[Closed] Pedal Stuck in Cranks

Use a long pedal spanner

And yes, I know, but you are turning it the right way?

Have we ruled out the obvious - are you undoing it in the correct direction to account for the reverse thread (depending on which side)?

If you are then you need a longer lever - any metal pipework you can put over the end of the allen key for more leverage?

Use a long pedal spanner

You can't on a shimano m540.

You can get special allen keys with handles for this. I tend to use a regular one with something to 'extend' it,eg a ring spanner. Wear safely glasses as I've had a cheap allen key shatter before

And check direction of course 🙂

You really need something at least a foot-long for leverage - you probably won't get enough torque from a regular allen key. Point the crank forward towards the front wheel with the allen key in the back of the pedal pointing towards the saddle - strike Allen key firmly down with a hammer to see if you can 'crack' the thread. Otherwise, worth nipping into your LBS if you've nothing to hand.

And use penetrating oil, not WD40.

You can't on a shimano m540.

What a shitter. Allen keys feel really sketchy if you're trying to undo a seized pedal.

dovebiker - Member
You really need something at least a foot-long for leverage - you probably won't get enough torque from a regular allen key. Point the crank forward towards the front wheel with the allen key in the back of the pedal pointing towards the saddle

hot water + longer lever, and triple check you're turning it the right way 😉

remove crank from bike if you can so that you can brace it properly against something (floor works) helps too as more of your effort will go into undoing it rather than flexing bits of bike.

If you're desperate, and don't have access to a proper pedal spanner, if you have an old seat post, slide it over the Allen key and use it as leverage.

As said, make sure you're turning the correct way.

had this earlier today

wanted to take some nuke proof plastic pedals off a bike i bought

one was really tight

allen key only, no flat on spindle for my spanner

used a long allen key with a brompton seat post slid over it

Go to a bike shop. Don't risk wrecking the thread and needing new cranks (like I did).

Yeah, the pedal isn't 'stuck', it's just a question of leverage. Find a length of pipe or something to slide over your allen key and make sure you have a night tight fit so you don't round anything off.

You can't on a shimano m540

You can get a long pedal spanner with Allen keys for pedals like these, CB and Time. Worth getting one for situations like this.

 

When replacing apply a thin layer of copper grease to the thread and You won't have this problem again.

With crank pointing toward front wheel, insert allen key in same direction as crank (ideally with extender), put foot on pedal and pull-up as hard as it takes. Works with either pedal.
One of [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15-FLEXI-HEAD-3-8-DRIVE-KNUCKLE-BREAKER-BAR-CHROME-VANADIUM-CRV-380mm-POWER-/252133576055?hash=item3ab4550d77:g:9mkAAOSwwbdWJglS ]these[/url] and a set of 3/8" hardened allen key bits will give you years of service

Thanks for your replies, definitely turning the right way, already got one off and I know they are handed. Removed loads of pedals in the past, this one must have escaped my copperease application.

My Allen key is about 10" long and is quite springy. Gonna try getting a quality Allen key bit in and 1/2" adapter and try that next, given the consensus is more force!

Drive side crank is off the bike, so can brace accordingly.

Find a length of pipe or something to slide over your allen key

wardrobe hanger rail is my bastard bar of choice. Just take the wife's dresses off it first.

ISTR, yonks ago, a left side pedal stuck with threadlock. It might have been a roadie thing by the LBS. Or it might have been a tandem thing. Or a roadie tandem thing.

Warmth and Plus-Gas might help.

Hmm. I just swapped the crank arm to avoid this issue. XTR pedal in an XT arm so no flats. Happily it's non drive side and the new bike has the same chainset..

I stupidly bought a set of cranks with pedals in which one was stuck and still haven't budged it. Must have had someone go to town on it in the wrong direction. Managed to melt a Halfords 3/8" bit with the extension I was using. Used as much heat as I was comfortable with on carbon cranks too.

Now they just live in harmony with the knowledge that they'll never be apart.

After sleeping on it. I think the way forward is a new set of axles then drill out the remnant's from the crank

I had a similar problem with a shimano pedal stuck in a crank arm.
Turns out the end of the axle where the Allen Key goes in had flared out causing it to lock in.
I removed the pedal body from the axle, ground two flats on the axle then clamped it in a BFO vice. I then put a tube over the crank arm and turned the crank arm off the axle.
I did think about trying to drill it out but the axles are hard as **** and it'd have taken for ever.

Power tools and bikes don't normally mix but my dewalt impact driver is great for stuck pedals.

a quality Allen key bit in and 1/2" adapter

That is much better than messing around with Allen keys.

I find a hammer is often more effective than extra leverage. Though you have to be careful with tools flying around on the rebound.

(applied to the spanner/allen key handle in the appropriate direction, not directly to the affected component!)

Doing it on the bike is never the best if it is really stuck. Remove the crank arm and put it in boiling water if you don't want to use a blow torch on it. Then put it in a vice and support it well and use a quality Allen key bit in an impact driver.

Similar to Matt24k's suggestion take the crank off but instead of putting the crank in the vice have the allen key in the vice and turn the crank, even better with a pipe over the crank arm for extra grunt.

I had this in an XT crank with an XT spd.

Bike shop grunted it the wrong way by the time they realised the key had slipped and the allen key slot was borked.

I put the crank arm in a lead lined vice, removed the pedal body from the pedal axle and ground slots on the axle with a disc grinder to closely fit a spanner to which I added a 4' length of pipe. I made sure I turned it the correct way.

There was some swarf but the thread was ok. The cranks were worth more than the (worn out) pedal.

After sleeping on it. I think the way forward is a new set of axles then drill out the remnant's from the crank

Have you considered filing the axle to allow spanner use? Less destructive. But I'd try what Mr Overshoot & Matt24k are suggesting first.

Well, its properly stuck. The pedal now shows cracks on the corners of the hex slot.

Think, I'm going to leave it for time being and move the rings over to an old SLX chain set, that's probably going to be a whole new set of problems.

Failing that sacrifice the pedal as mentioned above.

Thanks for the advice.

All because I am donating my bike to my son and he wants flats.

Turns out the end of the axle where the Allen Key goes in had flared out causing it to lock in.

The pedal now shows cracks on the corners of the hex slot.

Same thing that happened to mine then.
You'll be able to get it out the same way I did.
Might just need to clean the threads up on the crank a bit once the axle's out.

You really need something at least a foot-long for leverage

How would I go about attaching it to an allen key?

^^^^ a piece of 15mm copper tube will fit over the hex key .

How would I go about attaching it to an allen key?

I tend to use a mop/broom handle (a hollow metal one, not a wooden one) with a bit of attention. you just slide it over the allen key. I've snapped one mop but the rest have been okay. I reckon if a foot is good, 1.5 metres is better.

crank off, allen key in a vice then a lever suitable to go over the crank arm its self. oh, and leave it overnight with plusgas skooshed all over it.

Had the same problem myself today on a (2016) second-hand road bike that surprisingly came with pretty descent set of pedals that the seller didn't remove - I now know why! In the end it was cranks off, cranks in vice with lots of protective fabric wrappings and a hammer onto the hex key. No problem and no chance of expensive accidents that might have occurred trying to do the same thing while still attached to the bike. I know it's a faff removing the cranks, but actually easier and safer in the long run.

Have you tried heating the crank arm with a hot air gun or failing that a hair drier??

A Stilson/monkey wrench with a long handle might work as something to grip the Allen key with to provide the leverage?

Old Record ones which are a foot and a bit long can be good for leverage I've found. It doesn't have to be a Record one. 😉

If you don't care about the pedals, take the body off so you're left with the axle. Heat the crank arm up and use a set of Stillson pliers (they get tighter as you twist) I used that method in the shop to get pedals out of a Hope crank and the threads were perfect still!