Bike pedal nut spins in place

[Kai]

Hi All,

Got a new Trek MTB and attempted to change the pedals. Unscrew the drive side pedal easily by turning anti-clockwise; all good there.

This is where my noob mistake happen... Did the same by turning the left side pedal the same way (anti-clockwise) and over crank it such that the bolt is now just spinning clockwise and anti-clockwise without coming off. It's not loose.. just spinning in place. Can still use the old pedal but no known way of removing it.

Tried searching online but most issues are with stuck bolt. Mine is spinning bolt

Any suggestions on how that spinning bolt pedal can be removed? Only way I can think of using a heat gun to the crank arm to widen the receptor but want to see if there are other smarter way to do this.

Thanks!
Kai

[CharleyFarley]

(09-16-2019, 01:35 AM)Kai Wrote:  Hi All,

Got a new Trek MTB and attempted to change the pedals. Unscrew the drive side pedal easily by turning anti-clockwise; all good there.

This is where my noob mistake happen... Did the same by turning the left side pedal the same way (anti-clockwise) and over crank it such that the bolt is now just spinning clockwise and anti-clockwise without coming off. It's not loose.. just spinning in place. Can still use the old pedal but no known way of removing it.

Tried searching online but most issues are with stuck bolt. Mine is spinning bolt

Any suggestions on how that spinning bolt pedal can be removed? Only way I can think of using a heat gun to the crank arm to widen the receptor but want to see if there are other smarter way to do this.

Thanks!
Kai

Darn! You must have really cranked down on the pedal to strip the thread! If you continue to ride it like that, eventually it's going to come off, possibly causing you to crash, or at least being inconvenienced. If that was me, I'd get a new set of crank arms and new pedals, and do the job right.

[Joe_W]

Without really having the bike in front of me I cannot be sure, but what Charley wrote might be the sad but correct answer. There is another possibility, and that is that you messed up the internals of the pedal. Thing is, the threads of the crank arm and the pedal are quite robust. Unless you used a lot (and I mean really a lot) of force I cannot see how you could have stripped them - especially since you need to hold the whole assembly in place somehow while it really wants to spin. You must have put the bike into a vise for that!

So, post a pic and show us which bolt / nut you tried to open.

[Kai]

Thanks Charley & Joe.

Here's a picture of the nut that is spinning in place. It can be turned either way without any "traction" in terms of getting it out of the crank arm.

Having done more research, it may be more cost-effective to replace the whole crankset instead of having the LBS figure out how to remove and re-thread it.

   

[CharleyFarley]

(09-23-2019, 06:57 PM)Kai Wrote:  Thanks Charley & Joe.

Here's a picture of the nut that is spinning in place. It can be turned either way without any "traction" in terms of getting it out of the crank arm.

Having done more research, it may be more cost-effective to replace the whole crankset instead of having the LBS figure out how to remove and re-thread it.

I'm going to stick my neck out and say it's shot. You can get crank arms, and not the whole crankset. You might even be able to just buy one crank arm and pedal. I'd guess a bike shop would advise you to go that way. The pedal could be removed from the crank arm but it will take metal from the arm with it. That wouldn't leave anything to re-thread. You might ask your LBS if they can get you just one crank arm.

[Joe_W]

Dang, I had hoped you had messed up the pedal internals. I agree with Charley. It's shot, completely, and very likely cannot be recovered. Replace the left crank arm and pedal. Best (most cost effective) option.


(usually I try to save as much as possible, many things can be rescued, but not this one I'm afraid)

[Painkiller]

what model crank is that, and the tooth count, I may have a new replacement for cheap if you are interested.

[Kai]

(09-23-2019, 09:43 PM)CharleyFarley Wrote:  

(09-23-2019, 06:57 PM)Kai Wrote:  Thanks Charley & Joe.

Here's a picture of the nut that is spinning in place. It can be turned either way without any "traction" in terms of getting it out of the crank arm.

Having done more research, it may be more cost-effective to replace the whole crankset instead of having the LBS figure out how to remove and re-thread it.

I'm going to stick my neck out and say it's shot. You can get crank arms, and not the whole crankset. You might even be able to just buy one crank arm and pedal. I'd guess a bike shop would advise you to go that way. The pedal could be removed from the crank arm but it will take metal from the arm with it. That wouldn't leave anything to re-thread. You might ask your LBS if they can get you just one crank arm.

Thanks Charley. Good idea, will see if I can find one crank arm. Will be careful to do more research this time around before changing it out

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(09-24-2019, 04:46 PM)Joe_W Wrote:  Dang, I had hoped you had messed up the pedal internals. I agree with Charley. It's shot, completely, and very likely cannot be recovered. Replace the left crank arm and pedal. Best (most cost effective) option.


(usually I try to save as much as possible, many things can be rescued, but not this one I'm afraid)

Thanks Joe

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(09-25-2019, 10:56 AM)Painkiller Wrote:  what model crank is that, and the tooth count, I may have a new replacement for cheap if you are interested.

It's an SRAM SX Eagle 30T 175mm arm. I'm in Canada will probably be a hassle shipping it here.

Thanks.

[Painkiller]

yep, no problem. good luck