Easily Fix Your Pull Start Recoil Spring for Small Engine 

My hands are bleeding from trying to fix this damn spring all day yesterday. Thank you.

My string broke, I couldn't get it in, so I took it apart and BAM!! spring popped out. Thanks to your video, after 4 tries, I was able to reinstall it.

Don’t do this around your kids or wife if you don’t want them to know what kind of person you are when you’re angry

You have no idea how much this video means to me. Thanks

Excellent advice. Thanks very much. This is by far the easiest method I have seen for the ordinary handyman without specialised spring-winding equipment. And, I've got to say, thank heavens for zip ties and cordless drills.

Spent nearly two hour trying to put spring back in before I watched this video. 10 mins later it's in. Excellent idea

you saved me today. watched your video after an hour of struggle. 5 minutes later it was fixed. thank you!

Thank you, definitely worked. Prior to your advice, I tried all sorts of uneducated attempts and yours worked first time. Great thinking skills !!!😊

I was thinking to buy a new lawy mower because the retract cord malfunctioned, but after watching your presentation I'm going to give it a go and try repairing the spring loaded cord system. Thanks a lot for posting this repair instructions.

You just helped me replace the recoil spring on my Troy Bilt cultivator/edger. *THANK YOU!!!*

Thank You SOOO much for this video; I was struggling and almost gave up . . . I got the trimmer back running again!!!

That trick with the drill is worth a million bucks! Thanks so much for posting this, you've saved me so much time trying to get those damn things back in there.

I'm a novice at small engine repairs, but with videos like yours, I've finely figured out how to successfully repair my recoil spring and rope on my 24 yo Tecumseh tiller. I've spent 2 weeks trying to figure out which direction to install the spring, how to keep the spring inside while rewinding it. With your video I realized I didn't need the rope installed until after the spring was working (many hours trying to wrap the spring and rope at the same time). Weird your video didn't show up when I googled this topic, but after about 40 videos, I'm done! So glad, so so glad. Thank you!!

Thanks so much for explaining this process - after spending a couple of frustrating hours yesterday struggling with the spring, I was successfully able to get my whippersnipper working again this morning. Definitely takes perseverance, and I went through a few zip ties, but very worth while. Thanks for sharing the idea.

This was really helpful. It really works well. I can add two more recommendations after fighting through this. Trace an outline of the housing on the board so that you know you have the spring tight enouh and use a paint scraper to hold the coils down when tightening with the drill. I also recommend to check the shape of the spring where the drill held it. I hsd to reshape a bit before reinstalling.

This was a great help after the spring popped out of my stihl chainsaw, after wrestling with it for about an hour I watched this video and got it rewound and back together- thanks!

Thank you so much. I was at wits end because I didn't have the strength to wind and hold it. When I saw you used a drill that was exactly what I needed. I watched many other videos and yours was just excellent. Thanks again

Hey, thanks for the tip using the drill. I just watched someone do it this way by hand... Mine are still sore 😖 Worked great 👍🏼

This job is not for the feint hearted, installing this spring around small children will definitely increase their vocabulary

Thanks. Got it in the second try. Had to reduce the innermost spiral's diameter so it would catch and found that easier with everything flying free. Your style inspired confidence in this hack, and it was definitely easier than by hand.

I just want to thank you. Thank you so much for saving me and sharing this. This would’ve likely ended up either with me being injured or short of eyesight. Thanks for sharing this

Tried other methods multiple times. Never worked . Hurt my hands etc. THIS method worked first try. Thanks so much.

Thanks for the tutorial. I was able to get the spring back in the cheapo weed wacker I was working on. One suggestion for anyone watching: The spring may get distorted and not lay flat. This is easily fixed so it doesn't cause a problem.

Thank you for this video, you just helped me out, big time. My pull cord broke and I couldn't get the new rope into the slot, so like a dumbass, I took the sprocket off and the spring went flying.

I was totally frustrated already and had given up and searched a new one when I found this video. Thank you very much for sharing this great method. You saved my day.

excellent solution to a difficult problem

Thanks Broody! Big help. Also, I'm not sure why exactly but your reaction to the spring spooling at 2:35 has had me laughing for days.

Here I am hand winding the thing. Thank you for the trick, I'll be fixing a tiller today

I thought I was screwed when that spring popped out. Thanks so much!

Good job my friend ! You actually made it look pretty easy, without a pain in the neck ( witch I always have ) 😬 thanks for sharing your skills with us who are' interested !

Danke für diesen einfachen hilfreichen und erfolgreichen Kabelbinder Akkuschrauber Nagel Trick, konnte in 5 min meine herausgesprungene Feder einsetzen ohne mir die Finger zu verletzen ohne wütend alles in die Ecke zu werfen und das wichtigste die Maschine läuft wieder Thank you

I wound mine by hand and got it back together. Although this isn’t the same trimmer I have it gave me a better understanding to what I was doing wrong. Thanks for your video

Thanks me for teaching me a nifty little trick! Fortunately, my company has an account at multiple lawn equipment companies and I have the go ahead to just go and get the parts as need. Just buy a new spring. Save yourself a hassle. I’m totally for this method in a pinch though. Great video!

Thanks man, this was the only thing that worked for my trimmer because it doesn't have a back plate to use for winding the spring and the spring just drops into the housing. Great idea!

Thank you so much. I had to make some modifications. The chuck bent the middle of the spring. I therefore used a hollow metal tube from the stand of a solar flowerbed LED light, to wind the spring around. I just had to cut a slit in the end, to be able to attach the spring to the metal tube. Also I inverted the zip tie, since I don't have any space for the zip-tie knob around the spring inside the housing. This mad the knob on on the zip tie point inwards, next to the hook on the spring, where there was some free space. I had to try a few times before making it into the extremely tiny groove in the housing. The important thing is to make the zip tie small enough to fit easy all the way down into the housing, and keeping the zip tie completely at the bottom of the housing at all times, while attaching the outer spring-hook to the housing. Saved the day :)

I was fighting my pull start spring for about an hour before I looked up this video. Worked like a charm. Thanks.

Good vid. My tip: after you get the spring in the spool, the spool back in the head, use a wood working clamp to hold in place after winding. This makes it easy to install the rope.

I like your video you included some of the times where the spring popped out and tried to escape on you but you kept it short enough that I could watch it quick and move on to the repair I like your idea of the cutting board with a screw I'm going to try that

Thank you. This worked great! Put down the beer and take a sip of patience before you start and everything will be okay.

Wow, thanks alot. Hopefully I can get my rewind spring in my auger now. Gave up on it yesterday trying to wind it by hand. Never thought of the drill

Sir, thank you so much for your video! I worked at this for three days!!!!! I had been using zip ties from dollar tree and they did not work ! Went to lowes got high quality ties and bam there it is mission accomplished! Thank you happy year🎊🎊🎊

Thanks for the vid! I figured there was something I wasn't doing right. After 20 minutes of winding it by hand and carefully placing it into position only to have it pop out like a Jack in The Box, I huffed and puffed and came here. You're vid saved a life

Tried this myself, and it worked beautifully!

Excellent. Thank you sir. I have struggled with that spring all day. Now I know how deal with it using my drill.

Rudy, you are alright! Thanks! And I did take a bath this morning. First time in a week, but hey, it wasn't even Saturday night!

awesome. i have thrown away many start coils in the past before youtube. now i can save and repair them. thank you.

Thank you 🙏 I spent 4 1/2 hours doing this yesterday by hand and I still couldn’t get it I’m looking forward to Saturday I’m doing it your way 😉

This was very helpful. I KNEW there had to be a simple solution - thank you - thanks RU-vid.

Thank you. This method works. It takes a few trys and once the recoilspring is back in place you will be thankful you did not have to coil back the spring by hand.

Thank you a million for sharing your brilliant solution to this frustrating recoil spring problem!!!

I’ve never been so mad trying to do this with just my hands in all my life lol. I’m definitely trying this thanks

i just did the same method today but without the drill lol, screw in wood and zip tie to hold, turned by hand. Drill = GENIUS now i know for next time

Excellent, clear, concise and simply clever. Thank you from England

I like how he edited the hardest parts. Like cutting the zip ties.

I have to say I enjoy videos more when things don't go perfect the first time. It's more educational and maybe even a little entertaining! Looking forward to more videos!!

i came up with a really safe and easy hand way to do this. I take one of those large magnets for like knives or tools about a foot and half long. Two even better if you have them, and then just slowly wind it.The magnet keeps it both flat and resists movement. Once it is tight enough I put my huskqvarna chain thngy on it but like you did is fine for those that dont have it.

You just saved my sanity!! Thank you so much

Great video. I hate dealing with these springs!!!

Hey Rudi, you're a cool guy and belong on television.. actually you are already, coz youtube is my telly. Thanks for the amazing content!

I ordered a new recoil spring for my 1964 18hp Johnson outboard since the old one snapped. Lets hope this trick works. Next step is to track down the no spark on cyl 2 and I sure hope it's only a spark plug wire.

I've been messing around for two hours had it a couple times then in backwards for a tri moto I almost threw the whole assembly through a window. Going to try this after a break

*You're very good doing this repair, thanks for the awesome vid. I tried this on my 1973 stihl 015 recoil spring and my dewalt 20v drill broke the spring While winding it so I have another new spring on the way and will watch your vid this time while I'm in the process. Hopefully I can keep the new spring together and safely get it into the housing.*

great video - before watching, tried doing this and nearly tossed the whole thing across the yard.

Awesome video, this helped me so much! Took a couple tries but finally got it

This was freakin awesome!!! Thank u for making my life SOOOO much easier today. Bless you !!!

“This guy is Superman”…, is what went through my head, as I watched this guy take the compressed spring , off of the nail,…. As we all have a very different experience….dont we boys? That little bastard flies like it was an airplane, and has a penchant for poking one in the eye, the cheek, a nostril,…it goes anyplace it likes, and nowhere you want it to…. I’m in awe….

Thanks so much for the video. Great idea!I had a couple of problems. I couldn’t get the chuck to let go at one point so I cut a slot in some threaded rod and chucked it up in the drill. I also had a notch for the outer part of the spring to go into which I couldn’t get it into with the tie wrap on the outside of the spring. So after the spring was captured by the outer tie wrap I added three small tie wraps would around the other way. I then cut the larger outside tie wrap , removed it, exposing the hook on the end of the spring. I could then put the spring in and put the end in the slot. I then cut the three smaller tie wraps. J

Using the drill is brilliant.

I have a small generator wherefore I was pulling on the pull-start cable to start just after gassing. Up until this particular times I'd never once had any issues with my generator. However, as I pulled on the start cable, the cable seemed to become very rigid to pull, meaning it was tense and only pulled out halfway prior to simply locking in to place with half of the rope out of the appliance. At this time I simply changed my whole operation from starting the generator onto trying to figure out how to get that cable back into the appliance. Well, every time I pulled just another inch the cable itself was another inch outside the appliance onto the ground. I started to watch some videos wherefore this video would've been more helpful. Now I have other camp-mates where we all share this generator. One of them, my friend Doug brought another generator assembly with the spring and cable already installed. He installed the used assembly and it has worked fine. However, I've been vacant from the camp for a few days and I would still like to fix the old assembly the way you displayed in your educational video here. As soon as have the time I will be attempting to use the knowledge from your video here to fix the old pull-start assembly. I would have to assume that it will be easily accomplished per your educational video considering all of the other components are still around here somewhere. If the spring is broken then it may not work ... Or am I able to simply cut the broken part away if it's a small length and reshape the end then perform the action? Feedback is welcome here. Thanks for your how-to-fix videos and I will be subscribing.

Nice shirt! That was really helpful. We appreciate your beast skills

Thank you so much for uploading this video! It worked like a charm.

Nice video thanks for sharing. greetings from Argentina

THANK YOU, I NEEDED THAT. HAD TO GIVE UP ON MINE YESTERDAY.

Tried it, worked great. Thanks 👍👏😎

Thanks heaps mate I was losing my mind this was a big help

I found this after reeling it up by hand. Not the most enjoyable experience, but it's done.

Nice trick. I struggled with mine for a couple hours.

Works amazingly! Thank you!

Thank you simple yet genius.

Thank you, this saved me heaps of time! Legend.

Worked after second attemp. Hell ya thanks

When that popped I had an absolute lol. Great video though, learnt stuff

Thanks, man! Worked like a charm.

Thanks.! That saved me a lot of time and agravation.

Hi thanks. I just rebuilt a Johnson outboard motor ignition recoil spring it is very similar to this one. I was wondering if it is possible to have an overtightened recoil spring if that makes sense? I just rewound it until it pulls the cord back in nicely and is nice and cord is nice & taunt, have yet to test it. I’ve seen everyone say it range from 6 spins to 14 or 18 spins counter clockwise to get spring nice and tight. Basically I just did it till it sucks the pull cord back in nice and quick

Great video!! But you terminated the rope incorrectly on the recoil hub.. well, per the factory anyway. I think I like your way better tho because that style hub tends to break where the rope is affixed. Wonderful job!!

This video just saved me some high blood pressure along with full on rage and a new leaf blower.

Thanks worked like a charm.

Excellent material

That zip tie idea is freaking genius! I really wish I had seen this video before I spent 1.5 hours messing with one of these the other day lol!

Excellent teatcher tank you

That was so easy using that cordless drill. Trying to do it by hand is a pain in the you know what...

Thank you! You had some helpful angles

I’ve got some old Jacobsen single stage snowblower and I conveniently broke the rope and the spring blew up now I’m struggling to get it back on I’m going to have to try this

Great tip got it on the second try

Pretty slick! Thank you!

Worked great. Thank-you 😁

I had a battle with one of these springs on my Stihl blower…though I eventually won the battle and without a drill or know how no less…..I still wake up screaming in cold sweats at night at the thought of this encounter with the pesky spring 😩🤭🤭🤭

okay that haircut is amazing

Ive never been so mad trying to do this