Pull-rope on mower...

[Brigitte]

Hi everyone, it's that time of year again, finally!!...

I got out my old, not-so-trusty Craftsman mower and tried to start it. The pull-rope came all the way out and stayed that way. :(

I know this isn't good, but wondered exactly how bad this is. Is this a simple fix, or should I just junk this thing? Below is the description of the unit.

Eager:1 6.75 Self-Propelled Craftsman mower

It's been a piece of junk since almost day 1, but I keep it around because it's nice to have a mower to get in places that I can't easily get to with my riding mower.

Any advice on how to fix this pull-rope issue would be greatly appreciated, since I'll trash it before I send it to the shop again.

Thanks, Brigitte

[timbirr]

Fairly easy fix. Go to the library and find a Reader's Digest or Better Home and Gardens Home (or one of the dozen other such titles) Home repair manual and look in the "lawn mower" or "small engine" section.

In both my RD and BHG books the repair is spelled out in detail with pictures and all.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Sounds like the "recoil spring" may have broken. If you're lucky, the break will be very close to one end of the spring and with a little heating to remove its hardness, plus bending, filing or drilling you may be able to form a "new end" and reuse the old spring.

As stated above, it's not rocket science, just make sure you don't lose control of the spring, it could fly loose and try and whack you in the face. Wearing eye protection while working on those recoil starters is a damn good idea.

Jeff

[No]

Other posters have good advice (Book, eye protection, spring repair)

It may not actually be a broken spring. It could be just a spring that came un-sprung. it could also just be jamed up with a twig or dirt. Explore a little. Can you see the thing that turns when you pull the cord? Can you use a screw driver to manually turn it? Try to wind it back manually. If it turns freely then the spring is unhooked or broken. if there is resistance it may just be caught on something. You may have to disassemble a bit to see if its just stuck or sprung. Either way its a not too expensive fix.

If something is broke just start taking things apart until you find the broken thingamabob and take it to a mower repair shop to get a new part then put it back together. Or, just take it in again.

I hate Crapsman/craftsman junk.

[mm]

BTW, on a Briggs and STratton engine iirc there are three tabs that are bent over and hold the spring area in place. I straighten the tab the minimum amount needed to remove the plate on which the spring and rope are mounted. But even then, the tab might break off some day, from being bent and straightened again and again. Voila, I noticed that an inch away from each tab was another tab that had not ever been bent!

More below.

Maybe you guys can help me on this one. Although I know this is a simple repair and works well almost all the time, my first mower had a broken spring (not at the hook but at the waist like area where it uses a narrow spot to attach to the hub iirc.

I replaced it and the new one broke the first day, in the same way.

It's not hard to turn the shaft with the rope before it breaks. The engine is not frozen. IIRC, the rope only got sucked back part way and I eventually tried oiling the spring, even though I think they never are. Are they?

Regardless, it didn't help.

I went through the same repair and break cycle with two more springs iirc. 3 plust the origina.

It's been years and the mower is rusting in a corner, but I like it, like the original poster, because it is narrow and can get into an area where the tree has grown and nothing bigger will get in there. And I'd like to know where I've gone wrong.

[Brigitte]

appreciated,

Thanks everyone for the advice. I appreciate it and will disassemble it, take a look at it and apply all advice as needed.

Brigitte

[digitalmaster]

sounds like you need a shorter rope..or not pull so far out...when the sping winds so far it cannot give any more.

[mm]

I'll try that, or at least check it, but I'm 95 percent sure I was using the same rope that it came with, and that it worked with for at least a year or two. Won't be able to try this until later in the summer. Thanks.