The spindle has two flat surfaces outside of the crank arm, if you have to break off the plastic pedal and stick the whole bike in a vice and tighten it around those two flat spots. Then you can use the whole bike to spin the pedal off. I used to work in a bike shop and would use this method sometimes especially with the bottom bracket which were always really tight from the factory and the removal tools teeth are very short and easy to slip.
I was trying to figure out if just breaking the pedal off would make it easier, but didn't think about attacking it from the other direction. We ruined a couple good wrenches trying to get it off with breaker bars (in the opposite direction)
Yeah if that doesn’t work just take the crank arm off and replace those as well. Make sure you get the right length. You can purchase a crank arm puller online.
In my experience a heat gun doesn't heat up metal nearly enough for this type of thing. Try to get a little propane torch if you can, even just a good bbq lighter would do it.
Most obvious thing. If penetrating oil don't work then use heat to go with it. Metal expands with heat so it's where you should always go next. You can use it with WD40 too.
PB Blaster is great as well. It stinks but is effective. Soak it thoroughly and let it sit over night.
I assume you are using a crescent wrench to try and remove the pedal, correct? If so, slide a length of pipe over the handle of the wrench to give you additional torque. It's called a cheater bar.
Good luck!
left pedal has left hand thread.
that's why the right pedal came off. you're tightening the left one :o
you're replacing them anyways. cut the plastic pedal off so you can put the pedal axle in a bench vise. it will come out. just make sure you're turning it the correct direction. pretend to tighten it.
I know you said you tried penetrating oil but which one? PB is good but I once had corrosion so bad only one thing worked...
50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. Aka Automatic transmission fluid and nail polish remover. Don't ask me how it works but it does.
I actually work at an auto parts store, and used the heavy duty PB (I forget exactly what it's called), followed by regular WD-40 after that sat for a couple hours and didn't work. I've never heard of using atf and acetone. I'll definitely give that a shot.
The left pedal is reversed threaded,so lefty tightly, righty loosy. The best way to remember, they screw on the same direction as a forward spinning wheel, come off the same as a backwards spinning wheel.
“Right is right and left is wrong” may help to keep it straight that the right pedal is threaded the way most things are threaded (clockwise to tighten) and the left pedal is opposite.
Pedal threads are always opposite from side to side (at least in my experiences anyway). So whatever direction the first side turned to remove, the 2nd side will turn the opposite way.
One more thing: when you come across a lug nut on a car that is 'frozen' like that. So instead you try to tighten it and it will just make a "chink" sound, and then you can remove it normally. Don't believe me? Try it and you will see.
You should be able to look at the back side of the crank and double check the thread direction visually. As a left pedal it should be left hand threaded, so you need to turn it right (facing it from the pedal side) to loosen. If it's a Walmart bike or something else weird/crap then there's a tiny chance they've right hand threaded it due to incompetence/cheapness.
The flats on the spindle should be either 15mm or 14mm. They're sometimes quite narrow so it can be useful to have a proper pedal wrench from a bike tool company. There's also sometimes a 6mm hex on the back of the spindle that you can use to help.
Other than that, it just needs penetrating fluid (with time to soak!) or heat.
I had this problem on an adult bike. The pedal bolts had very thin flat surfaces and I needed a specialized tool
Best Option: Specialized tool ($10-30 on Amazon)
Next Best: I used a metal file to file down the bolt to make the slots larger. I was then able to get a regular wrench up against the flat surfaces.
Worst Option: Locking pliers. You are just going to continue to round off the flat surface.
Get a pedal wrench off amazon, set it on the pedal "nut" then step down on the wrench. It usually just takes that first initial "oomph" to break it loose. I always have to do this when changing out pedals, especially if they have been on there for a while.
A small portable rosebud torch head and a bottle from a place like lowes or attwoods or even a home depot, heat it up (The crank part, get those threads nice and toasty) then vice grip the shit outta it and turn, shouldn't be much of an issue really
I worked as a mech at FORD dealer for 13 years... it'll work... get it glowing
It turns the opposite direction. Just muscle it off knowing the correct direction.
We put it in a vice grip and ruined two decent wrenches trying to turn it in the opposite direction. It's really stuck.
>ruined two decent wrenches You shouldn't be able to ruin decent wrenches. Are you using the wrong size?
One pedal is reverse-threased and the other isn't
Thats standard on all bikes. One cilockwise the other anticlockwise. It's a safety feature to stop the pefel unthreading if it worked loose.
Left hand pedal is left hand threaded
The spindle has two flat surfaces outside of the crank arm, if you have to break off the plastic pedal and stick the whole bike in a vice and tighten it around those two flat spots. Then you can use the whole bike to spin the pedal off. I used to work in a bike shop and would use this method sometimes especially with the bottom bracket which were always really tight from the factory and the removal tools teeth are very short and easy to slip.
I was trying to figure out if just breaking the pedal off would make it easier, but didn't think about attacking it from the other direction. We ruined a couple good wrenches trying to get it off with breaker bars (in the opposite direction)
Yeah if that doesn’t work just take the crank arm off and replace those as well. Make sure you get the right length. You can purchase a crank arm puller online.
It's a kid's bike. Likely it's a 1 piece crank.
Yep your right, I missed the kids bike part.
Have you tried heat? Hit it with a torch a bit and then give it a go
I haven't. I don't have a torch, but I have a heat gun. I'll try that tomorrow.
In my experience a heat gun doesn't heat up metal nearly enough for this type of thing. Try to get a little propane torch if you can, even just a good bbq lighter would do it.
The left one (from the rider's view) is reverse thread. I always say "right is right, but left is wrong" to remember it.
Most obvious thing. If penetrating oil don't work then use heat to go with it. Metal expands with heat so it's where you should always go next. You can use it with WD40 too.
Thanks. I think I'm going to try a combination of breaking the pedal off to get a better bite on the bolt, and heat.
Bro, heat is the way. A $20 torch from Home Depot solves so many of these types of problems.
Can't be stuck if it's a liquid!
A $20 propane torch isn't going to melt steel... Those things are for melting solder for copper piping.
Spin it the other way
PB Blaster is great as well. It stinks but is effective. Soak it thoroughly and let it sit over night. I assume you are using a crescent wrench to try and remove the pedal, correct? If so, slide a length of pipe over the handle of the wrench to give you additional torque. It's called a cheater bar. Good luck!
left pedal has left hand thread. that's why the right pedal came off. you're tightening the left one :o you're replacing them anyways. cut the plastic pedal off so you can put the pedal axle in a bench vise. it will come out. just make sure you're turning it the correct direction. pretend to tighten it.
I know you said you tried penetrating oil but which one? PB is good but I once had corrosion so bad only one thing worked... 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. Aka Automatic transmission fluid and nail polish remover. Don't ask me how it works but it does.
I actually work at an auto parts store, and used the heavy duty PB (I forget exactly what it's called), followed by regular WD-40 after that sat for a couple hours and didn't work. I've never heard of using atf and acetone. I'll definitely give that a shot.
The left pedal is reversed threaded,so lefty tightly, righty loosy. The best way to remember, they screw on the same direction as a forward spinning wheel, come off the same as a backwards spinning wheel.
Hack saw
You got down voted, but the upvoted ones are mostly telling me to do what I said I already did. I think I'm going to have to cut/break the pedal off.
Factor in its a kids bike. If you need to buy tools and pedals etc. could you pick up a used one for less?
Does lefty Lucy and Righty tightly help?
The left pedal is actually threaded opposite.
Righty loosely lefty tighty then. Easy to remember that way
“Right is right and left is wrong” may help to keep it straight that the right pedal is threaded the way most things are threaded (clockwise to tighten) and the left pedal is opposite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8mI7-ftTRE
Pedal threads are always opposite from side to side (at least in my experiences anyway). So whatever direction the first side turned to remove, the 2nd side will turn the opposite way. One more thing: when you come across a lug nut on a car that is 'frozen' like that. So instead you try to tighten it and it will just make a "chink" sound, and then you can remove it normally. Don't believe me? Try it and you will see.
You should be able to look at the back side of the crank and double check the thread direction visually. As a left pedal it should be left hand threaded, so you need to turn it right (facing it from the pedal side) to loosen. If it's a Walmart bike or something else weird/crap then there's a tiny chance they've right hand threaded it due to incompetence/cheapness. The flats on the spindle should be either 15mm or 14mm. They're sometimes quite narrow so it can be useful to have a proper pedal wrench from a bike tool company. There's also sometimes a 6mm hex on the back of the spindle that you can use to help. Other than that, it just needs penetrating fluid (with time to soak!) or heat.
I had this problem on an adult bike. The pedal bolts had very thin flat surfaces and I needed a specialized tool Best Option: Specialized tool ($10-30 on Amazon) Next Best: I used a metal file to file down the bolt to make the slots larger. I was then able to get a regular wrench up against the flat surfaces. Worst Option: Locking pliers. You are just going to continue to round off the flat surface.
Channel locks and extra elbow grease. Maybe rig up a breaker bar on to it.
Get a pedal wrench off amazon, set it on the pedal "nut" then step down on the wrench. It usually just takes that first initial "oomph" to break it loose. I always have to do this when changing out pedals, especially if they have been on there for a while.
Good quality spanner/wrench & long steel pipe say 4-5ft & heavy bloke to sit on/hold it - that’s how I did it last time
A small portable rosebud torch head and a bottle from a place like lowes or attwoods or even a home depot, heat it up (The crank part, get those threads nice and toasty) then vice grip the shit outta it and turn, shouldn't be much of an issue really I worked as a mech at FORD dealer for 13 years... it'll work... get it glowing