Maintaining/servicing Shimano SPD pedals

General Help
1

My XT PD-M780 pedals have developed play in the bearings so I’d like to know if anyone here has successfully pulled them apart and adjusted the bearings? Taking the axle off the pedal is easy, the hard part is adjusting the bearings themselves as I understand you may require the TL-PD63 tool. Anyone here done it with/without the special tool?

Thanks,

I found this on the Park tool website which is helpful:

Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » SPD Pedal Overhaul

Bearing Adjustment

The bearings may be adjusted. Some models require a 7mm wrench for the locknut and a 10mm wrench for the adjusting cone. However, some models have the locknut recessed and require a tool from Shimano®, the TL- PD-63. This is double socket tool holds the adjusting cone and loosens the locknut. The inner socket of the PD-63 is double sided, one is a 7mm, the other is 8mm, and this is used to secure or loosen the locknut. The outer portion is also double sided, with a 10mm and 11mm option, and it is used to move the cone.

The Shimano TL-PD-73 tool

The threads of the adjusting cone and locknut are right hand-threaded on both left and right pedals. Hold shaft unit secure by holding pedal thread in soft jaws of a vise. Use the Park Tool AV-4 axle vise for this. If you don’t have a vise, re-mount pedal in crank to hold it secure.

To test bearing adjustment, grab cylinder section of shaft unit, not plastic section. Bearing adjustment only effects cylinder section. Play in plastic section will disappear when unit is remounted in pedal body. To adjust, hold cone with 10mm wrench CBW-1 and loosen counter-clockwise locknut with 7mm wrench.

2

This tool…?

Shimano XTR Bottle Opener Mountain Bike XT | eBay

3

I’ve done it. It works. Just gotta be very subtle with the adjustment. Then just drown the fucker in grease

4

Thanks, did you have the special tool, or did you use regular spanners?

5

Just the spanners. Kept em going for another half a year or so, maybe more

6

I have the Shimano tool if you would like to use it.

I have used other tools in the past that I have made myself although the genuine Shimano tool is a better option.

7

Buy time pedals

8

fix them but in 6 months time when they get shitty again, put them in the bin and get some 540 pedals

when the 540s get shitty just buy new ones

9

FFS I’m not throwing away a $65.00 set of pedals

10

I’d suggest you give them to some one less fortunate
but there is no one less fortunate

Never ridden them but just like bagging shimano

11

Thanks… thanks :slight_smile:

You know what this is a lesson in- buy cheap, buy twice.
I’ve also got 2 sets of XTR PD-M980 and they have seen much more use, but the bearings are buttery smooth still. Lesson, but XTR and Dura Ace.

12

My first pair of 980’s actually had quite a bit of movement after only roughly 1000k (on road) and needed to be rebuilt hence buying the expensive and never again used TL-PD63 tool.

The pedals were used on a fixed gear MTB (brakeless) and it’s possible that the force on the pedals may have caused some possible problems although it would seem unlikely considering the pedals were designed for professional cross country MTB racing.

13

Interesting- is it essential to use the special tool for the M780/M980 pedals? Or can I use a spanner?

14

Just serviced your old pedals.
Adjusted the little cup/cones with a 10mm and a small adjustable spanner, and used a 17mm and a big adjustable spanner to get the axles out, then packed with fresh grease which forces the old stuff out when you screw the axles back in.

this guide was good
Workshop: How To Clean Shimano Clipless Pedals - BikeRadar

15

Thank god for Bike Radar instructionals, otherwise I’d be stuffed!

16

Seriously though what’s with shimano having different pedal axle standards so you need different specific tools??

You need a different one again for the single sided M324s. Bastards.