troubles re-greasing your speedplays with loose fitting end-caps? solution -->

[wallymann]

many of us have found that when speedplays start to accumulate miles the end-caps start to leak, often unable to stay in place when injecting grease, making effective re-greasing impossible.

when the caps get really loose it seems like 99% of the grease doesnt even make it into the bearings -- it just back right out when the cap lifts due to the pressure from the grease-gun. of course, you can really lean into the caps with your grease-gun...but even that technique isnt really effective.

well, here's my solution: secure the loose-fitting cap with carefully placed safety wire wrapped around the pedal body and spindle. when cinched down, the safety wire is strong enough to resist the grease-gun's pressure and keep the cap in place...allowing the grease to get forced into the bearings and out the other side as intended.

here are a couple "work-in-progress" pics showing the safety-wire positioning and grease (mostly) going thru the hub as desired. when you're satisfied that the old grease is gone just clip the safety wire, wipe down the pedal as per usual, re-fit the grease-port screw and go for a ride! I think you can get away with less wire, maybe just 2 separate wire loops arranged as an X on the body w/o the loops on the spindle.

ps. ive given up in cheap lithium grease...it just doesnt have any longevity.

[bikinchris]

I just hold the crank arm, then push hard on the cap with the grease gun and pump away until the grease is clear.

[wallymann]

I just hold the crank arm, then push hard on the cap with the grease gun and pump away until the grease is clear.

thats my normal M-O, but the right pedal in this pair had a ridiculously loose/leaky cap...look at the 2nd pic...even with the cap secured, it was leaking like a sieve...had to come up with something more effective!

[fmradio516]

thanks for this. neither time i attempted to grease my speedplays was successful. Will need to try again with your method.

[parallelfish]

I just hold the crank arm, then push hard on the cap with the grease gun and pump away until the grease is clear.

Ditto here

[madsciencenow]

I just went through this exercise yesterday and wasted a bucket of grease. It did occur to me that I could just pull out a new end cap which are sold in packets for not much money but this would have required me to clean the grease of my hands and dig through several drawers to figure out where I stashed em. Anyway, cool tip which I will try, ... next time.


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[oldpotatoe]

Or....just take 'em apart and clean, regrease. Seems lot easier than the safety wire gig plus they get cleaner. NOT a bad idea to inspect the spindle either when opened as it rides on the inner bearing..it IS the 'cone'..

IMHO...