research B3, and more.

[QUOTE=operator;7163693] the park tool leverage enhancerQUOTE]

I am too lazy to go the Park site and see if there really is such a thing, but isn't a "leverage enhancer" just a pipe that slips over the end of a wrench?? Is the Park one blue? Not sure how else it could be different.

Myself, I use a genuine gas-pipe super-duper bar that Archimedes would envy

jim
__________________
Cross Check Nexus7, IRO Mark V, Trek 620 Nexus7, Karate Monkey half fat, IRO Model 19 fixed, Amp Research B3, Surly 1x1 half fat fixed, and more...
--------------------------
SB forever
jgedwa is offline  
Reply
Old 11-20-08 | 09:53 PM
  #23  
Bikedued's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,984
Likes: 144
Nah, it's chrome(or black steel) with a blue dipped end "handle" about 8 or 9 inches long.,,,,BD
__________________
So many bikes, so little dime.
Bikedued is offline  
Reply
Old 11-21-08 | 05:49 AM
  #24  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,687
Likes: 297
Originally Posted by sth
Me thinks you were turning the wrong way...
No. Handle over the top towards the rear of the bike is the right direction for pedal removal.
dabac is offline  
Reply
Old 11-21-08 | 10:51 AM
  #25  
rmfnla's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,301
Likes: 14
From: La La Land (We love it!)

Bikes: Gilmour road, Curtlo road; both steel (of course)

Originally Posted by ShadowGray
Well, I've begun to strip the pedal/wrench. I'm going to take it to the LBS tomorrow and see how they take it off... I swear they must have a gorilla for a mechanic. Brings a whole new meaning to wrench monkey.
That's what the problem was; cheap tools.

The tool should be stronger than the part it is used on.
__________________
Today, I believe my jurisdiction ends here...
rmfnla is offline  
Reply


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.