I ordered a set of titanium spindles for my Keo Max from eBay. The seller refused to provide instructions, apparently fearing a copyright lawsuit. So I got directions from one of their other buyers, and I'm writing them up here.

It's about a 5-minute job once you actually know how to do it.

The stock spindle pair is 105g.


The ti spindle pair is 60g. ($55 + 5 shipping.)


You need:
-A Hammer
-19mm, 18mm (or 17mm), and 12mm deep-well sockets
-Grease


Note that the parts are Left/Right specific, and that the threads are pedal-specific. So do one at a time.

(1) Use the 19mm socket to unscrew the black plastic threaded collar from the pedal. For me, it loosened by hand. (remember that threads are pedal-specific.)

(2) Pull out the stock spindle and note the parts and their orientation. From the outside-in, you'll see:
--Threaded collar (that threads into pedal body)
--Rubber Dust seal (under the thread collar)
--Small Shim (beveled edge facing towards the bearings
--Two Cartridge Bearings
--Large Shim (beveled edge facing into the pedal.

**look at the pedal upwards from the narrow end. Note how the spindle body just meets the inside of the large shim. that's how far you're going to knock the shim on when you put it on the new spindle.

Here is an exploded view, with the threaded collar pulled down past the rubber dust seal:


Here are the parts lined up:


(3) To remove the bearings from the old spindle:
--hold the spindle with the narrow end pointed down
--slide the 17mm (in my case, 18mm) socket down over the pedal threads. It should rest on the plastic threaded collar.
--hold everything steady, and hammer the top until the parts slide down.
**remember that you are hammering plastic, so i used lots of medium-force hits, rather than smashing it apart. It took a while, but everything did slide off.
**note that these parts are only held on by friction. they look extremely tight, but they will come off.

(4) Slide the rubber dust seal off, and put it on the new spindle.

(5) Grease everything.

(6) Reassemble the parts in reverse order:
--dust cover
--threaded collar
--small shim (beveled edge facing the narrow end of the spindle
--2 bearings
--large shim

(6) Hold the spindle with the narrow side facing up, and slide your 12mm socket over the narrow end. hold everything in place, and hammer down until everything is seated properly.



(7) Grease the spindles and re-assemble with the 19mm socket.

Now, remember that I'm not the manufacturer, i'm just a guy who bought these. So i probably can't help if anything goes wrong with yours.

It wasn't difficult, and the pedals are 45g lighter for the pair.

Thanks!! So what's the total weight now? Around 210g?

I've been mulling over the Ti Blades for weight purposes, I have the Composite Max's right now and it's begging for this upgrade.

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My scale isn't exactly top of the line, but it read 220g for both pedals.

This is a similar process when doing the Time RSX pedal spindles.

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Think the other way of doing this, that have been explained here on ww, involve machining away the big retainer. Then you would have to make a new retainer 9.95mm inside diameter, 13mm outside diameter 7mm long. After eading this thread i thougt, this seams a lot more simple....... So started easy tapping on the black plastic threaded collar..........and the damned thing split in 2 parts. any sugestions on where to get that plastic threaded collar. Probably have to buy another pedal now and do it the other way??????

machining a new one would have been way beyond me. maybe contact look?

excellent tutorial. Make sure you post every upgrade/tuning you do as a tutorial like this, awesome. WW needs more member like you.

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nice of you to say, man. thanks.

Great piece- I have done this upgrade to all of my pedals.
The spindles fit Keo2Max, Keo2Max Carbon, and Keo2Max Blade.
Weights are 220, 210, 189 grams.
Use blue loctite on the threads when re-installing and to not overtighten. It is basically plastic on plastic.
Also, Look does not sell parts- only complete axle/bearing/spacer assemblies and does not endorse upgrades of this sort (FWIW).

Here is a older thread on the subject
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=40525&hilit=keo
Conclusion here is no way to rebuild........

Here is an explenation on how to do it by machining it of:
http://colinsbikingbits.blogspot.com/20 ... rings.html

Maybe i was unlucky but i did not tap very hard, and the plastic part just split...........
Boots2000 have you done it to several pedals the way inertianinja did it?????

I have done about 12 sets of pedals- have broken none. My gues is that whatever you were using that contacted the plastic threaded part was not a proper fit.
I have used an 18mm depp well socket for this- discovered that a 17mm actually fits better.
Sounds like your touch with a hammer is not so good-
That said, my skills improved with every set- I am a maestro now.
Correct on parts- have to order complete axle/bearing assembly.

according to look website, these pedals should have 3 bearings; 2 ball bearings + 1 needle bearing... Perhaps is only the 2012 which has 3 bearings? please let me know as i want to purchase these pedals but first i'd like to know about this. thanks.

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Nope, just two bearings, see pics

I've not taken apart a Look pedal, so this is purely speculation, but I would wager the needle bearing is still inside the pedal body, and the portion of the spindle sticking out from the spacer slides into it.

oh that's probably true, but if it is, the needle bearing doesnt come out when you swap the spindles.