how to swap spindles on BeBop pedals

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

Post Reply
User avatar
djconnel
Posts: 7917
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:57 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA
Contact:

by djconnel

I need to swap the spindles on my BeBops but I have a really stupid question. It's evident I need to remove the dust cover on the pedals but there's no obvious way to do that:

Image

Ideas?

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Hare
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2015 11:04 pm

by Hare

Just lever it off with a thin bladed screwdriver. The edge will burr a little, but it will still work when replaced. The rebuild kits come with replacement dust covers to make the pedals look new again. If you are changing the spindle, worth replacing the internals anyway, rebuild kits are cheap if you can find them in stock

Beneath the dust cover lies the real challenge. The Phillips head screw that holds it all together is secured with Loctite. It can be removed with a suitable power tool, but is not easy. If anyone knows a way of doing it with a hand tool, I shall be interested to learn, defeated thus far.

User avatar
djconnel
Posts: 7917
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:57 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA
Contact:

by djconnel

Thanks! It's not a rebuilt kit but rather an aftermarket Ti spindle I'm trying to install. At least you can get aftermarket spindles for these without the lawyers deploying.... but no replacement covers.

User avatar
F45
Posts: 1077
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:08 am

by F45

I encountered that phillips head screw when I was 18. I got the biggest screwdriver that would fit, then wrapped a towel around the handle for additional leverage, then put all the force I could along the axis to keep the tool from slipping off the head. It came out. I re-installed without loctite and a few months later the screw came off and I lost the pedal during a ride. I've always loctited since then. One of these days I should replace it with a star drive fastener.

I've always re-used the dust caps. If you get a small knife and work it under there you won't damage it much.

The bearings are very smooth and low friction. I've always liked the design. But I have a 12 ton press to re-tension the cleats so I avoid the problems that turn people off them.

User avatar
BRM
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:43 pm

by BRM

Hare wrote:
Beneath the dust cover lies the real challenge. The Phillips head screw that holds it all together is secured with Loctite. It can be removed with a suitable power tool, but is not easy. If anyone knows a way of doing it with a hand tool, I shall be interested to learn, defeated thus far.


You can break the Loctite by heating.

User avatar
BRM
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:43 pm

by BRM

F45 wrote:I encountered that phillips head screw when I was 18. I got the biggest screwdriver that would fit, then wrapped a towel around the handle for additional leverage, then put all the force I could along the axis to keep the tool from slipping off the head. .


-Whatever you do take tools that fit. Quality tools pay out in these situations because of the better fit.
Difference between fail and success is small here and tight fitting tools can make that difference.

-There are screwdrivers that have just under the handle a possiblility to place a wrench.
-Some screwdrivers have in the handle a hole, where you can put a pin in for extra leverage.

Anyway by far best method is:
Fix the object in a vise. (option is to break the loctite with heat. blue loctite you have the option, with red loctite its a necessity)
-Too loosen screws you best take a screwdriver in one hand and a hammer in the other.
Put the screwdriver firm on the head and then give a hard slam with the hammer. At the time you slam you also twist the screwdriver.

With this:
The possibility you screwup the head decreases.
The posibility the head breaks off decreases.
The total friction decreases.

(The screwdriver is totally forced into the head by the slam, tight fit at that moment
the slam creates a bit room around the screw threads, which makes it easier to loosen.
Lets say it works like a pneumatic tool)

WannabeWeenie
Posts: 106
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2015 7:05 pm
Location: Minnesota, USA

by WannabeWeenie

BRM wrote:
F45 wrote:-Too loosen screws you best take a screwdriver in one hand and a hammer in the other.
Put the screwdriver firm on the head and then give a hard slam with the hammer. At the time you slam you also twist the screwdriver.

A manual impact driver does all this for you with a simple blow of a mallet.
Image

User avatar
BRM
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:43 pm

by BRM

WannabeWeenie wrote:A manual impact driver does all this for you with a simple blow of a mallet.


You are right, but I go out of everyday tools. Most people have screwdrivers and a hammer.
Only few have a manual impactdriver.
There is no need to buy a manual impact driver only for 2 pedals. But when you buy one because its a handy tool for other things too, buy a quality one. Also here the quality and fit of the bits makes the difference.

glepore
Posts: 1408
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:42 pm
Location: Virginia USA

by glepore

Ditto the hammer and driver method, or the impact. And yes, reloctite. Some here replaced the philips with an allen hex when reassembling.

I've managed to strip the head on a bebop screw even with the hammer method. Have several pairs.
Cysco Ti custom Campy SR mechanical (6.9);Berk custom (5.6); Serotta Ottrott(6.8) ; Anvil Custom steel Etap;1996 Colnago Technos Record

Bogan
Posts: 301
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2014 11:47 pm
Location: Boganville, Australia

by Bogan

After rebuilding some Bebops with ti spindles and having the screws come loose even with loctite, I am about to do it again with hex socket screws. I will cut a neat hole in th cap for the head of the screw to poke through.
MAMIL? Never. O.F.I.L. yeh! (Old F**ker in Lycra)

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



WannabeWeenie
Posts: 106
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2015 7:05 pm
Location: Minnesota, USA

by WannabeWeenie

BRM wrote:Most people have screwdrivers and a hammer.
Only few have a manual impactdriver.

Good point. I forget I have a large collection of tools for FUBAR situations from working on cars that have been neglected by their owners.

Post Reply