How do you repair a pull rope on a lawn mower? The rope just came off on my last try to start the mower.
Elio from Staten Island, NY
On the Craftsman EZ3, to remove the cover of the starter rope mechanism, there is a bolt recessed in the front of the cover plate. You will need the right size socket with ratchet.
To replace the starter rope on the Craftman EZ3, remove the cover to expose the pulley-spring-clutch assembly. Remove the assembly by removing the many screws attaching the circular bottom plate at the side. If the rope end attached to the pulley is broken, remove the broken end by removing the staple that holds the rope end in the hole drilled through the 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 inch block attached to the pulley. Use a pliers or screw driver to remove the staple. Remove the broken rope end.
If the starter rope is still long enough, cut off the broken end and tape it to a 1 inch long taper. Use masking tape. Rotate the pulley against the rotary spring about 5-7 complete circumferences until it stops. This is easily done by hand. Fix it relative to non-rotating part under tension using a screw driver, with the outer starter rope guide hole on the outside of the assembly, in line with the holding block on the pulley.
Thread the starter rope with tapered end through the guide hole into the hole of the holding block. A piece of wire attached to the tapered end might help feed the rope into the block. Replace the staple into the holding block or use two nails of same diameter as staple. The nails pass through the rope and come out of the other end of the block. Hold on to the rope and remove the screw driver allowing the pulley to turn and feed the rope around the pulley as the spring unwinds. Replace assembly and cover plate.
The reason I know how to do this is because local Sears Service Center denied service. The mover is 12 years old and parts were unavailable. My feeling is any rope of same diameter and length would do. The out of stock starter rope is 98 inch long and 9/64 inch diameter.
(07/05/2007)
By Steve
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