# Pedal restoration...?



## guzziworksman (Dec 5, 2020)

I'm cleaning up a Yamaguchi Gold bike...and wondering what I can do with the pedals. Is there a solution I can soak these in to rehydrate them? No idea what the original color was - there's little to zero info available. If rehydrating isn't an option (and I think not) - can anyone point me to a source for making my own rubber inserts? It looks as though the pedals will disassemble easily. Thanks.


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## Gordon (Dec 5, 2020)

If they were mine I would go to the hardware store and buy a can of black Plasti-Dip. Get a small brush and give the blocks a couple coats.


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## guzziworksman (Dec 5, 2020)

Pretty good idea, Thanks!


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## 1817cent (Dec 8, 2020)

I have used that liquid rubber stuff they advertize on TV.  Get the can and a brush and give them a coat or two.  Works well for me.


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## Dogtown (Dec 13, 2020)

I have had great luck with WD 40 and Meguiars Rubber Vinyl cleaner. I wash first with scouring pads. Soak in a small amount of wd40 in a closed container for about 24 hours remove scrub again and do the same thing with the Meguiars. I have polisher for the chrome/metal. Hope this helps.


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## Dogtown (Dec 13, 2020)

Dogtown said:


> I have had great luck with WD 40 and Meguiars Rubber Vinyl cleaner. I wash first with scouring pads. Soak in a small amount of wd40 in a closed container for about 24 hours remove scrub again and do the same thing with the Meguiars. I have polisher for the chrome/metal. Hope this helps.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Rivnut (Dec 18, 2020)

I'd find some heavy black rubber matting, like used on the floor in the weight room, and make some new ones.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Dec 18, 2020)

__





						Pedal Rubbers — Bicycle Pedal Rubbers   and  Grips  etc.
					

Contact:   rk.miller@eastlink.ca




					www.bicyclepedalrubbers.com


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## tim elder (Dec 20, 2020)

Ditto on: http://www.bicyclepedalrubbers.com


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## guzziworksman (Dec 20, 2020)

Mmmmm...went to that site. Great products! But - none that would fit mine.


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## Hukah (Jan 8, 2021)

guzziworksman said:


> Mmmmm...went to that site. Great products! But - none that would fit mine.



Nothing for mine either


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## Andrew Gorman (Jan 8, 2021)

I've modified rubber  pedal blocks on a Harbor Freight milling machine.  I used a milling cutter with a high spindle speed and a slow feed.  For donor rubber material, you could maybe use a pedal block or ask at a BIG tire store or big rig shop that does tire retreading. You could probably find some on eBay.  Gor this application, black polyurethane might be easier to find.  Rubber does not cut well, but it does grind easily.  Do the Yamaguchi rubbers have an I-beam like profile or are they just flat strips?


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## guzziworksman (Jan 8, 2021)

I'll post a pic tomorrow. They're an I-Beam. I'll show you my "solution"...and we can go from there. I haven't done any work on it just yet. Just gathered some possible materials...thanks for your suggestions.


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## guzziworksman (Jan 9, 2021)

Here're a few pics of what I have right now. The slim blue piece is from the original pedal. No idea what its original color was, IF that's a fade to blue. I was thinking of using the green pedal block for cutting/fitting. The color of the bike is a greenish-silver. But given the difficulty of cutting the block - I've done nothing yet. And might not. What do you think?


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## Andrew Gorman (Jan 9, 2021)

The corner bevel on the green blocks going to look a little strange if you cut them down, even if the flange width of the I-beam is the same as the distance from the outside of the square hole to the outer surface of the block is the same.  What tools do you have or can wrangle access to? From my limited experience rubber likes a high speed tool and a slow feed rate. Are you  sure none of the Columbia, Cleveland or Crescent rubbers at the bicycle pedal rubbers site won't work?  They can be modified by punching new holes, widening the web with a grinder, etc.   I'd just start with a block of 98 durometer urethane from eBay.   Rip it to width and length on a tablesaw, mark out the width of the web and grind out the recess- ideally on a milling machine or a drill press with a milling attachment, but you could do it freehand with a Dremel if you are careful.


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## guzziworksman (Jan 9, 2021)

Thanks for the advice. I'll dig deeper into available pedal rubbers/durometer urethane. I have a wide variety of tools available - but milling capabilities of any sort? Zero. I do have 3 Dremel tools. No sense hacking up that green rubber pictured if it ain't going to work out.I'll be back...and once again - thanks!


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## RustySprockets (Jan 11, 2021)

Hmm...  I wonder if a router table couldn't accomplish the kind of shaping you desire.  It isn't the same thing as a milling machine, but...sorta.


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