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Crank Brothers Candy Pedal Overhaul

What you need

• 8mm Socket
• Allen Key set
• Degreaser
• Large Flat Head Screwdriver
• Workshop Towl
• Bearing Grease

Optional Tools

• Crank Bros Candy Pedal Rebuild Kit
• Torque Wrench
• Cotton Buds

Newer Candy 1 and 2 models are similar, but the higher spec pedals (Candy 3 and 11) have needle bearings in place of the nylon bushing but the breakdown is very similar. The featured pedals are early Candy C pedals.

Overview

If the pedal becomes loose or feels gritty when it turns, then the pedal needs to be rebuilt. A mechanic can rebuild your pedals but you can easily rebuild them yourself - a rebuild kit is available commercially. It is relatively easy to replace the bushing and cartridge bearings.

Disassembly

Remove end cap with a large flat-bladed screwdriver.

Exposes the nyloc nut and end of the axle.

A 8mm socket is required to remove the nut, however it needs to be a thin walled socket as if it it too wide if may foul the body threads.

A 10mm (varies with pedal type) Allen key is inserted in the crank end and the socket in the other and the socket turned anti-clockwise, holding the Allen key.

The spindle can then be be removed with the main seal.

Removing the axle and nut exposes the sealed cartridge bearing.

If the outer bearing is still in-situ then just gently put the axle back in and it should just just pop-out.

Or just use a large enough allen key for instance.

The crank side has a rubber seal, which can be removed and a yellow bushing like the Time ATAC pedals can be seen beneath. The replacement bushings measure: 10mm inside diameter, 14mm outside diameter and 12mm length measured with microcalipers. A rebuild kit is also available which includes 2 dust caps, 2 bearings, 2 bushings, 2 nylock nuts, 2 inner seals, 2 outer seals. The bushing can be pulled out with a screw driver or the head of a nail to pull it out - this will damage it and is only indicated if there is excessive play. A new one can be pushed in with a suitabley sized drift (14mm diam).

The inner seal has steel reinforcement so that it press fits into the body of the pedal. If you want to remove it you may need a small flat bladed screw driver. I usually leave these alone unless the internals are very contaminated or bushings/seals need replacing.

Dismantling

You may want to skim read this section if you are wanting to do a quick service. Spares are difficult to get retail - you may get spares direct from Crank Brothers. It maybe worth doing a total breakdown once in a while to improve longevity. Using a suitably sized makeshift drift you can push out the central metal tube which acts as the axle for the cages.

 

When you remove the central metal core take care not to loose the two small o-rings at each end.

Central metal core with 2 o-rings, both cages and the spring.

Cleaning

Clean out the innards. I use a cotton bud.

The extracted bearing, code 685LLU, can easily be replaced if needed but a temporary fix is to carefully lift and remove one seal, soak in degreaser and then dry and regrease.

Use care if using a blade. Use a thin pieve of metal as screw drivers will damage the seal.

NOTE: If you have the service kit then swap the old seals, bearings, bushings, end caps and nuts once you have cleaned everything and start to reassemble.

Reassembly

Grease one end of central core.

Push it through the body from the bearing end and then pull it back flush.

Insert first cage (you can compare it to the other pedal for reference).

Again pull back the core so it flush again.

Lift the pedal and insert the second cage and push the core in further so it's flush again.

Align the cages perpendicular to one-another and align spring recesses.

Drop in the spring and push the central core back in, and then when it reaches the cages tap gently as not to dislodge the o-rings.

Put grease inside each end.

Drop in the bearing and push in.

Grease the cages and core to prevent squeeks.

Just a bit more to be safe at the cage/core interface.

Grease axle, bushing end.

Grease axle at the bearing end and then reinsert the axle being careful that the seal doesn’t get pinched or the sealing lip inverted.

Replace the nut and tighten the nylock nut to 3.5 NM.

Grease over the bearing. Replace end cap.

Finished.

Richard Fox - Features Contributor

Richard has been mountain biking for over 17 years,7 years on his local trails, Dartmoor. He also regularly rides away from home – usually riding each year (while doing the mechanics for others) in various events such as the Cheddar Challenge, Rough Ride, Soggy Bottom, Dyfi Enduro and twentyfour12.

All these years of riding (and breaking) bikes, has resulted in Richard acquiring the wealth of experience (and the tools) to keep his, and inevitably all his riding crew's, bikes on the trails. Richard is a Cyclist No.1 features contributor.

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