Pedal rebuild help
 

Hello, I am trying to service my cheapo platform pedals because the bearings aren't so smooth and there is a strange clicking noise when under hard pedaling.

So far I have got the dust cap and the bolt off of the axle. However, I have run into a problem in the form of a spacer that I can't get out. Do you guys have any ideas as to how to get this spacer off of the axle and continue the job? Also are there any other insights as to more problems I might run into along the way? Here are some photos of my progress so far:

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...n/IMG_0111.jpg

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...n/IMG_0112.jpg

It's hard to judge from your end on photo, but I assume this was a spacer under an outer locknut. It appears to be keyed washer mating to the side flatted axle. If so, rotate it until it's aligned and is should slide off. If it cant get past the distortion at the end, clean that up with a file first.

The keyed spacer makes it possible to adjust the bearing, then tighten the locknut to hold it without both turning together. Sometimes the washer has a tendancy to turn slightly and bite into the axle slightly, so you might need a pair of pliers to rotate it back into line so it'll come off.

Okay, thanks a lot for the help. I'll see if I can align it.

Alright, I got the keyed washer off, now I am faced with another barrier: Some sort of extra nut or something? I couldn't find a socket in metric or english that would fit inside the pedal and around the flats on this next part.

here is a photo of it

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...n/IMG_0114.jpg

Nevermind, I figured out a way to get it off.

Needle-nose pliers?

Actually, that last bolt was the cone itself, and since it wasn't tightened down much it was fairly easy to just unscrew. I jammed a butter knife into the space between a flat and the inside of the pedal body and turned the attaching bolt on the other side with a wrench.

Try these. Meant to be overhauled and far better quality. http://www.thethirdhand.com/index.cg...id=24166375487

Corrrect - not necessary to use a wrench. Also true that the pedal was not designed for overhaul, but you've already started. When you reassemble be sure to use new ball bearings. Tighten down the cone till it stops and then back off about 1/8 turn or so. Put on the keyed washer and the locknut and tighten down fairly snug. You will have to hold the pedal axle in place with a vise or wrench. Check the bearing by rotating. If it feels smooth and has no play you lucked out. If not loosen the locknut, loosen or tighten the cone a bit and retighten the locknut. It's just trial and error.

Note that the pedal is not necessarily the source of the click you experienced - http://www.sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html

the last 'nut' is likely the end of the cone..

On my Traditional Campag pedals there is a keyed washer, between the nut and the cone,
so you can turn the cone to adjust it and the washer won't rotate, ...
by not having the cone turn with the nut , you can tighten the nut and retain the bearing adjustment.

many other decent pedals use this system..

When you reassemble it you will need to run that cone nut back in and leave it very slightly loose. Then add the keyed washer and finally tighten the outer locking nut. Try the pedal. If it's loose or tight on the shaft then you need to pull it all apart move the cone nut the slightest bit the way it has to go and then put the keyed washer back on and tighten the locking nut. You will likely need to do this quite a few times before you get the correct setting where it's smooth and just a slight bit draggy instead of being notchy feeling or rattling loose. There's no magic to it, just patience and doing it over and over until it's right. It needs to be done this way because in a pedal there isn't any way to reach the cone nut once the washer is back in place.

I realize that those pedals are pieces of crap and are not meant to be rebuilt, but they are the only ones wide enough for my feet. I have bought multiple pedals of higher quality but was unable to use them because they were too narrow. This leaves me with like 3 extra pairs of pedals lying around.

I did assure that the pedals were in fact the source of clicking. When using a different pair of pedals, the clicking goes away.

And even though I was probably wasting my time overhauling these pedals, it proved to be a learning process for me so I can do it again on pedals that I'm not worried about screwing up. Not to mention the bearings were absolutely filthy, cleaned and used some phil grease, they are a lot smoother. Thanks for all the input from everyone though.

I use a pick, like a dental pick. Slip it past the washer and rotate the pick 90 degrees, or as much of ninety degrees as possible. There's not much rotational force on the cone, so it's enough to keep it from turning. Won't work in all cases, because there might not be enough clearance for a socket (especially if you've got cheap thick walled sockets.) and the pick's shaft.