You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Title says it all really!
I have a number of pairs of the metal caged SPD pedals from Shimano that are really wobbly when you push them side to side. I took one apart to see how they are made and there seems to be a quite small bearing with 2 races - its not surprising they fail after a while.
So is it worth bothering and how big are the bearings? (I saw a pack for sale for £4.99 which seems alot for tiny metal balls!)
Any hive mind experience would be welcomed!
Alastair
For the cost of a new pair, I tend to treat them as disposable. I have replaced the bearings in a pair once and the faff definitely outweighed the cost of replacement.
When you can pick up a new pair of M520's for £20 including a pair of cleats (£12 on their own) is a no brainer for me.
I just brought some M520's including cleats for £20. I know it's bad to encourage throw away items, but they could at least be recycled.
Are M520s the ones without the cage?
I'll see if I can find some caged ones cheap as I prefer the security of a larger platform on the MTB
Thanks for your responses lunge & qwerty
As soon as mine get a bit of play I pull them apart, clean and regrease them and they'll keep going with the same bearings. Given you can replace them cheaply, what is there to lose in having a go at refreshing them.
Fiddly and frustrating job but fairly simple to do if you have a vice and a set of soft jaws.
Worth keeping the pedals going if you can
Bearing size is 3/32"
Took a pair of SPD SL pedals apart and cracked the bearing housing but after that I got the hang of it.
If there's play you can take them apart and clean out all the grease and then tighten them innards slightly as you would with a cup and cone bearing. Then regrease and reassemble and you should have a like new pair of pedals.
Sure they don't just need the cup and cones adjusting. Mine which I thought were badly worm only.needed this and a regrease. Took 10 minutes and they are perfect again.
They're adjustable. One of the spindles has a reverse thread, but otherwise they're easy to work on. There's also a ridiculously expensive special tool which I've always lusted after, but could never justify actually buying:
This: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-spd-pedal-cone-adjuster-tool-pd63/
When I say 'spindle' I mean the big locknut that basically holds the spindle assembly in place and surrounds the spindle where it enters the pedal body - which is pretty obvious, but one of them is reverse threaded so it loosens the wrong way round.
That tool up there used to be £45 everywhere. It was on sale at Wiggle a couple of weeks ago for £25 so after 30 years of bodging and finagling, I now have the right tool. Not helpful to the OP but there you go...
The answer is obviously 'yes', adjust and fiddle before they're farked and they will last a very very long time.
I pull the spindle out once a year and re-grease, last for years shimano pedals with new grease once in a while.
I've worn through the pedal body before wearing out the bearings in the past. Just adjust and regrease and you're good to go.
That tool up there used to be £45 everywhere. It was on sale at Wiggle a couple of weeks ago for £25 so after 30 years of bodging and finagling, I now have the right tool. Not helpful to the OP but there you go…
No... 🙁
Are M520s the ones without the cage?
I’ll see if I can find some caged ones cheap as I prefer the security of a larger platform on the MTB
M530's, same as but with a cage, under £25.
For the cost of a new pair, I tend to treat them as disposable. I have replaced the bearings in a pair once and the faff definitely outweighed the cost of replacement.
It's a ten-minute job to whip the pedals off, take out the spindle, adjust the bearing, reassemble with new grease and stick them back on the bike. It kind of irks me to throw something away when it's still perfectly serviceable. Think about the baby penguins...
I know it’s bad to encourage throw away items, but they could at least be recycled.
^ yep, M520s are so easy to service. Unscrew the body, adjust the cones, pop new grease into the end of the body and it pushes the old grease out when you screw the axle assembly back into the body.
Of all the moving parts on my bike the M520 is by a long way the most durable. I've had a set outlast both a Hope Pro2 rear hub (body failed before the pedals wore out) and a King BB. They just needed doing up and re-greasing now and then (a 10 min job for the pair)
I have the tool to adjust them but a small ring spanner and a smaller socket does the job just as well, I use the spanner and socket mostly.
Had a wobbly pedal on my venerable M959s the other week. Pedal in vice, unscrew platform/cage from spindle, pack with grease, tighten back up, sorted.
Coming on for 20 years old, faultless.
The better versions don't need that tool. Just some spanners.