Rebuilding MKS Grip King Pedals

The left pedal on the DumVee was starting to click more and more, driving me to distraction.  While purchasing a chain for the MTB, I mentioned the clicking to Jim at HCHQ.  He suggested that I pry the dust cap off and squirt some grease in it.  I went home with a plan...

After prying off the end cap, I saw that there was a nut, a slotted washer and a cone -- all of which were accessible and easily removed.  This allowed me to completely disassemble the pedal, save the bearing (which were in good condition) and clean and re-grease the whole thing.  Here is a picture of the tools I used and the parts when the pedal is disassembled:

After cleaning everything, I put a good squirt of grease in the crank arm side of the pedal and put 12 bearings in, covering them with grease.  I then took the end cap and put it on, slotted side pointing away from the crank arm like this:

I then slid the pedal on, squirted another good shot of grease into the race and replaced the bearings. Covering the bearings with yet some more grease, I screwed on the cone until the pedal ground just slightly since it will loosen up when I ride it.  Sliding on the washer and tightening the nut so that the pedal turned and putting the dust cap back on completed the task. 

It rides without noise now and I have found another reason to buy the good stuff: you can fix it.  Woo-hoo!  Success.

Of course there is a little tragedy in every victory, and in this case I was said victim.  I drained the degreaser into a soda can I had next to me in order to easily retrieve the bearings.  Later that evening whilst cleaning up, I gathered up all the cans (Mrs. Yam had cleaned out the car) and I shook one of them, noticing that there was a swallow left in my soda.

That's not Diet Coke...

I spewed citrus degreaser so hard the dog jumped and started barking.  But, no lasting damage as my taste buds are finally functioning perfectly this morning.  Citrus degreaser doesn't taste like orange juice.  Just sayin'.

Shoot me now...

Are you fuckin' kidding me?

The loneliness of the short distance commuter...

Others have been prattling on about Bike to Work Week and the festivities and breakfasts and bike busses and whatnot.  I don't get to do any of that as I don't work downtown, but in a second ring suburb that, if not encourages, at least tolerates, bicyclists.  I ride through the warm, flabby grandmotherly arms of Richfield and I rarely see anyone on a bike save an occasional QBP guy heading south.

I don't mind though.  It's nice to have a little quiet time and I've been riding the DumVee because it's slow and I can put my messenger bag in the back and live without SBS (sweaty back syndrome).  I wave to moms and kids waiting for the bus, avoid getting crushed by the garbage trucks that hurtle through the neighborhoods and generally enjoy the morning.  Many mornings, I'll wave at the garage man -- he's a fellow that has a table and chair set up inside his garage and he just watches traffic go by.  Sometimes it seems that he'll be there all day because I'll pass by him in the morning and on the way back home in the afternoon.

Bike to Work Week is a little silly, anyway.  Every week is Bike to Work Week for me.  Try to make that way for you too.

S24O anyone?

Anyone up for a group S24O?  I would like to be able to grab a tent and some friends for an evening of biking, beers and a campfire-cooked meal.  In an attempt to make this a family-friendly affair, I don't think that we'd go all that far and we needn't go all that fast -- perhaps a lazy spin to Baker for a night?  If you are interested, scribble in the comment section and we can perhaps get a date and a destination chosen.

Also, the second Friday is coming up and I do believe that we need to meet for beers again (does anyone see a thread here?)  If anyone wants to make Snak Shak's Make-A-Wish happen a second time, lemme know...

Added: OB says Sea Salt is fine, so we'll be there starting at 4:30 or so.  You needn't any more of an invitation than this, so join us one and all, even if you weren't in the thread or at the last one.  Just look for the fat guy with a Big Dummy.