Rebuilding MKS Touring Pedals

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Deacon Patrick

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Apr 15, 2019, 10:50:54 AM4/15/19
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Can anyone recommend a good video for rebuilding MKS Touring pedals? Standard cone bearings. I don't think I need new bearings, just to open them up and lube. Is that as simple as remove the end cap, insert lube, replace end cap? If so, no video required. Grin.

Patrick Moore

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Apr 15, 2019, 11:01:06 AM4/15/19
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I take it these are the old Touring pedal, not the more expensive and cartridge bearing model ...

If the pedals are dry but not gritty, one option is to shoot them full of thick grease using a grease gun. Another is to set them on end and dribble heavy oil, like Phi'ls, into the, and let them sit.

Are these new pedals? -- ie bearings typically overtight and underlubed? For years I've dribbled oil and simply ridden the bearings smooth; they still last a long time without need for further intervention.

The processes for disassembly and re-assembly is complicated by wee little bearings and wee little cones and wee little locknuts, and locknuts on rather imprecise threads so that it's rather delicate to find the bearing load that doesn't become too high when tightening the locknut. Sorry, don't have a video to share, but the technique is the same for all loose bearing pedals, and any video on rebuilding these should suffice.


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Patrick Moore

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Apr 15, 2019, 11:18:49 AM4/15/19
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Here you go: one Yank and one Brit:


Regreasing and adjusting Shimano cartridge bearing pedals is so much easier!

Jeffrey Arita

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Apr 15, 2019, 4:02:39 PM4/15/19
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+1 regarding Patrick Moore's comments.

I have found after cleaning and regreasing the components, that the re-adjustment back to 'just right' can be a fair amount of trial-and-error.  It can be done but patience is necessary.

I have also found the following to be extremely useful to capture all of those darned loose ball bearings:


Good luck!

Jeff 


On Monday, April 15, 2019 at 8:01:06 AM UTC-7, Patrick Moore wrote:
I take it these are the old Touring pedal, not the more expensive and cartridge bearing model ...

If the pedals are dry but not gritty, one option is to shoot them full of thick grease using a grease gun. Another is to set them on end and dribble heavy oil, like Phi'ls, into the, and let them sit.

Are these new pedals? -- ie bearings typically overtight and underlubed? For years I've dribbled oil and simply ridden the bearings smooth; they still last a long time without need for further intervention.

The processes for disassembly and re-assembly is complicated by wee little bearings and wee little cones and wee little locknuts, and locknuts on rather imprecise threads so that it's rather delicate to find the bearing load that doesn't become too high when tightening the locknut. Sorry, don't have a video to share, but the technique is the same for all loose bearing pedals, and any video on rebuilding these should suffice.


On Mon, Apr 15, 2019 at 8:50 AM 'Deacon Patrick' via RBW Owners Bunch <rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good video for rebuilding MKS Touring pedals? Standard cone bearings. I don't think I need new bearings, just to open them up and lube. Is that as simple as remove the end cap, insert lube, replace end cap? If so, no video required. Grin.

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Robert Liebermann

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Apr 16, 2019, 11:23:46 AM4/16/19
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I find rebuilding MKS Sylvans to be one of their best 'features'. Since they always come with too little grease it's a pleasant ceremony to add grease and adjust new Sylvans, and it's pretty easy in my experience. 

As for keeping the ball bearings herded, I hold the pedal with the 'bearings of interest' side up, and as I unscrew the cone I keep pressure on the bottom ones. I can't remember if there's room for a wayward ball to slip between the cone and spindle, but it's never been a problem. I loosen the cone just enough to push globs of grease into the crank side, then tighten the cone enough to flip pedal the other way up & put a glob of grease into the outer bearings. 

Tightening is pretty easy too, once you get a feel for how loose the cone ought to be before tightening the locknut. I usually spin the spindle to 'tighten' the cone, then back off just the right amount, then tighten the locknut.

Upon reassembly I get a nice smooth spin. The little bit of grease oozing out from the crank end seal tells me that those pedals have been properly greased and are ready to go.

MKS Sylvans are my favourite and are on most of my bikes. I just wish they'd stop 'fancifying' them by more polish and make the $#@! spindles out of much stronger steel (cro-mo?), because they bend way too easy! 

As a bonus, here's some 'beausage' photos of my well-worn Sylvans after 4 tours showing how satisfyingly they wear (note flattened centre areas):

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