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@@CoatsandGaiters Hello, I already greased and adjusted them and they are still making noise. Could it be wear on the balls? What if I better buy some from sealed bearings? What can I do? They don't have any clearance but they sound, they creak and squeak, the noise is annoying, my bike sounds like shit.
You really shouldn't be using magnets to hold ball bearings in place. It will magnetize them and make them act weird in the bearing grooves. It's not quite as bad for such a rough application as bike pedals are but still. It can also make them accumulate iron shavings on their surface, damaging them as they rotate.
@@CoatsandGaiters It's something I'm more used to consider when doing maintenance on CNC linear rails, which use similar ball bearings, but I think it can apply to all types of bearings.
@@EMILE12345678901 it’s a valid point like you say. You can see it would attract metal particles which would create a weakness. Appreciate your advice.
Thanks for this detailed instruction. When completely disassembling the pedals, I would always replace the bearings, especially if there is dirt or rust underneath the dust cap. New bearings are relatively inexpensive, and replacement will prevent wear on the cones and cupes. I am pretty sure the bearing diameter is 1/8 inch and not 3 mm.
Thankyou very much, helped me out a load! Just a thought, with those plastic pedal bodies you could drill a hole in the center part where the shaft goes through to inject grease with a syringe so it would come out either side through the bearings to regrease them and expel some of the dirt. Then a screw into the hole you drilled to seal it up afterwards?
What your thinking about will not get all the dirt and contaminates out. It needs to be perfectly cleaned out because contaminates act as compound in the grease. Compound grinds and wears the bearings, bearing races, and cones out. Compound is gritty and acts like sand paper. You also want to completely disassemble and look at everything closely for wear, rust, separating parts, and cracks or cracking in the metal and plastic parts each time you regrease. Lastly, filling your pedals up with grease like your mentioning will add more weight to the bike.
Overhauling pedals is completely unnecessary. Just take off the end cap, flush it out with wd40 or something, then pack grease into the end till it comes out the other side.
I have a pair of dartmoor cookie pedals, and on the right pedal the cone keeps tightening towards the bearings. I tight them enough so they don't have play, and also not over tightening them. What could it be? Lack of grease? EDIT: I didn't put any thread lock. Should I?
Yes, I've done that a few time and it keeps tightening. I also tried to tighten the cone against the nut, but it keeps happening. It's like as I'm pedaling the bearings tighten the cone
@@aguspege240 has something got swopped from the left to the right? wonder if they have left and right threaded nuts and they have accidentally got mixed up.
Before I assembly them I double checked the "L" or "R" on the axles and also the pedal position. I Didn't checked the cones, but they went smoothly over the threads.
I fully agree with the previous comments. Your excellent video covers all aspects of sevicing pedals on a push bike. Now i'll do my pedals with knowledge and confidence. Thank you!
because left pedal has clockwise and the one has anti clockwise, So, left pedal will not fit the right crank and the right pedal will not fit left crank, is it right😊
A socket can be used to help extracting the cone if it is not seize by rust. Because the cone is never mean to be tightened but just fix the spindle in place to a non-wobble sitting. The washer is in place to separate the cone from spinning when you use the nut to tighten them.
There are so many to choose from. I think any good quality grease is probably ok. Biggest issue is probably from an inferior grease washing out and away over time.
Very helpful video. I had a question. The innards of the left pedal aren't reverse threaded like the rest of what is on the left side of the crank? It appears from the video that this isn't the case but I wanted to make sure. Thanks.
Thank you for the detailed instructions and tips on disassembling, cleaning, greasing and reassembling these common bicycle pedal bearings. Your video told me everything I needed to know to service the bearings on my dried out 10 year old commuter bike pedals. Showing how the grease securely holds the bearings was really helpful. Everything is running smooth again.
Some would think that after 10 years of use you might as well just buy a new pedal since it's so cheap, but what they don't know is it's much more satisfying to disassemble and fix up an old pedal, no reason to throw something away which can be just like new with a bit of work :)
Hey sorry to bother you again but i had few more questions, since my luck nut got loose while riding iv'e lost all of one side ball bearings, they are 2.3 on my cheap calipers, does it mean its 2 mm? where can i find those bearings online? since this mechanism is not the best engineering and that antislip washer doesn't really do its job do you recommend using loctite on it do avoid what I've got thru?
If it says 2.3 they will be 2.3. .3 is a measurable size on such a small item. I'd have thought they would be on ebay. If you had to you could damage the thread to effectively lock the nut on.
I read that bearings come in different kinds of metals and hardness. Places like amazon do not always give you the specs you think your getting. It's also flooded with products that are not as superior as others. Made by China and made in China for example. I would go to a bike store to be sure you get all that kind of stuff correct for an efficient and correct mechanical working system. It's still cheap like ebay. Actually I found tools cheaper at my local bike store due to no shipping charges with in person shopping.
really good video ! i wonder, if i lost few bearings (on the right side of my right pedal) can i still regrease and lock it on place ? btw, you forgot to grease the threads that goes into the crank, not a big deal but still..
I had a missing bearing in my front rim decades ago after I maintainence them. It make a loud clanking noise. I ignored it. The next day when doing maybe 20 miles per hour, the front rim locked up. I we.t over the handlebars and smashed my faced into the sidewalk and got permanent physical problems from it. I recommend you keep the bearing size, count, etcetra to the original specs.
One of my cheap pedals went all grindy, I didn't know they were serviceable but I didn't have a spare handy so I had a look on You Tube. It turns out the outer cone got so loose one of the bearings fell out, but the grease and dust cover caught it. It's back together now but I'll be bringing the tools on the first ride just in case. Great video, cheers!
@@CoatsandGaiters Your video was perfect. Since it was the right pedal I could lay the bike down on the non-drive side and use it for the vise. 15 mm open end, 12 mm socket, screwdriver, long nose pliers, grease. US paraffin (kerosene) stinks so I used mineral spirits (paint thinner) for cleaning. Everything is tight and smooth after the first ride. My main concern was the pedal would seize and unscrew itself while riding but that didn't happen and probably won't now. Nothing was rusty or contaminated just loose, so I may be lazy and leave the left side alone, it isn't loose. If it ain't broke....
What to do when one of the dust caps is lost and for that the pedal without the dust cap is getting hampered? I do not have the sophisticated sockets and the pedal holder at home. I only have spanners (10-15 mm) and allen keys (4 and 5mm) and some screw drivers for the reference. Kindly help me. Thank you in advance...
Not sure how to get around the socket issue short of borrowing one from a friend. You could possibly pack the end cap with grease to stop water getting in and maybe put some tape over the end or cut a disc from a plastic bottle and push it in to seal the area. Sorry I couldn't help much.
@@CoatsandGaiters no worries.... Thanks for the diy ideas but one thing I need to ask you, if I buy a socket wrench from a store, what is the standard size that is required for the flat pedals? Thanks again...
@@CoatsandGaiters no no....15 mm spanner/ wrench is required to remove the pedal from crank I know... I am asking that to disassemble the pedal (to separate the axle and the plastic pedal body what wrench size and/or type is required?
@@CoatsandGaiters $150 bike. buying quality replacements is 1/7 the value of the whole bike lol i tried everything, pressing the smooth end with a rubber ended rod to lock it in place and turning both ways but the pedal looseness stays the same. I also tried hammering one end to try and push the threaded end and smooth end together and that didn't work. Factories are pinching nuts to save pennies making my pedals literally unserviceable. Pretty much planned obsolescence when taking cost to replace into account.
It can be really tricky and frustrating. Don't forget if you used locktite you'd have to wait for it to fully set otherwise it might still come undone or tighten more. I know the feeling though I considered it as well lol.
@@CoatsandGaiters Actually, no. The ones I saw are Amazon 'knock offs" of original mountain bike brands (meaning, more than one brand copy). I was disappointed, but glad I found out before buying.
Thnx m8. I was able to service the cheap wellgo pedals that came on my 9 yo Trek DS. I had to carve into the plastic cover (and pedal body) with a knife since it had too many battle scars. But the innards were identical to what your pedals have.
my flats have round axle where ya putting spanner not got flat side on them any clue how to remove them as can not get allen key to work seems seized up good
@@CoatsandGaiters the axle is round where it attached to crank arm it dose not have any flat edges between pedle and crank arm for spanners to grip but new ones have flat edges on axle so trying to get old ones off to fit new ones but due to the round axle i can not seem to get them off crank arms
Thank you for the compliment Xcup. Sounds like you need to tinker with getting the locknut just right. It does take a few goes to get the position just right so when you tighten that locknut it locks properly but doesn't seize the pedals movement. In the video it takes me a few attempts to get things just right. Trial and error a bit.
So, both spindles are threaded standard on the outboard end? Is the left one reverse threaded or standard (lefty loosey)? It seems like you are turning both left to loosen, but I’m not certain. Thank you!
I think they are both standard threads on the end as they just lock with the little nut. It's just getting it to lock in just the right spot so as not to pinch or be too loose.
Good video I couldnt figure out the whole bolt washer bolt combo and this helped. Lost a couple bearings anyway but ill put fresh ones in next time. I used a socket loose to tighten the bearing bolts by hand to get the perfect tension and my pedals are now silky smooth.
This was a fantastic tutorial. I used a wrench (spanner in your vernacular) opposite a socket instead of the vise. The pedals I just redid came out great! Thanks!
hello everyone i need some help a few days ago i serviced my pedals but after riding for test one of my pedals hardened and the other one softhened . should i use locktite ?
Thanks! I did exact the same. I noticed one thing that when you test this you have to do it with on the bike and with force to really test it out. I got some mechanical sound so I have to take it apart again. Also one side was empty with ball-bearings so I have to count them on the other side. I got it to 14 but when I watched a little closer I saw it was room for another or?. Does anybody know if there should be more? Should you leave room like 2-3mm as a gap between them from the nr 1 through tha last one? One more Q. A new paddle can rotate like forever it seems but when you do this/ou service it doesnt.
Maybe different pedals have different bearings counts. All pedals might not have the same bearing count. I don't know, I could be wrong. When I've done lots of wheel, crank, and pedal bearings, I've always seen a gap like another bearing could be squeezed in. I wouldn't squeeze or put another bearing in. Best to check with the manufacturer for the bearing count requirement.
Can you tell me what degreaser/cleaner you used in the video? Sorry my English isn't up to speed yet so can't tell what you said it was :( Thanks for the video btw! Really helped when I cracked open my seized VP pedals, now they work flawlessly again.
Thank you for the how to video! I just bought a new set of pedals for my bike. They take some effort to turn, though, so I think they may have over-tightened them at the factory.
I bought a used BMX for my kid and the pedals felt gritty and nasty. Decided to buy some new ones. New ones felt only a little better. Before I even watched this video, I backed off the lock nut on the old ones just a bit and suddenly the pedals felt great. Both sets were overtightened from the factory. After watching this video, I've rebuilt the old pedals, they're buttery smooth now. I'll fix the new ones another day. Should've tried servicing these before buying new... live and learn.
They get filled with dirt a lot. I will do what he recommends in the video which is filling the pedal up with grease just before putting the end cap on. It will stop a lot of dirt from getting in and reaching the bearings.
Why would you take the pedal apart?? Just take off the end cap, flush it with whatever de-greaser, and push grease in until it comes out the other end.
@jamesconroy7030 how are you going to get grease into the bearings in the threaded end lol and even if you could get the grease past the first lot of bearings, why would you waste all that grease filling up the centre of the pedal. Do the job right and take it apart. Its not hard anyway.
@@dalj4362 You fill the outer end, and mash it in with your hand (or use a grease gun). It comes out the other side pretty quickly. There's not much space between the axle, and the body of the pedal. There's maybe 2 tablespoons of grease "wasted".
@@jamesconroy7030 No lol Silly idea. Seriously have you seen the tiny gap to get the grease through? Bet the pedals wouldn't spin nice either being packed full of grease.
Thanks for taking the time to make such a detailed, easy to follow video, it is much appreciated and of great help. I just bought new flat pedals for my 2 bikes, a set of Tag T3s and a set of Race Face Chesters - What slightly concerns me is that both these sets of pedals are a little stiff; they don't spin freely on their axles. The do move round smoothly but you definitely couldn't spin them they way you do in your video. Is this normal for brand new pedals, would you say? I am assuming that once they have a bit of use they will loosen up at bit but would be interested to know what you think. Many thanks!
Thank you for the compliment. Smooth is the key I think. As long as they are smooth to rotate and not binding that's good. Spinning too freely isn't great as it means the bearings aren't making any contact with the axle so it's trying to find that happy balance. Smooth is good.
Make sure the pedals spin as free as possible without any wobble in the axle. with what your describing, they may be over tightened, causing the cones to push too hard on the bearings which in turn push hard on the bearing races. This results in too much friction, even with new grease in them. This kind of situation results to wear.
@@CoatsandGaitersVery nice tips. But I have one problem - on one of my pedals the lock nut and the cone nut are moving together. There is no washer in between them. It's just how both pedals were. And I'm the first owner. How I'm supposed to tighten it up. I even put the cone very loose and then the lock nut. When it reaches the cone there is a little presser and then they all spin as one, until they reach the bearings and crush them. I could probably change the lock nut, but not the cone. Or put a washer between them. Any ideas?
@@vehicle-stuff if you unwound the cone say 2 full turns and then started to lock it would it still get to the bearings before it locked? how about 4 turns away etc? surly it would bind and lock at some point and then gradually take it in bit by bit. Thread lock might help on the cone.
@@CoatsandGaiters I'm doing it from the beginning of the threads. And it still does not bind. Today is Sunday and I can't get a washer, but tomorrow will go to the tool store and get one to check. After that may be a new lock nut, or one with a rubber seal and some thread lock.
I would put a washer in the spot between the cone and nut because it seams that the nut isn't to be locked to the cone like nuts are locked to cones on the wheel axles. I would put a washer like your saying from a hardware store if on a budget. If you want to be sure your have the right washer in regards to specs in terms of metal grade, hardness, type of metal, etcetra, I'd go to a bike store. It's still cheap, maybe a few cents to a dollar more per washer at a bike store.
@@CoatsandGaiters yes, like standard cage pedals but another cage, there was a onza patriot triple bear trap pedal but I could many thanks get hold of one in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Good information, very good for old peddles that need repair. However, I have 16,000 miles on my peddles and have never needed to take them apart. Starting when new I pop off the dust cap and I pack them full of grease until it goes all the way through and comes out the threaded end. This method lasts for thousands of miles and keeps the water and dirt out. Messy, but worth it. No tools required. This does take some time to do. I use my thumb to squeeze the grease in. This dust cap can also be used to push the grease in. Doing it this way the balls never run dry and so never wear out, never need adjusting. Best to wrap the peddle with paper towel to keep it from getting grease on it, as this is messy to clean up after. I do this on all my peddles and have had very good luck with it.
@@CoatsandGaiters Thank you. This millage is since 2018, on this bike. I have other bikes but I ride the dual sport most of the time. I do most of my own repair work. I am retired, from Seattle Washington. I am now living in Manila, Philippines. Many of the roads I ride on get flooded during the monsoon season. I try not to ride my good bike in the floods but sometimes it can't be helped. So even more surprising how well the peddles have lasted by packing with grease.