Pedal removal

[TheDoctor]

Heat and shrink, have you discovered a new science.

Well, the heat makes the ally crank expand. The steel pedal shaft doesn't expand as much, so the shaft ends up a bit smaller relative to the hole. Is relative shrinkage a thing?

 

[screenman]

Well, the heat makes the ally crank expand. The steel pedal shaft doesn't expand as much, so the shaft ends up a bit smaller relative to the hole. Is relative shrinkage a thing?

No.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Is relative shrinkage a thing?

Is relative expansion a 'thing'?

 

[Globalti]

Don't waste your time with heat, cold or penetrating oil. Stand astride the bike and set the crank forwards and horizontal. Fit a good quality pedal spanner to the pedal spindle so that it is also as close as possible to horizontal and parallel to the crank. Stand and if necessarily bounce gently on the end, being ready for it to let go. The horizontal crank and spanner will cancel each other out and all the force of your weight goes through the pedal spindle, which won't be able to resist. Be sure the crank is forward so that you are turning the spanner backwards.

 

[steveindenmark]

The heat application does work....sometimes....standing on a spanner is a good way to round the fastenings if you get it wrong.

Best idea in this instance is to let the LBS do it as they will get them off in a couple of minutes. If you round the fastening it will take a lot longer and more money.

 

[Globalti]

An ordinary spanner won't hack it; the metal is sometimes too thick and won't fully engage with the two flats on the pedal spindle and the standing method I mention above will actually open the spanner. A proper Park Tool pedal spanner is an excellent investment for any cyclist as it's long and tough and has a wide reinforcing area of metal around the "jaws", preventing them from opening:

 

[subaqua]

meh.

nothing a half decent user of a grinding wheel cant do to a "proper Spanner"

inversely I used a cone spanner to make a crows foot spanner to adjust valve clearances on a Ford Pinto engine .

engineering wins.

 

[Ajax Bay]

set the crank forwards and horizontal. Fit a good quality pedal spanner to the pedal spindle so that it is also as close as possible to horizontal and parallel to the crank.

To be (even) clear(er) for @Globalti 's method, fit the spanner so it is horizontal (near as), parallel to the (horizontal) crank and facing to the rear from the pedal spindle.

 

[Profpointy]

An ordinary spanner won't hack it; the metal is sometimes too thick and won't fully engage with the two flats on the pedal spindle and the standing method I mention above will actually open the spanner. A proper Park Tool pedal spanner is an excellent investment for any cyclist as it's long and tough and has a wide reinforcing area of metal around the "jaws", preventing them from opening:

Have to say I'm a bit skeptical of the claim a pedal spanner made of stamped out steel sheet is going to be stronger than a proper high quality car-mending spanner. Granted the car mending spanner needs to be a thin one, and a crappy cheap one made of cheese could be even worse than a sheet steel stamping, but a pukka snap-on, facom, gedore or whatever will be fine (if it's thin enough)

 

[Adam4868]

The correct spanner with a piece of tubing (scaffold pole) to gain more leverage.

 

[Venod]

A pedal spanner is of no use for these, the Allen key hole has rounded off so I will have to grind some flats on or dismantle the pedal and use some Stillsons to remove it when it finally expires.

 

[Profpointy]

for the allen key ones it's well worth using proper allen key adaptors from a socket set and a long handle or good make t-bar allen keys. A little L-shaped one or fold up set / multi tool ain't going to be enough unless you're very lucky indeed.

 

[fixedfixer]

Don't waste your time with heat, cold or penetrating oil. Stand astride the bike and set the crank forwards and horizontal. Fit a good quality pedal spanner to the pedal spindle so that it is also as close as possible to horizontal and parallel to the crank. Stand and if necessarily bounce gently on the end, being ready for it to let go. The horizontal crank and spanner will cancel each other out and all the force of your weight goes through the pedal spindle, which won't be able to resist. Be sure the crank is forward so that you are turning the spanner backwards.

It is not unknown for a seized hardened steel pedal shaft to wreck the soft alloy of the crank as it exits. Go easy, a bit of freeing oil will help.

 

[GuyBoden]

The correct spanner with a piece of tubing (scaffold pole) to gain more leverage.

I used a piece of tubing to obtain more leverage to removed 30 year old pedals from an Ovaltech Crankset a few week ago. Freeing oil, a good pedal spanner and extra leverage tubing did the trick eventually, but it took time and patience.........

 

[subaqua]

A pedal spanner is of no use for these, the Allen key hole has rounded off so I will have to grind some flats on or dismantle the pedal and use some Stillsons to remove it when it finally expires.

View attachment 156693

Small stilsons and a mechanical advantage increaser ( long tube ) will get that out without need for grinding flats. Just use the stilsons the right way round , there are lots of people who don't get how they work !