Seized SPD pedal
Discussion
Evening
Well, sounds a tad dramatic but actually was pretty scary - I had a major moment today on the bike when my left pedal detached itself from the crank and I went careering across the road into the traffic lane with the sudden and unexpected imbalance of the....non-existent pedal, which is beginning to sound like a monty python sketch.
Does anyone have specialist knowledge of how to service these?
I believe what has happened is the spindle has seized in the casing of the pedal axlem and so as you turn the crank when clipped in it was basically unscrewing itself from the crank. On examination at home the spindle will rotate when not under any compression but as soon as it is even partially threaded into the axel casing it seizes up. Any thoughts?
Have tried to include a little vid.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/W9WhsacbDVa6V6A2A
Cheers
Well, sounds a tad dramatic but actually was pretty scary - I had a major moment today on the bike when my left pedal detached itself from the crank and I went careering across the road into the traffic lane with the sudden and unexpected imbalance of the....non-existent pedal, which is beginning to sound like a monty python sketch.
Does anyone have specialist knowledge of how to service these?
I believe what has happened is the spindle has seized in the casing of the pedal axlem and so as you turn the crank when clipped in it was basically unscrewing itself from the crank. On examination at home the spindle will rotate when not under any compression but as soon as it is even partially threaded into the axel casing it seizes up. Any thoughts?
Have tried to include a little vid.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/W9WhsacbDVa6V6A2A
Cheers
Sounds scary - pedal attached to your shoe but no longer attached to the bike? 
I can't remember my method when I took my SPD pedals apart. It was a long time ago, and I searched YouTube, etc for videos and looked in books and on the Shimano Tech site, but it's no use to you as I can't recall the links I used.
Suffice to say, that pedal, unless you manage to fix it, is scrap. Which means buying a new set. Which also means that stripping the banjaxed pedal (carefully) and trying to establish the cause of the problem won't cost you any more than a set of new pedals, and might save you money. So I'd (very carefully, the bearings are tiny ) strip it down and see if a bearing ball has dropped off it's race within the axle assembly, or perhaps one has become pitted or broken up inside. Your LBS or even local hardware place might have the correct size bearings to rebuild it, and if it all goes horribly wrong and you end up with a bag of random parts you can't fit back together, go buy the pedals you were going to have to buy anyway if you didn't open it up...
I can't remember my method when I took my SPD pedals apart. It was a long time ago, and I searched YouTube, etc for videos and looked in books and on the Shimano Tech site, but it's no use to you as I can't recall the links I used.
Suffice to say, that pedal, unless you manage to fix it, is scrap. Which means buying a new set. Which also means that stripping the banjaxed pedal (carefully) and trying to establish the cause of the problem won't cost you any more than a set of new pedals, and might save you money. So I'd (very carefully, the bearings are tiny ) strip it down and see if a bearing ball has dropped off it's race within the axle assembly, or perhaps one has become pitted or broken up inside. Your LBS or even local hardware place might have the correct size bearings to rebuild it, and if it all goes horribly wrong and you end up with a bag of random parts you can't fit back together, go buy the pedals you were going to have to buy anyway if you didn't open it up...
Yes that's the picture.
Much as I can ill afford another set of top drawer pedals right now these have done a few miles I guess and I have certainly lost confidence in them having slept on it, especially as they were fine until they....weren't fine!
Ho hum. Bearings all intact. Will investigate with LBS for giggles.
Thanks
Those two nuts on the end. A lock nut, and a cone nut to (pre)load the pedal bearings. Maybe try backing them off a little, and reassembling? I seem to recall over-tightening the cone nut when reassembling my pedals now your photo has reminded me what they look like inside. It was free to turn outside the pedal, but when it was all assembled it was too tight. It's a possible solution, and worth a try before going for new ones...
GJA said:
Thank you very much I had not come across these at all - that's really helpful.
A different cleat to the Shimano system?
Same as Shimano SPD, stated as "SPD compatible" on the description... https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/pedals... ...'Pro' pedal at £26 currently. A different cleat to the Shimano system?
You could have Shimano M-520... https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/pedals... ...at £21.95
Or Shimano M-530... https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/pedals... ...at £21.95
Or Shimano M-540... https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/pedals... ...at £35.99
Full Halfords selection of pedals here... https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/pedals...
I can't speak of the quality of their SPD compatible offerings, but I run a basic (about £16 in store) pair of Boardman flat pedals and the quality is excellent, with very smooth axle bearings right from the off (unlike some of the cheaper DMR, etc pedals) and still beautifully smooth now, 9 hard biking months later. Any of the above are worth a tickle if you can't fix the issue with the ones you have.
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