Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

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onlyconnect
Posts: 9
Joined: 19 Jul 2015, 11:15am

Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by onlyconnect »

I've been servicing my Eighties bike which has Lyotard pedals. The pedals are in reasonable shape but both dust caps are missing. Now that I've re-greased the bearings the grit is of course sticking like anything.

Ebay has some pedals but most of the affordable ones look in worse condition than mine, which are fine apart from this issue. Getting just the dust caps looks unlikely (at a sensible price). Has anyone figured out a way to improvise? I wondered about duct tape tied on with a thread wrapped round but a quick experiment was not very promising.

Tim
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CREPELLO
Posts: 5559
Joined: 29 Nov 2008, 12:55am

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by CREPELLO »

I'd give silicone sealant a go. As long as you clean up around the edges of the pedal, where the cap would fit, the sealant will fit well. But don't be tempted by the acrylic based stuff and remember not to pack it in too much. A good bed off grease should ensure that the sealant doesn't combine at the bearings.
Brucey
Posts: 44519
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by Brucey »

there have been a few different Lyotard pedals and dustcaps; I'd assume that you are looking for the screw-on metal type with an internal screw thread and many small flats on the outside, like this;

Image

for which there is not a readily available alternative. They were never very secure anyway IME; if the hole in the end plate of the pedal got the slightest bit worn, the dustcap would repeatedly work loose.

Lyotard Mod 82 pedals use a screw-in dustcap and for these there may be suitable alternatives.

I have seen people (temporarily) use a plastic bottle top and tape, zip ties, or that green wire you can use in the garden to hold the thing on properly.

I suspect that a plain cap with 'ears' that accept ties or small screws would work best in the long term as a substitute for the metal caps, but it won't solve the problem of end plate wear.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
onlyconnect
Posts: 9
Joined: 19 Jul 2015, 11:15am

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by onlyconnect »

They were never very secure anyway IME; if the hole in the end plate of the pedal got the slightest bit worn, the dustcap would repeatedly work loose.


Yes, those are the ones. Probably why they are missing!

Plastic bottle top could work if I can find the perfect size. Not sure I dare try silicone sealant.

Thanks

Tim
gerrymcm
Posts: 450
Joined: 30 Oct 2012, 2:52pm

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by gerrymcm »

Have you seen Sugru?
It's a "moldable" silicone which goes off to a rubber consistency.

You could try
1. mold some over the end of the pedal which would grip the outer surface of pedal.
2. mold some into the end of the pedal AND over it
3. mold a plug that only conforms to the threads. I don't think you'd be able to "unscrew" but as it's quite flexible once set I think you could prise it out.

Good luck
onlyconnect
Posts: 9
Joined: 19 Jul 2015, 11:15am

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by onlyconnect »

These look similar (the screw top one) anyone manage to bodge them on?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mks-dust-cap-fo ... an-pedals/

or do I just get a new pair of MKS Sylvan Touring pedals?

Tim
beardy
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Joined: 23 Feb 2010, 4:10pm

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by beardy »

David Hembrow has designed a pattern if you know anybody with a 3d printer and if it is the same Lyotard pedal.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:735485
onlyconnect
Posts: 9
Joined: 19 Jul 2015, 11:15am

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by onlyconnect »

David Hembrow has designed a pattern if you know anybody with a 3d printer and if it is the same Lyotard pedal.


Yes I noticed that and it is a good solution, but it looks like his is for a push-fit plastic cap whereas mine has an internal thread.

Thanks

Tim
Brucey
Posts: 44519
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by Brucey »

I was thinking that one of these

https://rustybikebell.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/img_2338.jpg

or something like it, with a little adaptation, could be used. But it seems you can't buy those either.... :roll:

BTW the available (externally) threaded MKS dustcap is not quite large enough to slip over a lyotard pedal body, IIRC, and even if it were you would still need to fixate it somehow.

Faced with this problem most people (rightly or wrongly) just go out and buy new pedals. MKS pedals are a very good pedal at a reasonable price, and you can buy dustcaps for them. They are much stronger than Lyotard pedals ever were IME. So I'd get a set of those. The only things I'd mark as negatives against some MKS pedals (eg the Sylvan models) are that

a) the spanner flats extend as far as the crank; a full shoulder would be better. Pedal washers are a good idea.
b) they are of 'traditional construction' so there is no full contact seal on the inboard bearing; if water gets in the bearings can suffer.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
pwa
Posts: 17370
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by pwa »

+1 for getting some MKS replacements. Or if in the back of your garage you have some of that epoxy like stuff for repairing scrapes in car bumpers, like I do (don't ask!), it would fill the hole with black plastic that could be scraped out if you needed to in the future.
greyingbeard
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Joined: 24 Mar 2015, 10:41pm

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by greyingbeard »

a bit of mastic on the threads will hold
so would threadlock of course
deryck
Posts: 23
Joined: 1 Feb 2015, 7:43pm

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by deryck »

These days 3d printers can be used to make a part, however it only helps if you have access to one, and can generate the drawing of the part, as buying one will cost you a lot more than a pair of pedals.
Gearoidmuar
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Joined: 29 Sep 2007, 7:35pm
Location: Cork, Ireland. Corcaigh, Éire má tá Gaeilge agat.

Re: Improvise a Lyotard pedal dust cap?

Post by Gearoidmuar »

Would a bit of a winebottle cork fit? I've used them on handlebar ends when I lost the real ones on tour.
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