How To Assemble A Trimmer Starter

How to repair a trimmer starter
How to repair a starter on a trimmer with your own hands. How to disassemble and assemble the starter, wind the spring and replace the cord.

How to repair a trimmer starter

Petrol trimmer starter repair may be required at the most inopportune moment. In this case, the problem can be solved in two ways: replace the broken part or change the entire unit. The latter option will cost more. To repair the device with your own hands, in most cases, you only need a screwdriver with the appropriate tip from the tools. Repair work does not take much time and does not require special knowledge. It is enough to know the device, the principle of operation, the nuances of assembling and disassembling the starter on the trimmer in order to achieve the desired positive result.

Starter assembly

The assembly of the starter unit is carried out in a number of stages:

  • The coil is turned over, setting it so that the spring bend fits exactly into the groove of the body, as shown below;

How To Assemble A Trimmer Starter

  • Two washers are laid, between which a spring is placed;
  • Put in place the cup with the antennae;
  • Tighten the screw (graphs below).

When doing the described manipulations, it is imperative to put two washers. If this is not done, the spring will eventually damage the plastic cup, and when it is pulled, wedging will begin. Because of this, there is a feeling as if the spring has flown off. To eliminate this drawback, you need to install this part of a greater length or an additional washer.

When such parts are not available, you can simply unscrew the screw a little, and the starter unit will start working without wedging. But this option is temporary. It is better to repair it with high quality as soon as possible.

Removal and disassembly of the starter, replacement of broken parts

To repair the trimmer starter, you will first need to disassemble it and then assemble it. This process is not particularly difficult. For work, you need a screwdriver with a tip of the desired shape.

The main malfunctions of the trimmer starter

It is not difficult to determine the cause of the breakdown of the triggering device. There are several main options:

  • Break of the cord (rope);
  • When the spring breaks or disengages.

These details are shown in the graph below.

It may happen that the starter mechanism is accidentally broken. The consequences will be disastrous if the torn rope is wound around the flywheel of a working internal combustion engine: then the spring will burst, the pulley will break. But such cases, when a complete replacement of the starter unit is required, are extremely rare. In most cases, it is enough to install a new spring or replace the cord to fix the mechanism.

The device and principle of operation of the starter on the trimmer

The gasoline engine is, in principle, the main part of the brushcutter. Its power is in the range of 0.5-2.5 hp. The movement from it is transmitted to the shaft, which is inside the hollow rod, and then through a gearbox consisting of gears, already a fishing line or knife (working body).

The petrol brush also has the following elements:

  • Protective casing;
  • Lever;
  • Belt designed for the convenience of using the device;
  • A starter used to start a gasoline internal combustion engine.

All details of the brushcutter are presented in the graph below.

The trimmer starter is the integral part that starts the engine. He is depicted separately on the two below.

The starter mechanisms of various models of petrol brushes work on the same principle: during the start of the internal combustion engine, the protrusions marked with 1 in the graph above engage with the pawls 3. When the engine starts to work, they return to their previous position due to the centrifugal force. The wires 2 also play a similar role.

The process of returning to the initial position of the elements of the mechanism occurs due to the presence of a spring wound around the axis. It unfolds when the rope is pulled. After releasing the cord, it is pulled in and wound up due to the coiling of the spring. During the start of the internal combustion engine, the petrol mowers, the starting mechanism turns its shaft until it starts to work (starts).

To date, gasoline brushcutters are equipped with two types of starter mechanisms:

  • Manual;
  • Electric.

The first option is much more common.

The trimmer starter can operate without breakdowns for a long time. It is impossible to clearly indicate the period of uptime. Everything is determined by the initial quality of the device and compliance with the rules for handling it.

Disassembly of the starter unit

The launch mechanism is disassembled in order to install new parts instead of broken ones in the following sequence:

  • Unscrew with a screwdriver the screw fixing the pulley with the starter cover;
  • Take out the spring and antennae;
  • Carefully remove the pulley (you need to turn your head away or work, wearing glasses and gloves first);
  • Determine why the trigger has broken;
  • If the spring has collapsed almost completely, then it is replaced;
  • When the spring comes out of the hook, it is installed in its original place, bending the antennae before this (the graphs show the laying process);
  • After the spring plate is installed inside the groove, carefully twist it.

To change the spring, you must work carefully and carefully: it can accidentally burst under the influence of the force caused by installing it in place. Even if you carefully remove the roller, the spring strip very quickly flies off the reel and can injure your hand with its sharp edges.

How to repair a gasoline tool starter with your own hands?

In the case of a break in the starter cord, everything is clear: we take out the old rope, take the one that is suitable in length and thickness (linen can be used), pass it through the hole in the reel, tie a knot. Next, we charge the spring to the number of revolutions we need, only after which we fix the handle. And voila! Details on how all this is done is clearly shown below.

Installing or replacing the starter spring for brushcutters, motor-drills, trimmers

But what if everything is in order with the rope, and the reel (pulley) of the starter does not unwind? Let’s consider this issue step by step using the example of the starter of the gasoline ADA GroundDrill motor drill, which has a pulley with two metal antennae for 2 hooks.

In the case of other types of manual starters of a similar design, which are widely used in gasoline brushcutters, trimmers and motor drills, the whole process of repairing the starter will look similar, differing only in some nuances.

Starter repair: disassembly

We unscrew the screw with which the pulley is attached to the starter cover. We take out the antennae, the spring. We pull out the pulley itself carefully so that the spring does not bounce into the face. Even with the most careful disassembly, it usually immediately flies out of the coil and turns abruptly into a long metal strip or twists into rings.

Pull out the white starter coil carefully. Don’t get hurt by the spring!

If the spring bursts or one of its hooks breaks, then repairing the starter will not work simply and quickly. The spring needs to be replaced. In order not to spend money on the purchase of a new starter, you can only look for it on sale.

If the starter spring simply breaks off, that is, one of the hooks is out of engagement, it is enough to insert it, if necessary, slightly tightening the hooks more tightly (just do not break it off!) Install the spring with an outer hook into the pulley groove and start twisting it, while holding inside the coil and prevent it from jumping out of there.

Refueling the starter spring

Pressing the spring to the pulley, wind the spring inward in a circular motion

It may not seem so easy to insert the starter spring the first time, but everything comes with experience. With a little practice, you can easily wind the spring into the pulley in a maximum of a minute.

The starter spring is wound. It remains only to assemble the starter and charge the spring to the desired value

DIY gas drill starter repair, petrol cutters, trimmer

Today, we will consider the most common case when the breakdown is not so serious and show how to repair the starter with our own hands if the cord breaks off without any destructive consequences or does not wind up due to the fact that the spring inside just flew off, out of engagement. At least initially I want to believe in it. But in order to find out whether this is true or not, you need to disassemble the starter.

How to assemble a starter?

The most important thing in the process of self-repairing a starter is to assemble it correctly.

After the spring is fully wound, carefully turn the coil over and insert it into the starter housing so that the second spring hook fits into the housing groove.

When installing the pulley (this one is black), we look through the hole in it so that the spring hook falls into the groove on the starter cover

Then, if there is a spring under the screw, we first install it, not forgetting to put washers on top and bottom of the spring.

Carefully insert the cup with antennae into the grooves of the coil and tighten the screw.

Make sure that the washer on the spring does not fall out. Why is it important? The fact is that the spring scratches the plastic cup with its end, as a result of which the latter wears out and begins to press the screw more tightly against the coil. For this reason, a situation may arise that is very similar to a spring break: the handle is pulled out of the starter, but does not come back. However, loosen the starter screw this problem disappears. It is easy to fix such a starter malfunction: just select a spring of the same diameter, but slightly longer, or put an additional washer. If we just loosely tighten the screw, then it will twist and fly out, and this will increase the likelihood of a spring breaking, since the pulley will not fit snugly enough to the starter housing.

We screwed the coil to the body, now we need to tighten the spring. Before this, it is necessary to remove the starter handle from the rope in advance. If the knot is too strong, then you can simply cut it off or try to untie it, for example, using a pair of pliers. This is so that after you have cocked the spring, you can thread the rope through the hole in the starter cover. The other end of the rope must be fixed in the reel even before it is inserted into the body; the rope does not need to be wound onto the pulley before tensioning the spring. You will do it later.

Before charging the spring, estimate how many turns of the reel the rope should be wound. Let’s say the length of the rope at the starter of the Ada GroundDrill-5 motor drill corresponds to 5.5 turns around the reel. In this case, we make at least 6 turns of the coil in the direction opposite to the direction of winding.

So let’s get started. Without winding up, insert the rope into the groove in the reel specially designed for it. Everything is ready, we proceed to tensioning the spring. To do this, we rotate the coil counterclockwise. In the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the coil when winding the rope. It is more convenient to do this not on the knee, but by pressing the starter with one hand to the floor, and with the other turning the reel directly by the rope attached to it. If experience is not enough, then you can rotate the pulley itself with both hands, but the rope will get in the way, which can create additional inconveniences. After the required number of revolutions is done, we pass the end of the rope through the hole in the starter cover, put on the handle, and fasten it with a knot. It is more convenient to do this together with a partner, so that the end of the cable does not accidentally wind up inside the starter.

By the way, on your own you can make some modifications to the design of the starter in order to more reliably fix the end of the spring inside the coil. At this point, who has enough imagination for that. Now I will explain why this is needed. It often happens that the spring in starters of this type, after the first such self-repair and the installation of the starter on the unit, flies again after a few jerks. The hook does not hold in the coil groove. And this is despite the fact that the coil almost snugly adheres to the starter cover and the spring there certainly should not hang freely up and down, and even more so until the spring leaves its engagement. It turns out that when the cable is pulled, the spring pulls out, pulls it out of the groove. In this case, you can do the following: cut out a narrow strip of metal, which in thickness could squeeze tightly into the groove of the coil together with the spring hook itself. So the hook will not dangle freely in the groove, which means it will not be so easy for it to break out.

A metal plate tightly inserted into the gap between the spring hook and the groove walls will securely hold the spring

Another solution to the problem: drill small holes in the coil on both sides of the groove and, inserting the spring hook, fix it with a thin wire threaded through these holes. But here you need to contrive to make sure that this wire does not touch when rotating the starter cover from the inside and thereby does not slow down the pulley. Alternatively, loosely tighten the screw or replace it with a similar slightly longer one. You can think of an option to install some kind of gasket between the cover and the coil.

Does your power tool starter design differ from the above? Faced another malfunction, or do you know the best way to repair a starter yourself? Ask questions, share your experience with others. Together we can solve the problem of frequent starter breakdowns once and for all!

Installing or replacing the starter spring for brushcutters, motor-drills, trimmers

But what if everything is in order with the rope, and the reel (pulley) of the starter does not unwind? Let’s consider this issue step by step using the example of the starter of the gasoline ADA GroundDrill motor drill, which has a pulley with two metal antennae for 2 hooks.

In the case of other types of manual starters of a similar design, which are widely used in gasoline brushcutters, trimmers and motor drills, the whole process of repairing the starter will look similar, differing only in some nuances.

DIY gas drill starter repair, petrol cutters, trimmer

Today, we will consider the most common case when the breakdown is not so serious and show how to repair the starter with our own hands if the cord breaks off without any destructive consequences or does not wind up due to the fact that the spring inside just flew off, out of engagement. At least initially I want to believe in it. But in order to find out whether this is true or not, you need to disassemble the starter.

How to repair a gasoline tool starter with your own hands?

In the case of a break in the starter cord, everything is clear: we take out the old rope, take the one that is suitable in length and thickness (linen can be used), pass it through the hole in the reel, tie a knot. Next, we charge the spring to the number of revolutions we need, only after which we fix the handle. And voila! Details on how all this is done is clearly shown below.

Starter repair: disassembly

We unscrew the screw with which the pulley is attached to the starter cover. We take out the antennae, the spring. We pull out the pulley itself carefully so that the spring does not bounce into the face. Even with the most careful disassembly, it usually immediately flies out of the coil and turns abruptly into a long metal strip or twists into rings.

Pull out the white starter coil carefully. Don’t get hurt by the spring!

If the spring bursts or one of its hooks breaks, then repairing the starter will not work simply and quickly. The spring needs to be replaced. In order not to spend money on the purchase of a new starter, you can only look for it on sale.

If the starter spring simply breaks off, that is, one of the hooks is out of engagement, it is enough to insert it, if necessary, slightly tightening the hooks more tightly (just do not break it off!) Install the spring with an outer hook into the pulley groove and start twisting it, while holding inside the coil and prevent it from jumping out of there.

Refueling the starter spring

Pressing the spring to the pulley, wind the spring inward in a circular motion

It may not seem so easy to insert the starter spring the first time, but everything comes with experience. With a little practice, you can easily wind the spring into the pulley in a maximum of a minute.

The starter spring is wound. It remains only to assemble the starter and charge the spring to the desired value

How to assemble a starter?

The most important thing in the process of self-repairing a starter is to assemble it correctly.

After the spring is fully wound, carefully turn the coil over and insert it into the starter housing so that the second spring hook fits into the housing groove.

When installing the pulley (this one is black), we look through the hole in it so that the spring hook falls into the groove on the starter cover

Then, if there is a spring under the screw, we first install it, not forgetting to put washers on top and bottom of the spring.

Carefully insert the cup with antennae into the grooves of the coil and tighten the screw.

Make sure that the washer on the spring does not fall out. Why is it important? The fact is that the spring scratches the plastic cup with its end, as a result of which the latter wears out and begins to press the screw more tightly against the coil. For this reason, a situation may arise that is very similar to a spring break: the handle is pulled out of the starter, but does not come back. However, loosen the starter screw this problem disappears. It is easy to fix such a starter malfunction: just select a spring of the same diameter, but slightly longer, or put an additional washer. If we just loosely tighten the screw, then it will twist and fly out, and this will increase the likelihood of a spring breaking, since the pulley will not fit snugly enough to the starter housing.

We screwed the coil to the body, now we need to tighten the spring. Before this, it is necessary to remove the starter handle from the rope in advance. If the knot is too strong, then you can simply cut it off or try to untie it, for example, using a pair of pliers. This is so that after you have cocked the spring, you can thread the rope through the hole in the starter cover. The other end of the rope must be fixed in the reel even before it is inserted into the body; the rope does not need to be wound onto the pulley before tensioning the spring. You will do it later.

Before charging the spring, estimate how many turns of the reel the rope should be wound. Let’s say the length of the rope at the starter of the Ada GroundDrill-5 motor drill corresponds to 5.5 turns around the reel. In this case, we make at least 6 turns of the coil in the direction opposite to the direction of winding.

So let’s get started. Without winding up, insert the rope into the groove in the reel specially designed for it. Everything is ready, we proceed to tensioning the spring. To do this, we rotate the coil counterclockwise. In the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the coil when winding the rope. It is more convenient to do this not on the knee, but by pressing the starter with one hand to the floor, and with the other turning the reel directly by the rope attached to it. If experience is not enough, then you can rotate the pulley itself with both hands, but the rope will get in the way, which can create additional inconveniences. After the required number of revolutions is done, we pass the end of the rope through the hole in the starter cover, put on the handle, and fasten it with a knot. It is more convenient to do this together with a partner, so that the end of the cable does not accidentally wind up inside the starter.

By the way, on your own you can make some modifications to the design of the starter in order to more reliably fix the end of the spring inside the coil. At this point, who has enough imagination for that. Now I will explain why this is needed. It often happens that the spring in starters of this type, after the first such self-repair and the installation of the starter on the unit, flies again after a few jerks. The hook does not hold in the coil groove. And this is despite the fact that the coil almost snugly adheres to the starter cover and the spring there certainly should not hang freely up and down, and even more so until the spring leaves its engagement. It turns out that when the cable is pulled, the spring pulls out, pulls it out of the groove. In this case, you can do the following: cut out a narrow strip of metal, which in thickness could squeeze tightly into the groove of the coil together with the spring hook itself. So the hook will not dangle freely in the groove, which means it will not be so easy for it to break out.

A metal plate tightly inserted into the gap between the spring hook and the groove walls will securely hold the spring

Another solution to the problem: drill small holes in the coil on both sides of the groove and, inserting the spring hook, fix it with a thin wire threaded through these holes. But here you need to contrive to make sure that this wire does not touch when rotating the starter cover from the inside and thereby does not slow down the pulley. Alternatively, loosely tighten the screw or replace it with a similar slightly longer one. You can think of an option to install some kind of gasket between the cover and the coil.

Does your power tool starter design differ from the above? Faced another malfunction, or do you know the best way to repair a starter yourself? Ask questions, share your experience with others. Together we can solve the problem of frequent starter breakdowns once and for all!

Assembling a brushcutter starter

When servicing and repairing the starter, it is important to assemble it correctly. As if the assembly was carried out by the manufacturer. Any part that is incorrectly installed will prevent you from fully using the trimmer or brushcutter.

  1. After winding the spring, turn the coil over and position it so that the second spring hook falls back into place. To control the correct installation of the spring, there are technological windows on the coil itself.
  2. Install the starter pulley and make sure one of the spring hooks fits into the groove located on the starter cover.
  3. Insert the spring and washers on the sides to prevent the spring from rubbing off the plastic compartment in which it is located. If the spring is broken, and the other is not the same, an additional washer is placed in its place.
  4. Insert the antennae cup into the grooves on the spool.
  5. Install the coil in its place, tighten the bolt as far as it will go, but without fanaticism.

If you do not protect the compartment from the main spring with washers, where it moves when winding and unwinding the starter cord, the coil often sticks when you try to start the petrol trimmer or brushcutter. Loosening the coil bolt will result in its loss.

For information on how to assemble a brushcutter trimmer starter, see.

How do I replace or replace the starter spring?

If everything is in order with the rope on the starter, suspicion falls on the reel itself. It is activated by a ribbon spring, coiled into a roll. Certain steps must be taken to change the spring.

  1. Remove the starter from the brushcutter.
  2. Remove the starter coil.
  3. Unscrew the main bolt holding the pulley to the housing.
  4. Pull out the gripping tendrils and spring, the ribbon spring is almost fully extended or coiled into larger rings.
  5. Hold it in advance.
  6. Check if the spring is intact (there may be rusty streaks, cracks, etc.). If the hooks at its ends are broken, it will not be possible to bend new ones. High-carbon steel breaks when you try to bend it. Loose hooks are suitable for slight bending.
  7. Make sure the auxiliary (regular) spring and washers are in place. These parts protect the coil body from being punctured by the ends of the main spring. If the washers and the spring are broken, and new ones are not available, do not tighten the coil bolt tightly, but watch it. It can unscrew and get lost.
  8. If the main (flat) spring is damaged, insert the same new one. Place the hook on the end of the spring in place and bend it, inserting coil by coil into the space it should be.

The rewinding of the spring takes a minute. Dexterity in this action is acquired quickly.

How to replace or replace the starter spring, see the following.

How does the starter for petrol cutters or trimmers work?

The starter is a generally single and universal mechanism for petrol cutters, trimmers, petrol and diesel generator sets. It is not a problem to equip them even with a car, motorcycle or scooter, if your vehicle has free space for its installation. It was not for nothing that many Soviet cars and trucks were equipped with a starter tool that remotely resembles a crowbar bent twice.

The starter assembly has the following parts:

  • Hook ignition spring;
  • Cord wound on a reel;
  • Return spring;
  • Ratchet drive and main spring;
  • Mechanism housing protecting the ratchet;
  • Locking bolt.

How tight is the spring cocking?

It is possible to give the spring the necessary potential force required for a clear and fast winding of the cord by determining the length of the cord in turns. To prevent the cord handle from drooping, add 1-2 more turns to the number of turns. So, if the cord has a length of 5 turns of the coil, then, when charging the spring, turn the coil 6-7 full turns.

How to assemble a new mower starter?

For starter assembly do the following manipulations.

  1. Pass one end of the cord through the opening at the beginning of the spool and tie it in a knot. The knot must not pass through the hole. Otherwise, you will disassemble the starter again.
  2. Wind the cord around the spool itself.
  3. Install the spring into the starter housing, hook one end of it in the groove and wind it. For convenient winding, twist the body counterclockwise.
  4. Place the ratchet on the spring.
  5. Hook the return spring to the ratchet itself, secure it to the spool.
  6. Install the main spring and housing with the assembled ratchet, connect the starter parts together and tighten with the main bolt.

After assembling the starter, pass the free end of the cord through the hole in the housing for the reel. Pass this end again through the hole in the handle that the cord is pulling on. Tie a strong knot on the handle. Check the operation of the starter handbrake.

Worst failure scenario

There are times when the starter is still operational, but a worn out cord can break, for example. The ratchet has not yet had time to work when the engine is started, and the remnants of the cord are immediately wound on the coil, the return spring loses its hooks, the grooves in the starter housing break. The result is the replacement of both the springs and the housing.

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