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Can’t remove drive side pedal seems stuck

Old 02-17-19, 11:10 AM
  #1  
Commuter19
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Can’t remove drive side pedal seems stuck

so bassically I’ve got to replace my pedals since the ends have cracked I’ve taken non drive side off using pedal spanner 🔧 but I’ve tried this on drive side and the pedal just doesn’t want to come off. So its stuck. Is there way of getting a stuck pedal off?

ps I’ve had to turn my bike upside down to do this since I don’t have a stand
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Old 02-17-19, 11:21 AM
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I had to use a 30" breaker bar to remove my NDS pedal yesterday, because some maroon (that would be me) neglected to put anything on the threads when the pedal was installed. Put a big pipe over the handle of that pedal wrench. More leverage usually wins.
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Old 02-17-19, 11:47 AM
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Originally Posted by DrIsotope
I had to use a 30" breaker bar to remove my NDS pedal yesterday, because some maroon (that would be me) neglected to put anything on the threads when the pedal was installed. Put a big pipe over the handle of that pedal wrench. More leverage usually wins.
what if you have no big pipe as I recently just moved.
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Old 02-17-19, 11:53 AM
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Just in case: make sure you are trying to turn it in the correct direction to loosen it. Drive side pedal is right hand thread, so turn it to the left to loosen it. NDS pedal is left hand thread (sounds like you know that already). Both pedals will turn towards the rear of the bike to loosen, towards the front of the bike to tighten.

Other than that, increased leverage is your friend. Penetrating oil can't hurt. Impact on the wrench might help if no more levarage is possible.
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Old 02-17-19, 12:00 PM
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Teamwork is also helpful - one guy holds the bike steady and still while the other applies the torque to the cheater bar.
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Old 02-17-19, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Commuter19

what if you have no big pipe as I recently just moved.
If no pipe do u have a hammer to hit the wrench with also as noted if u have another person to help hold the bike would be ideal also if u have wd 40 or pentrating oil give it a soak for awhile
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Old 02-17-19, 12:54 PM
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Originally Posted by well biked
Just in case: make sure you are trying to turn it in the correct direction to loosen it. Drive side pedal is right hand thread, so turn it to the left to loosen it. NDS pedal is left hand thread (sounds like you know that already). Both pedals will turn towards the rear of the bike to loosen, towards the front of the bike to tighten.

Other than that, increased leverage is your friend. Penetrating oil can't hurt. Impact on the
wrench might help if no more levarage is possible.
yea drive side unscrews anti clockwise and I tried oil earlier. That hasn’t worked


dont have anyone else to hold hence why I put my bike upside down and no hammer. All I have is a pedal wrench and Allen keys etc..
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Old 02-17-19, 02:07 PM
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Pedal trying to take off. Is this a cap to access (Allen hole? If so how do you take it off


This is the one I fixed notice
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Old 02-17-19, 02:19 PM
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That Allen hole is in the end of the pedal spindle. It is not a separate bolt. With the right size Allen wrench, you can take that pedal off as explained by the other posters.
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Old 02-17-19, 02:25 PM
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Pour some boiling water over the end of the crank and try to remove the spindle while the aluminum is still hot. The heat may help to break the spindle free. Also just make sure you're turning it the right way since you're turning the spindle from the inside of the crank you would turn it counterclockwise for this reverse thread to loosen. Just sayin'.

Last edited by Crankycrank; 02-17-19 at 02:29 PM.
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Old 02-17-19, 02:53 PM
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There are very helpful videos on YouTube.

Also be sure to put the chain on the big chain ring. If your hand slips and hit the chain ring, your fingers will thank you.

I know the offending pedal is on the NDS, but when you use force crazy things can happen.

Good luck.
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Old 02-17-19, 03:03 PM
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# 1 turning it the proper direction ?

@ bike shop we have a very long (8mm? ) wrench to remove them , with a handle .. willing to seek shop help ?



LBS on the western end of a long tour route, stuck pedals happen .. we ship bikes back.. so pedal has to come off *

Bike on the ground with tires pumped up , is usually better than in the air. on the stand ..
once I break the pedals loose (Yes, a 2 person job, some times) then the bike goes in the stand for the rest of the knock down..

* if its too stuck the crank is removed, .. because the job was box and ship, so the really stuck pedal solution is a can kicked down the road..

Usually shipped to another bike shop in their hometown..







....

Last edited by fietsbob; 02-17-19 at 04:01 PM.
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Old 02-17-19, 03:44 PM
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As someone else mentioned, put the chain on the big chain ring before you do anything else (and drape a folded rag over the chain for good measure; I can show you the 40-year-old scar that taught me to do that).

Then, remove your seat post (having first marked it so that you can reinstall it at the correct height), slip the open end over the allen wrench, and use the seat post as a cheater bar.
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Old 02-17-19, 05:14 PM
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Get an 18" or 24" long 3/8" ratchet wrench and an 8mm hex bit to fit it.
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Old 02-17-19, 05:17 PM
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I remove problem pedals by removing the arm(s) from the bike, clamping in a bench-mounted vise, and using a pedal wrench and cheapter bar to get the necessary leverage.
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Old 02-17-19, 07:27 PM
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Spray some Liquid Wrench on it and tap it.
Keep trying to loosen the bolt normally.
If it still hasn't come off by the next day then place a 2x4 underneath the pedal and put the hex wrench in the bolt hole and against the 2x4. Then mash on the pedal with your foot as much as you would dare. Probably be a good idea to cover it with a towel to keep flying tools and particles down to a minimum.
The hot water thing or a heat gun is a good idea too.

Last edited by ArmChairRider; 02-17-19 at 07:50 PM.
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Old 02-17-19, 07:48 PM
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It's all about getting the best mechanical advantage and making sure you're turning the tool in the correct direction. I made a video a few years back with some tips on removing tight pedals. It might be helpful...

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Old 02-17-19, 08:38 PM
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When pedals with hex sockets in their butts get stuck, with too much force it is possible to crack the sides of the hex socket. Once this happens, the pedal becomes absolutely unremovable. You will have to throw out the crank and the pedal. (Unless you drill out the pedal spindle and somehow repair the thread, which is typically not worth it.)

This is something you have to keep in mind. There are lots of bad and inexperienced advice in this thread stating that all you supposedly need is "greater mechanical advantage". Ignore this advice at all costs. If your pedal is really stuck, the only thing you will achieve by applying excessive force to such hex socket is six cracks in six corners of the socket. This will be a total loss.

If you feel that the force becomes excessive (and the hex socket is stil intact), try warming up the crank and applying some penetrating oil. If this does not help, you will have to sacrifice the pedal: cut the outside portion off, leaving enough of the spindle sticking out. File the sticking out portion into something that will engage with a different kind of wrench (like open wrench). Some people use a saw to cut a slit for a hefty screwdriver. (And so on: use your imagination.) By using the outer end of the spindle you will be able to apply massive amount of force without the danger of cracking the hex socket.

If this does not work, throw out the crank. Next time apply anti-seize compound to the threads and unmount-remount your pedals periodically (re-applying the compound).

Last edited by AndreyT; 02-18-19 at 02:26 PM.
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Old 03-01-19, 02:39 PM
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I had to completely disassemble a pedal, cut the shaft shorter and hit it with an impact gun one time.....it was STUCK!
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Old 03-01-19, 02:51 PM
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LBS can be your friend -- if the wrench knows what he/she is doing.

Otherwise, soak it with penetrating oil for a night or two. Use a toe strap to hold the other crank against the left chainstay. 8mm hex key in a 12" socket driver, add a pipe for extra oomph. If that doesn't work or you don't have appropriate tools...

Go ask your LBS what they can do for you. It'll probably be cheaper than the socket key plus pile (my LBS did it for a smile!).
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Old 03-01-19, 03:12 PM
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Twelve days later....... have you fixed this or hopelessly screwed up the crank arm? It'll suck not to have something to ride this weekend.
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Old 03-02-19, 11:45 AM
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Replace whole crank-set if you still cannot get the pedal off, after all this time ..
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Old 03-02-19, 02:12 PM
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A bike shop will do it for maybe $5.

While visiting my daughter, I took her bike out. It had mis-matched pedals since they had never been able to get one of them off.

He had to pull out the big guns, but the wrench got it loose while I waited.
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Old 03-03-19, 06:22 AM
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I had a pedal stuck so bad once, that I had to strip it down to the shank, drop a 1/2" nut over it, and tack weld it -
Whether it was just that I was then able to get extra leverage on it with a box end wrench, or the heat from welding helped break it loose, I don't know, but it came out then without harming the crank arm.
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Old 03-03-19, 10:43 AM
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On the right side you can take advantage of your body weight and, standing aside the bike on that side, step onto the handle of the wrench, placed pointing toward the rear axle (i.e., unscrewing it in the usual left-to-loosen manner).
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