Tricks for loosening too tight hex bolts?

[ridebikeme]

Although your pedals can be taken off with a hex wrench, as Deb mentioned, you should really be using a pedal wrench. Not only does the pedal wrench give you more leverage, but it won't slip as you keep mentioning. If a pedal wrench won't fit, ( as on some pedals they don't) try using a socket for added leverage.

Good lucK!

[yellow]

Although your pedals can be taken off with a hex wrench, as Deb mentioned, you should really be using a pedal wrench.

I'll respectfully say that you can't always use a pedal wrench. I have this very same problem right now (only way the pedals will come off is with a hex from the inside of the crankarm; there is nowhere to use a pedal wrench). I decided to just take it to the shop and have them do it...that way if anything gets damaged, they have to fix it! I'm still cursing the original shop that built the bike (and cussing at myself too for not noticing it until recently, when I wanted to switch to a lighter pedal).

[ridebikeme]

Umm... I can picture you having Shimano pedals? Have you tried using the socket wrench on the inside of the crank arm? I agree with you, wish that they had not changed their design... but it's all about that "Q" factor.

[farrellcollie]

I was just not strong enough to do it with the hex wrench. Also - this was the kind of pedal that a pedal wrench does not work on - bike shop used hex wrench too. except when they did it no one got bloody or bruised. These were folding pedals for a folding bike - I never fold it so I wanted campus pedals so I could clip in or not depending on the situation.

I like my folding bikes - but would never recommend a dahon to others because of all the propriatary parts - and some are just weird. My Downtube (now confiscated by partner who, after a year of cajoling, finally tried it and loved it and is calling it her bike now) is much easier to deal with and has been no trouble at all. The dahon has been a nightmare.

[farrellcollie]

ps.
I was somewhat vindicated at the lbs today - it took two of them about 5 minutes to get the pedal off. Of course - they cheated by having all the proper equipment - not just a hex key and using their own body to leverage both pedals to keep them from spinning around.

[JLZimrmn]

I am having this exact same problem. My boyfriend has tried for weeks to get the right pedal off of my old road bike. At first we were turning it the wrong way so do you think the aluminum crank arm treads have been messed up in some way? We have tried what seems like everything to get this pedal off. I guess we will have to take a trip to the LBS.

[farrellcollie]

It does sound as though a trip to the lbs is in your future. (it was irritating to have to go - but it worked) Good luck.