I'm working on a 1985 Schwinn World Sport and like to be meticulous with my overhaul projects. Is it likely the pedals on this bike are not serviceable? They are stamped "HTI-842" and it is not obvious how to remove the dust caps. They spin well but have a little play and I would like to do the bearings if possible.

Post some photos of the pedals.

I've "serviced" my Campy pedals, and now my Shimano SPD pedals. However, I generally consider any steel, rubber, or plastic pedals as not worth the bother. However, I suppose I could imagine wanting to grease them up on a "classic".

Lots of low cost pedals installed by manufacturers on lower model bikes in the 70's and early 80's were meant to be use/and throw away pedals after they wear out, but some C&Vers had been able to open up the flush, usually lip-less dust caps these usually come with (French Atom and Maillard lowest model pedals usually came this way.) with a bit of effort to service and/or change out their bearings to extend their service lives, but unfortunately, some of these have their spindle tips mushroomed, splitor staked to permanently retain their nut/outer races, with a bit more work, you can maybe use the Dremel on the tip of the spindle to get the nut/races/bearing off the pedals, but the amount of work and the results might not be worth the effort anyway.....

I would attempt it if you really want to save them. At least you would have tried.

Here's a pic

Grab a big ass pair of Channel locks and try to pull the cap off. If the comes off there may a way to adjust the bearings, may be not. If NOT then:

1. Remove pedal from bike
2. Stamp pedal on cap end.
3. pour heavy weight motor oil into spindle end.
4. Let sit for 10 minutes
5. Flip pedal over and let stand on spindle end.
6. Let excess oil drain
7. re-install pedal

That style pedal may have no bearing adjustment.

I'd pull those off and put them on the shelf. The get some new pedals like these Wellgos for $10. I realize you want to maintain and keep the bike original but if you figure your labor is worth $20 an hour is it worth spending four hours on those pedals when you could be riding?

Any chance those caps are threaded onto the pedal bodies? I like the earlier suggestion of setting the pedal on end and dripping heavy motor oil into it.

The caps are not threaded. I did drip some oil in. The pedals actually spin quite freely (perhaps a little too freely...) and are perfectly usable. I'm probably going to call them good as this bike is a fix and sell. I do like to fix as thoroughly as possible but sounds like that means not servicing the pedals for this rig.

Thanks all for the ideas - I admire those of you who open these up!

You did the right thing. It's what I would have done.

Cheap pedals these days are worse than these old ones. These may last a long time. Heck, they already have lasted a long time.

I like and use the inexpensive Sunlite or Wellgo or Cyclist's Choice ATB pedals with clips and straps.

I ride with regular shoes and these pedals are just as comfortable on my feet as the "touring specific" SP-11, but they have nowhere near the cachet.

I've marked up the photo a little bit based on a pedal I have (whole).



On mine, the end cap looks like a domed freeze-plug (at least from the outside).
The end of the pedal is molded outward about 1/4".
So, there is nothing to grab onto with pliers.

The two bearing races are pressed steel. On mine, the inner race seems to be molded into the end-piece. The outer one is separate.

Anyway, there appear to be two ways to open up the pedal.

1. Jam a screwdriver/chisel into the seam between the end cap and retainer, and pry the end cap out.
2. Remove the peened parts that are holding the cage together at the corners. The end of the pedal, end cap, and retainer should then come out giving good access to the bearings.

Unfortunately, both methods are somewhat destructive, although I have an older style galvanized (I think) pedal that appears as if the inner peened part of the cage could be non-destructively disassembled (assuming it bent and didn't break) There may be enough metal to peen it a second time. The newer style seems to be much more mashed with the peening, making it more difficult to imagine taking it apart and re-assembling.

If you really want to figure out how to restore these pedals, find a broken one at a thrift store for $1, and have at it.

As has been mentioned, once you get it all apart, there is no guarantee the cones are adjustable. Even if it has threaded cones and lock nuts, I would not be surprised to see the end of the axle peened to help hold it together. Or, perhaps they would have done cones + peening and no lock nut.

If it isn't all loose, then just use the above suggestions to oil it and ignore it.

Trick is to keep from damaging the cap as some of these are in there tight. I have a Maillard quill pedal set with a similarly "permanent" cap on the set. There's definitely a seam around the cap. but so far, I could not find a good tool to get in there to pry it out as the seam is quite thin and nothing fits into it except the edge of an Exacto knife...but of course I broke the blades using it to pry the cap off....
I might just drill a couple of small puller holes through the cap so I can use them to pull the cap off with a small loop of stiff wire with "L" hooks at its ends....