Pedal washers? Needed or not?

A month or so ago I bought an FSA Energy crank, and it came with thin stainless
washers to go between the crankarm and pedal (or at least that's what I figured
out, since they weren't mentioned in the instructions). It was the first time
I'd ever seen 'em.

Anyway, I just bought an FSA from one of the discount internet places, and
there were no washers (no box or hardware of any kind.. must have been OEM).

Do I need to scrounge up some washers? Does it make a difference? Should I
just use the ones that came with the Energy?

Thanks in advance.
Tom

On 13 Sep 2004 22:06:07 GMT, (TNyzio) wrote:

A month or so ago I bought an FSA Energy crank, and it came with thin stainless
washers to go between the crankarm and pedal (or at least that's what I figured
out, since they weren't mentioned in the instructions). It was the first time
I'd ever seen 'em.

Anyway, I just bought an FSA from one of the discount internet places, and
there were no washers (no box or hardware of any kind.. must have been OEM).

Do I need to scrounge up some washers? Does it make a difference? Should I
just use the ones that came with the Energy?

Thanks in advance.
Tom

I remember reading in this group that TruVative found pedal crank
washers extended the fatigue life of the crank, but there was some
"discussion" about it. Try he

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e....bicycles.tech

or

http://tinyurl.com/6x8lh

TNyzio Wrote:
A month or so ago I bought an FSA Energy crank, and it came with thi
stainless
washers to go between the crankarm and pedal (or at least that's what
figured
out, since they weren't mentioned in the instructions). It was th
first time
I'd ever seen 'em.

Anyway, I just bought an FSA from one of the discount internet places
and
there were no washers (no box or hardware of any kind.. must have bee
OEM).

Do I need to scrounge up some washers? Does it make a difference?
Should I
just use the ones that came with the Energy?

Thanks in advance.
Tom

They don't really help, but it leads to another discussion that th
pedal to crank interface standard should be modified to have a shap
similar to lug nuts and car wheels. A quotation from Jobst Brandt:
"The problem is that the contact face is parallel to the
force applied and that can't work as we see from the need
for a left hand thread on the left pedal. The joint is
always moving. Placing a washer between that face does
nothing to reduce that motion. In fact part of the fretting
failure is INSIDE the thread although it is most visible on
the face of the crank when the pedal is removed."

If we had a new pedal to crank conical interface standard this proble
would go away

--
daveornee

tnyzio- A month or so ago I bought an FSA Energy crank, and it came with thin
stainless
washers BRBR
Do I need to scrounge up some washers? Does it make a difference? Should I
just use the ones that came with the Energy? BRBR

Should use washers, why they are included. The will allow the pedal part that
contacts the arm from gooning up the arm.

Peter Chisholm
Vecchio's Bicicletteria
1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535
http://www.vecchios.com
"Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

TNyzio wrote:
A month or so ago I bought an FSA Energy crank, and it came with thin stainless
washers to go between the crankarm and pedal (or at least that's what I figured
out, since they weren't mentioned in the instructions). It was the first time
I'd ever seen 'em.

Anyway, I just bought an FSA from one of the discount internet places, and
there were no washers (no box or hardware of any kind.. must have been OEM).

Do I need to scrounge up some washers? Does it make a difference? Should I
just use the ones that came with the Energy?

I've always got away without them, but if the crank came with them I
would use them. They slow down the rate at which the pedal chews the
crank, but won't eliminate it completely.

I have a chain cleaner but can't say I have ever tried pedal washers.
Sounds like a gimmick to me.