Removing stuck SPD cleats

Quoted message said:

Hello, I have a 3-year old pair of SPD sandals, which have always had
the same cleats on them.

I'm changing pedals and need to put on a different pair of cleats but
3 years of rain and mud seem to have taken their toll. I can't loosen
any of the 4 bolts.

What's the best way to remove the cleats? I've tried to get all the
dirt out of the hex-heads, but my wrench still slips before the bolt
turns. The bolt has gotten a little stripped now, which makes it even
more difficult.

That's easy.

Go to your friend Marty's house and have him drill out those suckers. (He
also might grind a slot in 'em and then use a screwdriver to remove, but the
drill is faster and more fun.)

Bill "head rounder extraordinaire" S.

Quoted message said:

Hello, I have a 3-year old pair of SPD sandals, which have always had
the same cleats on them.

I'm changing pedals and need to put on a different pair of cleats but 3
years of rain and mud seem to have taken their toll. I can't loosen any
of the 4 bolts.

What's the best way to remove the cleats? I've tried to get all the
dirt out of the hex-heads, but my wrench still slips before the bolt
turns. The bolt has gotten a little stripped now, which makes it even
more difficult.

Thanks,
Sam

Screw extractor

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?sourceid=mozilla-search&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&tab=wf&q=screw+extractor&btnG=Search+Froogle

OR: http://snipurl.com/i6mm

Go nuts (weak pun, but ... I tried)

Quoted message said:

Hello, I have a 3-year old pair of SPD sandals, which have always had
the same cleats on them.

I'm changing pedals and need to put on a different pair of cleats but 3
years of rain and mud seem to have taken their toll. I can't loosen any
of the 4 bolts.

What's the best way to remove the cleats? I've tried to get all the
dirt out of the hex-heads, but my wrench still slips before the bolt
turns. The bolt has gotten a little stripped now, which makes it even
more difficult.

In nearly all cases I've seen where customers can't get the bolts out,
there's still debris (packed dirt & tiny rocks) at the base of the socket,
preventing enough engagement of the allen wrench. Make sure you've literally
scraped away everything you can, using something very sharp & pointy
(actually, a small nail can work fine). You'd be amazed how much deeper
those sockets are than you might think!

If they really are messed up, you might try an impact wrench. They can often
do wonders on stuck & mostly-wrecked bolts. An easy-out is the very last
resort (tough to drill the hole needed to use them).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Sears sells a new version of screw extractor that worked well on just this
problem - SPD screws worn too shallow to allow engaging the hex wrench.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello, I have a 3-year old pair of SPD sandals, which have always had
the same cleats on them.

I'm changing pedals and need to put on a different pair of cleats but 3
years of rain and mud seem to have taken their toll. I can't loosen any
of the 4 bolts.

What's the best way to remove the cleats? I've tried to get all the
dirt out of the hex-heads, but my wrench still slips before the bolt
turns. The bolt has gotten a little stripped now, which makes it even
more difficult.

Thanks,
Sam

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote ...

Quoted message said:

If they really are messed up, you might try an impact wrench. They can
often do wonders on stuck & mostly-wrecked bolts. An easy-out is the very
last resort (tough to drill the hole needed to use them).

What's an impact wrench (seriously). Is it another name of vise grips?

JF

--
http://spaces.msn.com/members/flomblog/

"Jim Flom " wrote: What's an impact wrench (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The tool that's most commonly called an "impact wrench" is NOT the one you
want. Most people referring to an impact wrench are talking about a
pneumatic or electric scoket driver, like the ones used on auto wheel lug
bolts. The kind of "impact wrench" you want is like a heavy screwdriver.
You mount a square drive Allen wrench, hold the drive in one hand and twist
counterclockwise. You then sock it really hard with a hammer, and it should
break the screw loose. The difficulty you will have with this is that you
need to back up the shoe sole with some kind of a rigid, heavy chuck of
metal. Maybre, take it to a shoe repair and see if they'll let you slip it
on one of their "lasts."

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Hello, I have a 3-year old pair of SPD sandals, which have always had
the same cleats on them.
I'm changing pedals and need to put on a different pair of cleats but 3
years of rain and mud seem to have taken their toll. I can't loosen any
of the 4 bolts.
What's the best way to remove the cleats? I've tried to get all the
dirt out of the hex-heads, but my wrench still slips before the bolt
turns. The bolt has gotten a little stripped now, which makes it even
more difficult.

If you have a dremel tool you can try cutting a slot in the screw head and then
use a screwdriver. If that doesn't work, you can use the dremel tool to grind
off the screw head. Once the cleat is off, you can use pliers to unscrew the
piece sticking out.
-------------
Alex

Quoted message said:

What's an impact wrench (seriously). Is it another name of vise grips?

Here's a really expensive one, from Snap-On

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000723.php

But you can get cheaper versions for under $20 from Sears.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

Sam Huffman said:

Hello, I have a 3-year old pair of SPD sandals, which have always
had the same cleats on them.

Quoted message said:

I'm changing pedals and need to put on a different pair of cleats
but 3 years of rain and mud seem to have taken their toll. I can't
loosen any of the 4 bolts.

Quoted message said:

What's the best way to remove the cleats? I've tried to get all the
dirt out of the hex-heads, but my wrench still slips before the bolt
turns. The bolt has gotten a little stripped now, which makes it
even more difficult.

That's bad because the hex key is the best tool to remove the cleat.
Next time be meticulous about getting the dirt out of the hex socket
in the head of the screw before trying to loosen them.

My experience is that the conical face of the flat head screws gets
almost welded into place so that a long handled hex-key is needed to
loosen them. When unscrewed, there is no indication that there was
anything but a fine film of rust in the threads and conical seat.

The next one I install will have anti seize compound in the interface.
I always installed them with grease but somehow they have a way of
getting rid of it by the time I get new shoes. That speaks well for
the duration of my TO92 Shimano shoes. I am told that the next shoe
will be a RT50's, the new name for that shoe. They don't show it on
the Shimano web site yet, however.

Jobst Brandt