drilling pedals

[bonj2]

Has anyone ever drilled a pedal to get it off. The pedal can be sacrificed, but would like to keep the crank and put new pedals on it.
I only want to know if you have actually ever tried drilling it out and whether it worked, what drill bit you used etc.

It is COMPLETELY seized. PLEASE don't reply saying "oh but have you tried xxx... half a vial of a potion of a spider juice and sesame oil and strike thrice with an oak gaberoon"... I need to get belt and braces on its ass

 

[Pottsy]

I'm just waiting for the first person to check you're trying to undo it the right way.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

I think drilling out the spindle could be difficult as they are hardened. If you take off the pedal, could you get a pair of hefty Stillsons on the spindle?

 

[gbb]

There's less than no chance of drilling the axle out accurately enough without damaging the threads.
Ideally, you'd want an extractor, but on something as big as an axle, the extractor would have to be big as well, and experience has told me they rarely work that well on something that's REALLY siezed.
Can you get the pedal off the axle, then apply some heat to the axle. The expansion of the steel can often aid removal.
Soak in WD or similar for a few days maybe ?

 

[Crackle]

Do you have an oil or gas platform nearby? They're good at drilling.

 

[Chuffy]

Why on earth are you looking to drill out a pedal axle?

Are there no flats or allen key hole on the pedal?

 

[Steve Austin]

Which way were you undoing it?

 

[spandex]

No chance of drilling your best bet is to take off the crank and strip the peddle down then put it into a vice.

 

[bonj2]

Why on earth are you looking to drill out a pedal axle?

becuase it's seized, for GOD'S SAKE! why else?

Are there no flats or allen key hole on the pedal?

there's flats, but no allen key hole.

Which way were you undoing it?

the CORRECT way, of course, which way do you THINK?

 

[mickle]

Of course it's drillable. You will need a selection of sharp drill bits from 3mm in 0.5mm increments up to 1mm smaller than whatever the internal diameter of the crank hole is. A pillar drill with some oomph and a good speed control. A good sharp centre-punch. Some cutting fluid.

When drilling steel one must use very low revs, high pressure and patience. Allow the bit to do it's thing, which is cut a thin layer per revolution. High revs will blunt the bit in a second.

Make sure the first hole is absolutely in the middle of the spindle and keep the area flooded with cutting fluid.

Mark the depth that you need to drill so that you don't waste time drilling too deep. Tape around each bit will serve as a depth marker.

It'll take you a long time.



The best option though would be to soak it in penetrating fluid overnight, dismantle the pedal, whack the axle in a vice and stick a length of pipe over the crank. Easy.

To prevent it happening again next time use peddle washers and grease your axels.

 

[tyred]

Leave it to soak in diesel overnight.

 

[Chuffy]

This is for that horrible old sh*tter that you're doing up, isn't it?

The reason I ask 'why drill'? is because you obviously haven't tried hard enough to get it off with conventional methods. If there are flats then you can get a pedal spanner on there. With enough pipe over the end of the spanner (or with the axle in a vice, over the crank) you can move anything. Drilling, unless you have access to a full-on metal workshop, is going to be hard, possibly dangerous and after half a day of swearing and frustration you'll quite likely shag the crank anyway.

A part which will probably cost you a tenner....

Do you have a vice?

 

[ColinJ]

The reason I ask 'why drill'? is because you obviously haven't tried hard enough to get it off with conventional methods. If there are flats then you can get a pedal spanner on there. With enough pipe over the end of the spanner (or with the axle in a vice, over the crank) you can move anything.

You beat me to it! I had what I thought was an impossibly seized pedal once and went along to the LBS with my bike. They reached for the pedal spanner and I was about to tell them not to bother when they fished out what was virtually a length of scaffold pipe about 4 feet long. One guy held the bike and another stood on the end of the pipe. There was a loud Crack! which sounded like the crank breaking, but it was just the pedal coming loose .

 

[DaveP]

Bonj,

You will need a hefty pillar drill (complete with wide speed range) a vice that is clamped down, centre drill and a carbide (diamond, cobalt tipped) drill and plenty of lube..

Assuming that soaking in various potions does not work, a little heat applied may work also as the material which the crank is made out of (assuming it is an alloy and not carbon) will expand at a different rate to the pedals...tricky but feasible...

Oh and it may be better to get both a left hand and right handed drill...


Good luck...

 

[MartinC]

Bonj, Mickle's approach is the right one. Try it. It may bugger the threads in the cranks and the pedal axle will just turn without coming out of the crank. You'll then need a puller (like the sort one use's for track rod ends on cars). It should come out easily as the thread has gone. You can then get a pedal thread insert (google around) to press into the crank to repair it.

Alternatives are to buy a spare crank arm or the chainset you always wanted.