Poor Plastic Pedals

One of my main loves of biking is the simplicity. Two wheels, some rubber, a couple "simple machines" and you have a device that is fun, healthy, can actually take you places.  So when one of these machines has a problem, the fix is usually an easy one. At least most of the time.

One of these times was a simple pedal replacement. Plastic pedals don't last long with abuse. The bike I was working on had a pair that looks as if they had been run over by a truck! How long could it take to change them? 10? 15 minutes? Yea, right!

With my Park Tools 15mm pedal tool in hand, I went to work. It wasn't turning. Was I going the wrong direction? Nope. Light taps with a hammer? Wasn't budging. Big hits with a big hammer. Still nothing.

Apparently over time there is a reaction that can happen between dissimilar metals. The steel (pedal shaft) and aluminum (crank arm) clearly had Galvanic corrosion. Searches on the Mountain Bike Forums suggested heat could crack the "welding" loose. So I took the pedal apart, removed the crank arm from the bike, and fired up the grill (I have been married long enough to know not to do this inside). Thirty seconds later I grabbed the arm with a pot holder and tried it. Crud! Back onto the grill. Two minutes and again no luck. Time for some thinking. Back onto the grill. This time pull it off the grill and dip the petal shaft into ice water. Surely the shock of heat-cycling would break the bonds.

Well, as I put the pieces of the old broken pedal back together, I sure hope the next owner of the bike has better luck than I getting it off.