Removing pedals from a Trek 1.7?

redved

Hi, trying to change over my Trek 1.7 from regular pedals to clip-in pedals, slight problem being I can't remove the old pedals. I have a 15mm wrench which seems to fit the pedal but no movement at all. Is it just a case of WD40 and a hammer, or is there a better option?

sean_d

Just to check, but you are turning them the right way?
The left pedal loosens by turning clockwise, which catches a few people out.

Other than that, its doubleyoudeeforty and elbow grease - see if you can find a long bar to slide over the handle of the wrench to give you a bit more leverage.

It will also serve as a good reminder to always always grease the pedal threads

blorg

Are you sure you are trying to unscrew them the right way- left side is reverse thread. This means with the bike on the ground you always try to turn the wrench down towards the back of the bike, e.g. counter-clockwise on right, clockwise on left to loosen.

Apart from that it is mainly a matter of leverage- a bit of a pipe etc. on top of the wrench handle can help. Soaking in WD40 not a bad idea. They can be very difficult to remove, especially if they were not greased properly on installation, make sure you do that with the replacements.

EDIT: In other words, what Sean said

doozerie

Another approach to gaining extra leverage is to use your foot on the spanner instead of your hand. This is only feasible though if you can get the spanner in a position relative to the crank where pushing on the spanner meets some resistance from the crank itself (as opposed to just rotating the crank as you would when pedalling) - it can take a bit of trial and error to find the right position, and with pedals that have only 2 flats for the spanner it can sometimes prove impossible to find a very usable position. If there is an allen key slot in the end of the threaded part of the pedal axle, try using an allen key and the 15mm spanner at the same time - plus it can be easier to find a piece of metal to fit over the allen key than the spanner.

Hammering the spanner is an option too, but very much a last resort as it potentially puts a lot of stress on your bottom bracket and frame (I've done it myself in extreme circumstances, and wouldn't recommend it). It also risks snapping the spanner and that metal can go flying so wear some sort of eye protection if you choose that option. Before resorting to a hammer, it's worth investing in a better spanner though - it isn't necessarily a miracle cure but a decent spanner can make a world of difference. I have the Park Tool PW-3 and although it is strong and comfortable on your hands only one of the slots is 15mm and so it can be hard to get a good position with it to properly swing from the pedal. I think the PW-4 is a better choice. Neither spanner is cheap, but I have found in the past that I'd pay twice that amount for something that would do the job when I've had to deal with an expensive pedal locked solid to an expensive crank.

Yet another option is to remove the crank, clamp the pedal in a secured vice (might take some creative arrangement of strongs bits of metal, or just clamp your pedal spanner in the vice and attach the pedal to it), and swing from the crank. At that stage a hammer becomes more viable too, although obviously you are still risking permanent damage to the crank, pedal, and spanner.

blorg

Just worth considering- I presume you are using a specific pedal wrench rather than a 15mm spanner? I snapped a 15mm spanner before trying to get pedals off; a pedal wrench is thicker around the jaws so it won't snap in this way.

I have used the foot leverage method before all right, most extreme instance saw me jumping up and down on the pedal wrench while leaning against a wall. You need to be careful with that sort of thing as when it does come loose it will generally do so suddenly

redved

thanks all, embarassingly enough I was turning the pedal in the wrong direction. Have them off now.

blorg

redved wrote: »

thanks all, embarassingly enough I was turning the pedal in the wrong direction. Have them off now.

Haha, my most recent time doing that was only a couple of months ago heading off to Spain- and I assure you I should know better by now. Got completely confused by the end of the HOUR I spent wrestling with the bike

gman2k

Had an interesting one recently - bought a set of Look Carbon Quartz mtb pedals on Ebay, and the seller sent me two lefts. Took me ages to cop it though! (they are not marked left or right)
I was going mad cos one pedal would go on, but the other wouldn't - and I know about the left thread being reversed - eventually I compared the two pedal threads to find them both the same. think //// & //// as opposed to //// & \\\\

PS, the LIDL cycle tool kit has a great pedal spanner, and a long allen key wrench also - for spd types. Worth investing in, if they sell it again!

StudentC

sean_d wrote: »

It will also serve as a good reminder to always always grease the pedal threads

Any particular type of grease? I've just put new pedals on without greasing them...oops.....

72hundred

StudentC wrote: »

Any particular type of grease? I've just put new pedals on without greasing them...oops.....

Lithium Grease. Very cheap at your LBS <€5 for tube that will last you for years and years.