astrx

i have the silvans and want to switch to my newly bought gr9s. unfortunately, with my stubby wrench, i can't get one of the pedals off. i have tried some wd40 and that didnt do much. i dont care about the old pedals at all, so damaging them would be okay.

any suggestions?

KillerStephen

Vise grips and hammer?

Igneous Faction

Damaging them would be okay, but it would also increase the chance of the pedal threads getting messed up.

Get a breaker bar out that's like, 15 feet long and go to town.

dcb

1. make sure you are turning the right direction.
2. heat the crank w/propane torch around the thread area so it expands.

beethaniel

There is something better than WD40, i think its called liquid wrench. spray some on, let it soak for a while, and use a breaker bar.

Devolution

Uh, use a bigger wrench. Problem solved. Stay far away from the torches and hammers until you try a longer wrench.

If a longer wrench doesn't work, put a length of pipe on the end of it to form an even longer wrench.

^oZ

+1. Be careful not to strip the axle though.

sniks

I'd bet $25 that he cranking the wrong direction.

Eulogy13x

Easy way to remember which way to turn, regardless of the side of the bike you're on: Always turn the wrench so in the top-half of the rotation it's moving towards the back of the bike.

Also, +1 for Liquid Wrench. You can get it at Home Depot or any hardware store, it's like $3. It's worth like, $3,000,000. Spray it on thick, let it sit for a few hours (or days, even!) and come back. Then try the breaker bar. If that doesn't do it, it's NEVER coming out.

astrx

yup, did crank the wrong way at first. i followed the old lefty loosy righty tighty, then decided to look at the threads on my new pedals, kicked myself for 5 minutes and tried in the other direction.

ill try the pipe idea to add some leverage since it seems to be the only advice that is free, then move to this liquid wrench stuff.

the pope

Wouldn't a bike shop do this for the cost of a can of liquid wrench plus the hassle of getting the stuff?

Maybe, even, do it for free?

xiamsammyx

when i bought my girlfriend a new bike for her birthday earlier this summer I was in a huge hurry trying to put the thing together before she got home from work and i couldnt for the life of me get the 2nd pedal to thread into the cranks and was cursing up a storm throwing tools around getting increasingly frustrated, then i stopped and thought for a second and realized...
then i wanted to cry.

dwood

Number one suggestion is as many others have stated, "be sure you are turning the wrench in the correct direction."

I've never had much luck with any type of thread penetrating fluid. YMMV.

However, a good way to break the bond is to gently heat the thread area of the crank . . . GENTLY. Never get it too hot to touch momentarily. This does two things:

1] The coefficient of expansion of aluminum is roughly twice that of steel. So by gently warming the aluminum crank arm you are expanding [enlarging] its threaded area away from the steel threads of the pedal. [All this is assuming your crank is AL and your pedal threads are steel of course]

2] In the event that someone prior had used some form of threadlocking goop on the threads . . . the heat will soften that bond.

DON

anomaly

Did that today trying to get an old 105 cleated pedal off a Basso I bought a few weeks back, no such luck. I'm going to have to take it to the LBS and try a park pedal wrench with a big breaker bar.

anomaly

PB Blaster is the best penetrating oil in my opinion.

KillerStephen

pb blaster is good, really good.

Pwnt

"with a big enough lever, and a place to stand, you can move the world."

Landgolier

Ammonia will do a heck of a lot more for a frozen Al-steel connection than PB blaster.

time bandit

uhhh, i have an idea....

ASK IN THE BIKE MECHANICS FORUM. These kids will just make you do bad things to your bike.

barba

Get a proper wrench. If you can find a pipe that will slip over the end of your stubby wrench that may work as well.

LóFarkas

Use a hammer. A large one as well. No, seriously. The sudden impact loosens the bond, and I am speaking form personal experience here. The pipe thing is also a good idea.

Note: no need to whack it like you want to break something because then you will. A good couple of medium-strength "taps" should work.

Otis

This may not help, as if you do not have a pedal wrench you may not have a crank tool. But if you do, remove the crank arm and put it in a bench vise (soft jaws or between some wood). Then go after the pedal with a breaker-bar, hammer on wrench, heat, or whatever it takes. Fighting one on the bike you will usually end up hurt.

kemmer

Haha, new sig. I have seen sooo much bad advise in this forum. Seriously, vice grips? Hammers? Maybe as a last resort, but not before trying something other than a stubbly little wrench and WD-40. Sheesh.

trons

liquid wrench/pb blaster OR https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/stuck-pedals.html

anomaly

Well, I broke my pedal wrench today trying to get the old school 105 cleated pedal off the 105 crank arm. I decided to just throw the whole shebang away (kept the drive side w/ rings because that was in okay condition). I'm bummed, I could have got $40 for the cranks/pedals and now I MIGHT get $10 for the 105 drive side with biopace rings =/