Cross thread pedal

[Stiggers]

Hey all , new to cycling , I bought a 2nd hand hybrid to basically give my Achilles a rest from running ., however I’m really enjoying it ! More than I thought so will continue with both

sooo Carerra sub one , really nice condition well maintained , however 2nd ride out felt left pedal drop and bugger me crank arm thread knackered ! So I buy a new crankset (couldn’t seem to get just the left arm to match).
Installed it nice and tight , 2 rides later I felt it go again ! Thread looks a bit threaded on new arm now , but I managed to screw back in straight and tight and will keep eye and take spanner out on rides even !
So Straight away I then I looked at right pedal and didn’t look flush to me , so I jump on bike and low and behold it does feel wonky when pedal , so this must have happened right at end of my ride as felt fine during ride ! Strangely though whereas left pedal seemed to work it’s way loose before ‘dropping’ , the right one is tight against crank and has dropped , so I’m gonna have to fit the right crank now which I’ve got ..

so what’s going on !? 2 cranks (Might be 3 yet) in about 7 or 8 rides ! Am I unwittedly pedaling with weight in outside of pedal (will take note next ride) ..
Or are these RS SUNTOUR cranks just not up to my power 😂😂

cheers
Steve

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Hi and @Stiggers

That looks a bit messy. Given that you are new to cycling, the obvious question is; have the pedals been fitted the correct way round? They are handed and the left pedal has a left hand thread.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

That's messy but repairable on the off chance a local shop has a 9/16-20 helicoil kit and a 5/8-24 RH tap

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Something isn't quite right here. I haven't managed to strip a single pedal thread in over 40 years, so either something sully is being done, like trying to fit pedals to the wrong threaded crank, or the threads on the pedals are damaged and are chewing up the crank during fitting.
It should be possible to insert a pedal most of the way with little more than finger pressure, and grease should be used on the threads too, not fitted dry. If they won't go in easily, then don't force them! Investigate why they are tight and rectify the cause.

 

[Paulus]

As above, probably you have fitted the pedals onto the cranks wrongly.There is a saying for pedal threads and most Bottom Bracket threads,

Right is right, left is wrong, meaning they unscrew and screw up the opposite way.

 

[Cycleops]

Sorry Steve but it looks like it’s time for new crankset and pedals, more than likely the threads on your pedals are damaged and causing the same problem. Ensure you have them on the correct sides, they are marked L and R.

Hello and to the forum.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Pedals can be fitted by hand. You only need spanners/Allen keys right at the end for tightening purposes.
It really looks as those pedals have been forced in on the wrong sides.
All pedals will have a L or R clearly marked, usually on the flat bit just above the thread.
Sorry, but it looks like the credit card will be getting hammered.

 

[rogerzilla]

As above, probably you have fitted the pedals onto the cranks wrongly.There is a saying for pedal threads and most Bottom Bracket threads,

Right is right, left is wrong, meaning they unscrew and screw up the opposite way.

Er...English/ISO BB shells are left-threaded on the right-hand side, so that saying is 50% wrong! It's correct for Italian shells but they are thankfully dying out now that road racing bikes tend to use pressfit systems.

 

[Stiggers]

Hey guys thanks for replies , I thought I’d be notified with responses .. so only just checked

Pedals are defo on correct way (marked L and R) however they do not screw on easy with finger s suggesting pedal thread not great !? (Looks ok ) I’ve only just bought some copper grease for threads so will use that now and see how they go on ..
Very annoying

cheers !

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Damaged or overly tight threads need to be cleaned up before fitting components, otherwise you dramatically increase the chance of having them strip. Either use a commercial tap or make your own one from an old scrap pedal spindle with a couple of swarf relief grooves cut along it's axis using a cutting disc on an angle grinder. Use normal machine shop practice when tapping; back the tap off half a turn for every turn forward, in order to clear the swarf and let it fall away. If a thread has been weakened and become slack after cleaning up, you may not be able to risk tightening it as much as normal, in which case you should be applying threadlock engineering adhesive to the thread when assembling not anti-seize compound.