You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Hey, I've just tried to remove a pair of dmr v12 pedals that came on a bike I've just bought. I can not get them to budge, I've had the soaked in wd40 for days, had an extended bar on a pedal spanner with no joy. There on really tight! What can I do to free them off with out damaging the crank arms? Rob
I had this recently so can sympathise! In the end took it to LBS and combination of work stand and brute force did the trick!!
Middleburn cranks! That why I don't really want to use a hammer! I've heard if you freeze them that works??
Depends how you've been trying to do it.
They could just be seized, but the way that I do it is to attach the pedal spanner so that it is in as straight a line with the crank arm as possible then, pointing it forwards, I put a foot on the pedal, push the foot down, and pull the spanner up.
Same approach for both sides (helps if you're a biffer, like me)
When fitting pedals, remember to grease the threads, to avoid the same problem later.
Just been trying to get as much leverage as possible really. I normally do what you do but its not working this time. yeah it's the first thing I do when buying 2nd hand bikes is remove pedals and seat post and regrease them both.
Try pouring a kettle of boiling water over them. The heat may help.
Yes Geoff I've tried that no joy.
I know I'm stating the obvious but you do know the non drive side pedal is a left hand thread so unscrews clockwise .
Haha yes I do know that 🙂
Sounds like you're going to have to resort to a pneumatic drill.
You could try heating the cranks with a heat gun. That should do it.
Heat gun? Will that damage the alu cranks or will it be ok?
Put the crank in a vice and use lots of leverage on the spanner. Be careful not impale yourself on the chainrings though
Cranks off and put in large wooden or soft faced vice. Clamp crank arm gently in vice - more to hold steady than to 'clamp'. Then loosen pedal with a big pedal spanner. Has done the trick for me in the past.
Take it to the very manly men in your LBS of choice and let it be their problem!
I once had to use a five foot scaff bar. The extra leverage helped!
Yeah it does look like its gonna be a cranks off job, as for the LBS my one has just closed down... Bugger!
Block of wood - one end on floor, other end under the end of the crank arm. holding crank arm at an angle such that you're happy to approach your kit with the spanner / allen key & hammer - sharp tap, harder sharp tap, even harder sharp tap etc until it gives.
Woden block stops the energy being transferred into spinning the cranks & cos it's wood, should not do too much to damage your cranks. That's worked for me, in the past.
Helps if someone / your repair stand holds the bike upright for you.
Done this a few times for people that have seized pedals into cranks .
Something has to be sacrificed in this instance the pedals.
Cranks off strip pedals down to axles. Grind (with a grinder) a flat on each side of the axle.
Grip the flats that you have made in a vice. This saves putting the nice crank arms in a vice.
Heat the crank arm area where the thread is with a heat gun. Aluminium expands at a greater rate than steel so it will help.
The heat should not be a problem aluminium needs about 200 degrees to anneal it.
Work them a little at a time back and forward keep adding WD40 it will smoke a bit try to ignore that! It needs to work into the threads.
I can usually get them off like this with brute force on the cranks with my hands and good thick gloves.
pull up if you can, you'll be able to exert more. 2nd person to hold the bike, probably upside down.
shock with big snapper/hammer if that fails.
Freeze and release type spray good big Allen key and a hammer.
Well pedals are off, it tool a 5ft scaffold bar and a lot if swearing! Previous owner had used some type of lock tight!
Heat up gradually with a heat gun but build it up so are really hot and then spray wd40 ..... and repeat ...... and repeat ..... and repeat ..... and then hard forcefull clout on the allen key with a mallet, when still hot. Usually heating and rapid cooling is a good re-lease shock tactic. I know you didn't put the pedals on but the threads should always be smeared with some copper grease.

