bored117 

Why a bike when all you need to change is Crankset? Okay... joke aside...
PB blaster + socket wrench (preferably with more leverage), a mallet... and tap on the darned wrench with the mallet. The jolt tends to loosen up better than applying force on it sometimes...

Sixty Fiver

While you are standing on the non drive side of the bike put the crank arm forward, insert the proper hex head with a socket driver and while holding this, put your weight on the pedal... it is the most efficient way to deliver maximum torque to remove the pedal save for removing the crank arm and using a vice... if your back does not like doing things like this (like mine does) add a longer cheater bar to the socket wrench so you can stay a little more upright.

If you are using a vice... you need to lock the bit in the vice and use the crank arm as a lever.

If the pedal was cross threaded the crank may be f'd.

A little penetrating fluid and a good whack with a hammer can also help break a frozen pedal.

Looigi

Just to be clear, if it isn't yet; on the right crank the pedal loosens by turning it counterclockwise when viewed from the pedal side of the crank (right side of the bike). When viewed from the spindle end (viewing from the left side of the bike) it loosens clockwise.

hueyhoolihan

while, in general, i am an advocate and prominant popularizer of pounding on wrenches to loosen bolts , i've found that typical hex wrenches don't respond well to this technique. they seem to want to torque out and in the process destroy the head of the bolt and inflict massive disappointment. as has been noted here a socket wrench, extension, and hexhead socket may offer more satisfactory results. IME.

bianchi10

got it!!!! had to use an impact wrench.

K.Katso

This is how I did it the last time a shop put the damned things on too tight:

Put bike up on trainer to hold upright and steady.
Sit on bike.
Clip in other foot to keep it from spinning.
Put pedal wrench on.
Turn wrench.
Repeat for other side.

BarracksSi

Wow, awesome. Not too often that people need power tools to work on a bike. Are all the threads still good?

mechBgon

1. put the driveside crank pointing toward the front of the bike approximately level

2. put the allen key into the pedal axle so it's pointing back at the rear wheel's contact patch

3. slide some kind of strong metal tube over the allen key to extend it, and push down while holding the left crank


My usual tool of choice for this is an extended-length Craftsman 3/8"-drive ratchet with an 8mm hex-bit socket. I'll take this opportunity to recommend liberally greasing the male and female threads for as close to 100% fill as you can get.

on the path

Yes. Grease the damm threads -

Jed19

Yeah, and I'll also recommend taking off and re-installing your pedals every three to six months or so.

MDfive21

i prefer the allen key to pedal wrench

Lucky07

In the future, try using heat. A friend suggested that after I spent two days trying to get a pedal off. I heated up the very end of the crank for about 20 seconds with a small flame from a butane torch. Pedal came right off like it was never stuck.

Obviously, this won't work with carbon cranks or pedals. I had neither, but just to make sure I wrapped the frame & pedal with a wet cloth before starting.

bianchi10

Thats a pretty agressive solution!

rogerstg

Amazingly effective, wasn't it.


Just the opposite, far less agressive than all the banging and straining the crankarms with leverage and vises. Simply brains over brawn.

BTW, if a little heat on a crankarm is agressive, that would make cooking in aluminum pans extremely violent.

bianchi10

aluminum pans are meant for cooking at high temps. Even then when you do, you can burn the pan leaving marks. Last thing I would want to do is leave marks on my crank arm. I have never done it or thought of it so maybe it wouldn't do any harm asthetically. If that is the case, then I will remember that for next time. I greased the crap out of them before putting them back on though so I'm hoping there wont be a need for it.

mmmdonuts

The finish on most crankarms isn't meant to be heated.

mihlbach

If the crank happens to be carbon, you are in luck. Just burn the crank. That'll get the pedal off the bike.