Non-folding pedal service

[quixoticgeek]

I noticed there's some play in the non folding pedal of my Brompton. Does this require any specialist tools to service? I'm guessing I just replace the bearings.

Any idea what size I need so I can order them before I take it apart?

J

[Aunt Maud]

Mine spewed its guts, so I just got a replacement. I don't think they're designed to be serviced, as they just fall apart being made of oats and cream cheese.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

The earliest ones used bushes and were non-serviceable. More recent ones (sometime this century) use ball bearings and are pretty standard cheap pedals. The main hassle is stopping the cone from rotating and changing bearing clearance when tightening the locknut. I cannot remember if there is a keyed washer but even so, some Tennessee windage would be needed.

I have never bothered servicing them as the plastic dustcap tends to fall out and get lost. They are overpriced but still cheap.

[quixoticgeek]

Hmmm. It's a €10 part. I may just buy a new one. I could then fettle the old one as a potential spare... Maybe...

J

[quixoticgeek]

The pedal that was fitted had developed about 3-4mm of play if you wobbled the end of the pedal. I noticed the dust cap was missing. New one arrived in the post, and has been fitted, but out of curiosity, I thought I'd take the old one apart to see how fucked it is.

which leads me to a simple question: How many balls should be in there? cos only 14 fell out. I'm thinking these all came from the inboard end, based on the amount of play there was. And that the other end was basically entirely devoid of any bearings.

The new pedal feels slightly rough and doesn't spin brilliantly. I'm hoping it will wear in...

J

[drossall]

They are one of the more rubbish things about Bromptons. My original one (on a second-hand bike) lost its end cap then fell apart. The replacement has also lost its end cap. No sign of spare parts - wouldn't expect it for a cheap pedal of that type. I've got an odd spare quality pedal squirrelled away for when the current one gives up the ghost totally.

[quixoticgeek]

They are one of the more rubbish things about Bromptons. My original one (on a second-hand bike) lost its end cap then fell apart. The replacement has also lost its end cap. No sign of spare parts - wouldn't expect it for a cheap pedal of that type. I've got an odd spare quality pedal squirrelled away for when the current one gives up the ghost totally.

Yeah, I don't expect to return the old one to useful service. I was mostly curious how many balls I'd lost...

J

[Brucey]

FWIW most cheap pedals of this type have a tab washer that is meant to allow you to adjust/service the pedal using only a (12mm from memory) socket on the locknut. However the tab washer usually has loads of backlash so adjustment is often trickier than it should be; when adjusting the cone you need to keep track of the relative position of the cone and tab washer else it can take for ever.

In cheap pedals it is not always the case that the inboard bearing has the same number of balls in it as the outboard bearing.  However you can assemble the outboard bearing dry, and see if there are the right number of balls in it or not, and then add grease afterwards.

Alternatively if the cups and wear marks on the cone/spindle are the same diameters all round, it is a fair bet that the number of balls will be the same too.

In any event if you tighten the cone finger tight and the bearing still feels like a bearing (not too groinchy) then you probably don't have too many balls inside it.

Obviously if the dustcap falls out of the pedal water and dirt will be able to get in.  However if the pedal develops the slightest amount of free play, the locknut can usually touch the inside of the dustcap, which pretty soon causes the dustcap to fall out.

[rogerzilla]

With a new pedal, I pushed a ton of grease into the hole left by the dustcap until it oozed from the crank end.  This may improve its life expectancy.  It may be possible to service the bearings with a Shimano TL-PD33 but I can tell you a TL-PD63 doesn't fit.