Seriously seized BB and Pedal

[Laxbeaver]

I haven't posted for a few years, but still buy a bike or two every summer. This one is really stuck, I bought it off FB before I could look at it, only $25 and I really liked the plate (tank?). It looks like it was a work bike for Trane Co., headquartered here with a large campus. DP Serial No. means 1980 I think?



Got it home and find the pedals, BB and kickstand locked tight and it dawned on me that this guy was ridden all year
long, across a lot of salted parking lots and sidewalks. Put some wheels on for a look, I like it so I'm giving it a try but hope has been sinking. The last two pics show where I've cleaned the pedal area, both sides, and the BB hardware with naval jelly a few times. Then I was using PBB and heat and giving the pedal a try once a day over about three days-nothing. Then I really heated it and gave a good crank and broke the wrench. Using a regular Craftsman wrench and a cheater pipe. I'm more hopeful about removing the BB parts but leaving it seized for now as it holds the crank tight for me as I try the pedal. If I can't get the pedal but can get the BB parts loose, maybe I could get the crank cut with a torch?
Looking for any and all advice, Thanks!

 

[Laxbeaver]

This always happens to me, as soon as I'm about to give up, I get some success. I wrecked the pedal to get a bigger wrench on there, broke another wrench and bent up a small pipe wrench, but got a couple threads out. I'll keep blasting and heating, but it looks like it will come out. Testament to the method, I guess.
Also got the first nut off the BB, so things are looking up!

 

[RustySprockets]

Sometimes, you gotta make sacrifices. In this case, I'd recommend the pedals--they're easy to replace and cheap. A dedicated pedal wrench would probably be more effective than the ones you've been breaking, but if you don't have one, proceed with what you've got. Heat helps. So does patience/persistence.

If this isn't your first time at the rodeo, you already know that the threads on the non-drive side are left-handed.

 

[Laxbeaver]

Thanks RS, I had to assure myself a couple times that it was left handed because I was afraid I had it wrong, it was so tight.
Yes, the pedal is history, but it already was toast long ago anyway. Everything down there is pretty disintegrated. I could see cutting it up as the next option, but it appears I'm under way. Gonna get a pedal wrench, though, thanks for the tip.

I get it very hot and then I can really slowly turn it maybe 3/4 then its super tight again. Patience indeed.

 

[rat krate orange]

This always happens to me, as soon as I'm about to give up, I get some success. I wrecked the pedal to get a bigger wrench on there, broke another wrench and bent up a small pipe wrench, but got a couple threads out. I'll keep blasting and heating, but it looks like it will come out. Testament to the method, I guess.
Also got the first nut off the BB, so things are looking up!View attachment 164484

Try heating up the crank arm by the pedal and quench with water. This works well for really rusted and stuck parts and bottom bracket hardware. Good luck and keep us posted. RideOn.. Razin...

 

[Laxbeaver]

It's off!
Feels great when you win a battle! The BB loosened a bit with all the action on the pedal and came off pretty good, inside of BB looking good.
Thanks, RKO, I may have been doing similar with PB Plaster right after heating, but the water sounds more dramatic, cheaper and cleaner. Maybe do that a couple times, then heat again and try it? I will experiment with it on the headset which is super stuck too..

 

[RustySprockets]

I will experiment with it on the headset which is super stuck too..

View attachment 164680

I just experienced the same sitch with Cannondale M500. The good news is that you already succeeded in removing the stem, gaining access to the threads inside the locknut. Drench those with PBB. My one tip--when the time comes to throw a wrench on those fasteners, immobilize the fork at the crown, rather than the blade tips, to prevent twisting.

 

[rat krate orange]

It's off!
Feels great when you win a battle! The BB loosened a bit with all the action on the pedal and came off pretty good, inside of BB looking good.
Thanks, RKO, I may have been doing similar with PB Plaster right after heating, but the water sounds more dramatic, cheaper and cleaner. Maybe do that a couple times, then heat again and try it? I will experiment with it on the headset which is super stuck too..

View attachment 164680

Great, and glad you got her loose. It's all just trail and error. Always works for me. Good luck with the rest. Razin...

 

[Laxbeaver]

Right on, I'm thinking of setting the forks over a horizontal beam, so its braced from the inside with a snug fit at the crown. A while ago I got a 1-3/16 socket for my 1/2" driver, just for headsets. So I've got that going for me...
Letting it soak for a couple days while I do some work. Nothing like a job to get in the way of things.

 

[Laxbeaver]

Finally finishing off this thread, I had some time to finally get to this, and had no trouble with the top nut. I can't say I experimented because I did all of it, heated it-water(2x)-heated it-PB Blaster-heated it-started cranking on it. Some screeching (the nut-not me) and it was loose.

My rig-

Last thing was the kickstand, the spring was stuck in a compressed state, but the pin wouldn't come out because it was rusted inside, just flopped there loose. Pretty soon I had pinched the outside down to a little nib, so I just put the kickstand down and smacked it out with a hammer. I thought it would be tougher and ended up sending it across the yard with one swing. I suppose the pin is somewhere in the neighborhood.

Anyway its a rider now, saved from a slow death in the garden after a life of hard work. Replaced the cranks, chain ring, pedals and stem. Temporary wheels for now, until I learn to rebuild coaster hubs-my next endeavor. My kid and his middle school friends use it and no worries about beating it up. At least the old bike is finally being used for fun!

 

[rat krate orange]

Finally finishing off this thread, I had some time to finally get to this, and had no trouble with the top nut. I can't say I experimented because I did all of it, heated it-water(2x)-heated it-PB Blaster-heated it-started cranking on it. Some screeching (the nut-not me) and it was loose.

My rig-
View attachment 170327
Last thing was the kickstand, the spring was stuck in a compressed state, but the pin wouldn't come out because it was rusted inside, just flopped there loose. Pretty soon I had pinched the outside down to a little nib, so I just put the kickstand down and smacked it out with a hammer. I thought it would be tougher and ended up sending it across the yard with one swing. I suppose the pin is somewhere in the neighborhood.

Anyway its a rider now, saved from a slow death in the garden after a life of hard work. Replaced the cranks, chain ring, pedals and stem. Temporary wheels for now, until I learn to rebuild coaster hubs-my next endeavor. My kid and his middle school friends use it and no worries about beating it up. At least the old bike is finally being used for fun!


View attachment 170328View attachment 170330

View attachment 170332

Good looking ride... RaToN.. Razin...

 

[Tallbikeman]

This bike ended up well. Good quality bicycle for your kids to blast around on. Cheap too.

 

[curtisfox]

I am a little late but ever try candle wax to cool, after heating? Somehow it gets into the threads and helps break them lose. Steering gear on my 444 Case garden tractor, was severally stuck, and tried this, lot of heat and wax, but finally come off. Tip out of Farmshow.com.
PS I like your fence bracket for fork work.................Curt

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I've heard of that before on a motorcycle restoration forum, the wax creeps into the heated threads, somehow breaks the bond. Never worked out for me, and the stays on one of my bikes is crusted with wax now. I ground off the bolt heads

 

[curtisfox]

It took several try's but finally come off..........Curt

 

[AndyA]

At least the old bike is finally being used for fun!

Cousin Laxbeaver:
Excellent! Your persistence has got ol' 915 back on the road where it belongs! Ride on!

 

[us56456712]

I haven't posted for a few years, but still buy a bike or two every summer. This one is really stuck, I bought it off FB before I could look at it, only $25 and I really liked the plate (tank?). It looks like it was a work bike for Trane Co., headquartered here with a large campus. DP Serial No. means 1980 I think?

View attachment 164456View attachment 164457View attachment 164458

Got it home and find the pedals, BB and kickstand locked tight and it dawned on me that this guy was ridden all year
long, across a lot of salted parking lots and sidewalks. Put some wheels on for a look, I like it so I'm giving it a try but hope has been sinking. The last two pics show where I've cleaned the pedal area, both sides, and the BB hardware with naval jelly a few times. Then I was using PBB and heat and giving the pedal a try once a day over about three days-nothing. Then I really heated it and gave a good crank and broke the wrench. Using a regular Craftsman wrench and a cheater pipe. I'm more hopeful about removing the BB parts but leaving it seized for now as it holds the crank tight for me as I try the pedal. If I can't get the pedal but can get the BB parts loose, maybe I could get the crank cut with a torch?
Looking for any and all advice, Thanks!

View attachment 164460View attachment 164462View attachment 164463

Put it in a good bench stand and suspend your weight on a professional shop grade pedal wrench so your feet are off the floor and bounce up and down with locked arms. Or just cut off the pedal. Everything will need replacing anyway. Soaking in penetrating oil applied weekly for 4 months has done wonders. I’m currently soaking a stuck inner crank bearing on a one piece crank and it’s been 3 months and it’s still stuck. I’m hopeful that warmer weather will help.