Modern Vespa

My scooter was painted with the brake pedal on and pin in. With a bit of heat and a hammer I've managed to get the pedal rotating with some effort, but I'm really struggling with the pin which I suspect is rusted/painted in. I've got some long/thin nosed pliers which can grip the pin but when I pull, the pliers lose grip, the pin stays put and I loose some skin from my knuckles...

When I heated the brake pedal the paint on it and some of the surrounding areas (frame!!!) didn't like it so much and caught fire and went black and cracked, so I'm a little wary of more heat.

I was thinking of grinding a section of the brake pedal away (I've got a new pedal) - does this sound like the next best approach?

The below photo shows the area I'm thinking of removing.

I saw someone suggest drilling the pin out but I don't think i have the skill to do that without ruining the original pin hole. I expect that once the pedal is gone I'll have a better shot at hitting the pin out from below.

get an allen key under it and use a big
flathead scrwedriver to lever up

Good one, I'll give that a crack. Cheers.

Let me know if tou beed a hand, possibly one evening this week.

Thanks SEB. Evenings aren't any good, but maybe next weekend.

I had a crack with the screwdriver and allen key. Not sure if I was doing it right, with the short end of the allen key against the pin and then using the screwdriver to wedge it up, but I didn't have any luck...

Unless the grinding is a really bad idea, i'm probably heading that way.

I had the same problem on a smallframe pedal with a rusted pin.
My first port of call was heat when the industrial strength chemicals didn't work.
That freed up the rust a bit but I ended up grinding with the dremel and the cutting wheel. Took longer than an angle grinder, but heaps more control.

Have you tried the freeze spray, normally used when fitting bearings, sorry can't remember the name of the stuff

Tape on a papertowel soaked in CRC/WD40 over a few days.
Cut paint on either side of pivot point.
Does the pedal move up & down?

Yeah, I'll probably go down this track, enjoy getting out the dremel

Have not. Might grab some on the weekend and give it a crack...

Does move up and down but with a whole heap of elbow grease...

At least its moving a bit... Keep at it with the WD40 ( incl lots around the ends of the pin.), make sure thepaint is cut so ots got a chance to move.
If still stuck in a few days i will bring the blowtorch & sledgehammer , im sure it will come off.

The angle of the pin can vary and a small mirror can help you find the end of the pin you need to drive out. Here's some pics courtesy of Ginchy to help you see what you're looking for:




The angle on this one is about 10-15 degrees off that seam line, where the other one is more like 30ish.

If the pin is too badly rusted in, you can drill off the head from the top and drive the body out the bottom, then just replace the pin if you wanted to save the original pedal.

I'm sure I could get the pedal off once the pin is out, that's the struggle.

I'll try the wd40, the freeze stuff, grab a mirror and try with an Allen key and screwdriver to get the pin out.

The first things I bought after meeting u was a blow torch and mallet! So u can leave yours at home

Thanks Voodoo - I actually saw this but didn't read the last para properly - grinding the head and driving the pin through from the top is a great idea. Cheers

So I didn't get to the shops to pick up any freeze spray, nor a mirror, nor did i have the patience for WD40. So I busted out the dremel

I carved out a wedge bigger than originally planned and I think it was a good move as it was still a bit of a battle to get loose but I got the pedal off.

The pin is now stuck in, I ground off the top of it and started wacking it with a hole punch and hammer but it wouldn't budge a mm. I think i'll grab a drill and drill out the top a bit and then find something thin to knock it through with.

some people as for help n get none ... some get tons n go with what they planned all along ..... dont get it

Could you try and heat it now and use a pin punch to knock it out?

looking at the pictures, be very careful it looks like the brake pedal pin is bent. i think you should try heat again, the small pin is made from a softer metal than the brake pedal pin. When you heat it up, let it cool down before you start hitting it.
My opinion, its stuck is because it was left in when sand blasted & you have fragments in-between the two parts. Also remove the switch, you are not going to be using that again.

if it's possible grind the bottom off and drive it out from the bottom

No don't grind off the bottom. You just need to smack the bottom end good now that you can get at it and it should pop out.



You'll never drive it out from the top the way it is. You'd have to drill it out a little as you said.
But don't bother, just go the other way now that it's easy.



Looks like the top end is still too big and is recessed down into the countersink now.

Damn, be careful, man. That rear brake pedal is a safety critical mechanism. Looks bent up. And if you damage the pin hole, the pedal could fall off right quick.

Finesse, not...

yo, I fucking love using those things. A cordless angle grinder in my hands is a recipe for revenge.

Ha...

Yeah, drive that sucker out from the bottom not the top... and don't smack it, just little tippy taps.. first get the brake switch outta there. You might have to dremel some of that rust off first. Don't destroy the pin the pedal sits on, you don't wanna end up like Cotter Pin Boy. If it doesn't budge, drill.

wear full face & head protection when using these

I think a tear just appeared in my eye... I am impressed that you took the easy way out... Heat, Hammer, Grind always wins!

but I do agree that you will be screwed if you grind the bottom end off, as there will not be much to bash it free.
possibly you will need to drill it out?

ok don't grind the bottom but pound it real good. Go gentle at first. It needs a little warm up.

got any more dance moves you'd recommend ?

So I've had another crack today with some more heat (the paint didn't enjoy this), WD40, some light to medium tapping from below, also tried hitting it a bit harder from above with a few different tools (a nail, screw & nail punch, but not a pin punch). I've also had at it with a wood drill bit in the dremel to try and remove the recessed bit but it's still holding on tight. I only just saw the note about removing the rust from the bit sticking out which might help it slide through.

Next I think I'll grab a proper metal drill bit and plug-in drill and just drill it out.


Couldn't get the brake switch out, the screws don't want to move. Have tried a few times...


GLscoot - I think you're right, the brake pedal pin isn't straight and it looks like it's coming out of the frame at an odd angle. Hopefully I can get my new pedal on and the switch set up so it all works.

You're not heating it up with that lighter are you
Looks like plug in drill is becoming a good option.

... Nope, been using lighter & WD40.

Am I doing something wrong??

You picked the wrong hobby. Maybe this is better...

Hell yeah! Later MV, I've got some green army men to burn!

better get yourself a classic green coat!

Use a butane torch that gets much hotter. Heat up, cool, and tap out from the bottom.

I like heat guns. I think I pays $10 for mine and it has a ton of temperature control.

Thanks rowdyc, but I was using butane, hence the black paint... we were just joking...

If I had easily accessible power in the garage, and I didn't have the butane, this would be my 1st choice.