Medic Zero

So I'm about to undertake trying to rebuild a set of pedals.

I picked up one of those bearing sizing tools so I can figure what size to replace them with once I crack them open. Any reccomendations as to sources for bearings, and brand/models? I assume I want to try and polish the races, I own a Dremel tool, what bit would y'all reccommend? I've got a tube of Phil White lube, I assume this is appropriate for lubricating everything.

What am I missing? What can you reccommend?


Many thanks!

jimc101

For bearing, a your LBS, a hardware store / bearing shop, google, ebay are all options.

If the races are worn, will working them with a dremel actually do any good, or will it just make them worse?

What pedals? some higher end pedals are rebuildable, for lower end ones, it's easier just to replace, as spares availability / cost may make replacement better value for money.

davidad

What kind of pedals?

Medic Zero

I'll see if I can track down the make and model, but they're inexpensive. I like big platforms, and I like a rubber coating over the top, I have yet to see anyone make something like this in a quality product.

This is my third or fourth set of them in almost two years of commuting. This year I'll have put in right at 2,000 miles in riding, between commuting and other riding.

I figured I'd see if rebuilding them with better bearings and polishing the races resulted in something a little more durable. They develop a nasty (and embarrassing!) click in them after probably about six months of riding them in my wet (Seattle) and hilly riding conditions. I'm also a Clyde (275-ish) and this is on a heavy bike that usually has a bit of a load on board.

Bill Kapaun

Likely, they aren't designed to be rebuilt, if they are inexpensive.

Are they assembled with crimps or screws? IF screws, you have a chance. Crimped ones are probably bushings.

IF they have replaceable bearings, the likely size would be 5/32" and you need LOTS of them to do both. I did an old set several months ago, and I think the bearing count was up around 60?

FBinNY 

Since you speak of polishing the races I gather you mean you're replacing the balls, not the bearings. (a ris the entire assembly including the 2 races and the set of balls).

If so balls are cheap and readily availble. Since the races are worn, you can save money with grade 100 vs. 25 since you're not likely to benefit from the added precision. Unless the races are severely worn with visible rough spots, leave them alone. If they are worn, you won't be able do do any good with a Dremel, since precise roundness is more important than polish.

BTW- if you want to try something that will save you lots of time, you can avoid disassembly entirely. Find a spare dustcap for these pedals and attach a grease fitting to it. Now all you'll need to do is switch dustcaps and pump grease through pushing old grease and dirt out ahead of it. If they're very bad, you can soak the entire pedal (dust cap off) in OMS, and clean it out completely. When finished, let it dry and grease it via the dust cap.

dsbrantjr

MKS https://www.mkspedal.com/English/index.htm make a wide variety of good-quality pedals, most if not all of which are serviceable/adjustable and rebuildable. Their Lambda pedals have a large platform and look pretty grippy.

Spld cyclist

Assuming you have a standard cup and cone bearing, one thing that can be frustrating is locking in the right preload. Underneath the dust cap you typically find a nut, washer, and cone. Once you're done and you're trying to set preload, you need to tighten the nut, but doing so often makes the cone a little tighter than it was initially set for. It's good to keep the cone from turning as you tighten the nut, but there is very little clearance in there to get another tool in to do this.

Alternatively, you can set the cone just loose enough that it's just right when the nut is tightened, but I find that it takes several tries to get it right.

Anyone have any tips to make this easier?

FBinNY 

Yes, while the pedal is apart, and the parts washed, paint the axle thread where the cone rides with nylon paint, or rubber cement. This will allow the cone to turn so you can assemble it, but bind it well enough to keep it from moving on it's own. You'll still have to deal with the tendency to tighten as the locknut pushes the cone to the front edge of the threads. This varies depending on how sloppy the thread is, but you can get the feel for it and allow accordingly.

fietsbob

many economy ones rivet,\upset, the axle end, so ignored, they don't come apart.

Clones of Campagnolo road pedals are rebuildable, MKS, etc.

I saw a setup for grinding axle cones, drill motor [in bench vise] spins the Axle ,
then the tapered grind stone bit is spun by the die-grinder.. in hand.

but if you can put the dremel in the tool post of a Lathe, to rotate the part,
then you have a steadier feed rate control.

HillRider

If you have gone through three or four sets of these pedals in say 4,000 miles of riding, you are throwing good money, and time, after bad. The pedals aren't worth the effort to rebuild. There are very good quill and platform pedals still available. They won't be cheap initially but they will be vastly more durable than the ones you are using. I'd find a bike shop that specializes in BMX and/of MTB bikes as these often use platform pedals and they should have good ones for sale.

BTW, the SR quill pedals I've rorked on in the past used 1/8" bearing balls so this size is also a possibility if you go ahead on work on your current ones. And yes, Phil Grease is suitable.

Medic Zero

Lots of good information on pedal rebuilds here folks, thanks!

Now that I'm home from work I was able to do a google search for the pedals, they are these Sunlite "Cruiser pedals": https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Bicycl.../dp/B000AO7GWG

I have yet to attempt to disassemble them, so I have no idea what is inside them yet!

I'm thinking that folks may well be right that I should just choose to go with a different design and plunk down the money for a good rebuildable pair of pedals. In the past I've been put off by the cost of these, but if they are rebuildable then they'll be cheaper in the long run. I'm open to suggestions on other large platform pedals that anyone has good experience with.

I'll probably still try and disassemble these later today after I've slept (I work nights) or tomorrow when I am doing some maintenance on my bike anyway. More out of curiosity than thinking I'm going to go through with it at this point. Might depend on what I find when I crack them open (assuming I can).

dedhed

Buy grade 25 balls by the hundred, in the size you need, at a place like this.

https://www.fastenal.com/web/location...attle&state=WA

https://www.fastenal.com/web/products...ex?sku=0987678

pierce

sunlite stuff is basically crap grade.

I've got a pair of Wellgo B-67 BMX pin platform pedals on my new bike, and am really happy. sized for large feet, the platform is dished to match the ball of your foot, and it has pins in the middle as well as around the permiter so it really grabs the sole of your shoe and keeps it planted. these use sealed cartridge bearings, and appear to be rebuildable. the spindle is cro-mo, so they are strong, the pedal body is good alloy, so they are light. I've clipped a few rocks with them and they haven't broken yet.

what the others said about MKS pedals, for sure, quite good quality replicas of classic Campy and other designs. but rubber pedals, sigh, pretty much all are junk.

TugaDude

Another thing you might consider is checking the lube if you buy a new pair. Mfgs are notorious for not using enough grease initially. I like FbiNY's suggestion about injecting the grease in through the pedal cap. I looked at the link to the pedals and while it is unclear, they probably are serviceable.

HillRider

For a truly durable pedal consider the Speedplay Drilliums. https://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?f...=home.drillium

These are "Downhill" pedals which have a bunch of pins to grip your shoes and a very wide platform. They are also extremely rugged and can be relubed with no disassembly. The MSRP is $109 but at $13 each, your throw-away pedals will have consumed that much money in 9 pairs and you will still have junk. Buy good, buy once.

FastJake

Good advice. Although, I feel like you could probably find some good quality all-metal BMX pedals that will work just as well for less than half the price.

I would not waste more money on $18 Sunlite pedals.

pierce

my wellgo b67's can be found for $35 or so on amazon/ebay/etc. they are nominally a $80 pedal.

dsbrantjr

"Another thing you might consider is checking the lube if you buy a new pair."

+1 I've found that most pedals, MKS included, come with the bearings skimpily lubed and adjusted too tight.
Add lube and adjust before using and you should be good for many trouble-free miles.

gyozadude

If you're going that cheap on pedals, expect the pedal body to deform when the bike falls over. It won't hold. My kids go through pedals like the Sunlites, and I keep them cheap because they ride junkers to school so it's not a big loss if some bully or vandal trashes the bike, let alone steals it.

I'd splurge and do like a dollar more, and get the Wellgo's. https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ucts_id=413520

The Wellgo's aren't as "fat" if you like the bigger look. But they look civilized and then hex mount base of the axle adds a psychological boost that screams better quality if it's in looks only. But it does advertise loose bearings so it is "serviceable." And I have serviced all Wellgo's because they are usually tight out of the box. The worse thing? The end cap needs to be pried off, so you'll be scraping and gouging the cap to get it off even before you ride them. And usually, you need more grease. They try to save 0.25 cents on grease on these cheap pedals. :-)

But they can work for a few years. But they aren't MKS or Suntour Superbe/XC/XC Pro pedals with sealed cartridges, that's for sure.

fietsbob

There is simple cost reduction for a mass producer to buy less grease, by using as little as practical,
and, stretch the quantity out over as many units as one can.

pierce

speaking of comfort pedals.


these look really intriguing. has anyone here tried them?

https://www.ergon-bike.com/us/en/product/pc2



I've only seen pictures, but in some of them, they look huge.

Spld cyclist

[QUOTE=gyozadude;15048402 The worse thing? The end cap needs to be pried off, so you'll be scraping and gouging the cap to get it off even before you ride them. [/QUOTE]

I just got my first set of pedals with screw-on end caps (MKS), and that is one awesome feature to have in a serviceable pedal!

MichaelW

With my MKS pedals, I use a plumbers piper wrench to remove the domed cap, but it is plastic so you have to be very delicate.
Well used pedals probably have a self-polished cup. Polishing up bits which have no contact is a waste of time. If the parts are hardened, you can remove this layer by excessive work.
I mount the axle in a bench vice so I can use 2 hands. I use a box wrench when adjusting the locking nut, and use needle-nosed pliers to fine tune the position of the cone. The tabbed anti-rotation washer has enough rotation to let the cone slip, so be patient and start from a slightly loose position, it will tighten as you lock down.

sonatageek

If the Sunlite pedals are rebuild-able, I wonder how many miles your would get out of them if you rebuilt and adjusted them when you first got them? Even nice pedals, like ones from MKS, in my experience, arrive tight and sort of rough out of the box.