Walk behind lawn mowers feature either a battery or a pull cord that is used to start the engine. The rope is attached to a pulley under tension that cranks the engine for starting. Restringing the rope on the pulley can be necessary due to normal use. Accessing the rope requires disassembling exterior parts of the engine to access the rewind and blower housing.
Locate the screws that attach the brackets on the gas tank to the mower engine. Use a screwdriver to loosen and remove the tank and place it on the mower deck with the fuel line still attached.
Loosen and remove the screws holding the blower housing and rewind assembly on the top of the mower engine. Use a screwdriver to loosen and remove the screws then pull the blower and rewind up and off the top of the engine.
Turn the blower housing and rewind assembly upside down. Turn the pulley until the rope begins to loosen. Continue to pull the rope to the point of tension on the pulley. Remove the rope from the rewind assembly and the pull handle and obtain a suitable replacement length.
Insert the tip of the screwdriver between the spokes of the pulley to hold it in place. Cut the rope to length with a knife using the old piece of rope as a guide.
Line up the hole in the pulley with the hole in the rewind assembly. Feed one end of the new rope length through the hole in the pulley and then through the hole in the rewind assembly. Use a straightened coat hanger to help push the rope through the holes, if necessary.
Tie a simple overhand knot in the end of the rope extending through the pulley hole and melt the end with a lighter to prevent unraveling. Feed the opposite end of the rope through the pull handle, tie a knot in the end and burn the end of the rope to prevent unraveling.
Apply tension to the rope and remove the screwdriver from the pulley spokes to release the tension. Slowly allow the tension to wind the rope onto the pulley. Attach the blower housing and rewind assembly back to the top of the engine and secure with the screws removed earlier. Attach the gas tank back to the engine housing and secure with the screws that were removed.
Things You Will Need
- Coat hanger wire
- Wear gloves to protect your hands while working if desired.
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