How To Replace Pull Cord On A Lawn mower

Learn How to Replace Pull Cord for Mower with these DIY Instructions

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You may be wondering How to Replace a Pull Cord on a Lawnmower. No worries; anyone with an old lawnmower can tell you they’ve experienced the same repair issue.

The mower won’t start, so you yank and yank on the pull cord without success; after 15 minutes of pulling (and a few expletives), the pull cord on the mower jams or breaks completely.

It’s time to figure out – How to Replace the Pull Rope on a Lawn Mower.

Breaking or fraying the pull cord on a mower is relatively standard unless it is an electric model or less than three years old.

However, repairing or learning how to replace a mower’s pull cord does require some general knowledge.

You need to know how the pull cord assembly is made, how it operates, and why you’re here. This is “How to Replace the Pull Cord on a lawnmower.”


How to Troubleshoot Pull Cord on a Lawnmower

Watch This Short Video that shows step-by-step instructions on replacing the pull cord on a lawnmower.

Pull cord replacement Video – Similar to the Guide Below:

 


When To Replace Pull Cord on LawnMower

  • When the Mower Pull cord won’t retract back into the Housing
  • When the Mower Pull cord is frayed or broken.
  • When the Mower Pull cord is stuck and won’t release.

How To Replace Broken “Pull Cord Assembly”

Step 1:  Examine the Pull Cord Assembly 

A)  Gather the Right Tools:

  • Needle-nose pliers
  • Phillips or 4-in-1 screwdriver
  • Nut driver
  • New Pull Cord (with correct length and thickness)
  • New lawn mower spark plug to match your mower (suggested)
  • Fresh gasoline is on hand to start the mower after repair.
  • Lighter or Matches (don’t panic, we’ll explain!)

B)   Replace Broken Parts

1. First, you must identify whether the Recoil Spring is in good condition and working correctly.

If the recoil spring appears damaged or has no tension to recoil back to its origination point, it’s highly recommended that you get rid of that one and buy a new spring and pulley assembly.

It’s much easier than repairing or replacing just that recoil spring. However, if you’re in a hurry and want to fix the coil spring at home, see our suggested video below.

2. If the Recoil Spring appears to have the correct action and returns to its coil efficiently, you probably need a new Pull Cord Rope, which is relatively inexpensive.

Some are sold with the handle, and some are without, but the main thing is to ensure the new pull cord is the same thickness as the one you’re replacing.

3. Purchasing the correct pull cord thickness is a critical step. Amazon sells the most common pull cord with a handle, which is included here: Briggs & Stratton pull cord. 

A pull cord that’s too thick will not fit properly, and a thin one will work OK but have a shorter life. For this fix, match up the pull cord you remove with the one you buy.


Knowing the name of each pull cord component should make this guide easier to follow and help you understand its role.

These are the Parts of a Lawnmower “Pull Cord Assembly.”

● Starter Pull Rope.
● Handle.
● Recoil spring.
● Pulley.

 


Pull cord starter assembly lawn mower
Typical Pull Cord assembly for lawn mower – besthomegear.com

‘How to Replace “Worn-Out Pull Cord” on Lawnmower

Pull cord for lawnmower
Pull Cord Replacement with Handle Included – besthomegear.com

Step-By-Step Instructions to Replace Pull Cord

Is it Easy to replace a lawn mower pull cord? Well, it depends on your DIY skills, but for most homeowners, we consider this job a seven on a 1-10 scale, with ten being the most challenging DIY task

Step 1:   Pull the cord from its assembly, ensuring your thumb firmly holds the pulley. For this Step:  Don’t let it retract, or you will have to start over.!

By the way, the question of how much a pull cord costs for a lawn mower shouldn’t scare you off—a new pull cord costs less than USD 10 to replace.

Step 2:   Using both hands, gently wind the pulley assembly counter-clockwise gradually until the tension tells you it’s fully wound. Keeping a firm grasp, slowly let the pulley release until the rope hole on the pulley lines up with the hole in the housing.

Then, Insert a screwdriver to hold the spool firmly in place.

Step 3:   Measure the new pull cord against the old one to ensure you have the correct length. Do not remove the old one just yet.

Step 4:  Remember the “Using a lighter method” mentioned above? Now it’s time to use it! Melting the end of the cord slowly with a lighter makes it easier to fit through both holes in the housing and the handle.

You could also push it through using your screwdriver.

Step 5:   It’s now safe to cut the knot off the cord attached to the pulley assembly and remove it. Please insert the new pull cord and double-knot it to ensure it’s well secured.

Step 6:  Holding the wound pulley firmly, remove the screwdriver to unlock the pulley.
Slowly release the pulley to allow the new pull rope to retract into the pulley, secure it with your hand, and STOP when you have 18” of cord left to retract and tie it into a temporary knot. T

This step will hold tension on the recoil spring.

Step 7:  Tie a double knot at the end of the “pull cord handle.”

Step 8: Remove the temporary knot from the 18” extra cord and slowly let the recoil spring retract it. Test the Pull Cord assembly with a light pull and hold the handle to allow the pulley to retract slowly.

Step 9: Place the starter assembly back on the lawnmower, fasten it, and insert the Pull Rope and Handle back in place.

Step 10: Test the pull cord assembly with fresh gasoline and a new spark plug – by starting the mower, and off you go!

Quick and Essential DIY Tips:

  • Temporarily remove the spark plug on your mower before working on it.
  • After removing the pull cord assembly from the lawnmower, test it by pulling out the cord to see if it retracts back properly when recoiling.
  • Test the pull cord assembly after repair, after fixing each part, and before you reinstall it on the mower.
    The problem could be a damaged spring. In that case, you might need to remove the pulley from the assembly.
  • Although most pulleys don’t require removal, the quality of your lawn mower may depend on them. You should buy and install a new spring with the starter pulley (one unit).
  • Always have a small box or container handy for the small parts needing removal to avoid losing them.

How to Repair a Broken “Recoil Spring” on a Mower

Recoil spring for lawnmower
Image of a Typical Recoil Spring for A Lawnmower (Styles may Vary)

Note:  If you are miles away from a Hardware store and want to Repair a Recoil Starter Spring at home right now, You can usually do it at home.

The process is tricky, so we’ve provided this short video below to walk you through that repair.

Repairing Recoil Spring on Mower Video:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmo6oYOJJ4U]


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q:  Why Does the Pull Cord Get Stuck On the Lawn Mower?

A: First, check the reason it is not retracting. Is it stuck, or did it just stop retracting? If the pull cord is stuck, gently pull and release it to see if it frees up. 

If the pull cord is still not retracting, follow the steps above to remove the pull cord assembly and, if necessary, replace the pull cord.

Q:  Why Won’t the Lawn Mower Pull Cord Retract?

A:  A lawn mower pull cord won’t retract if two issues exist:  A) The pull cord rope is frayed or broken, or B) The recoil spring is bent or broken.

To fix the retracting pull cord, follow these steps or the YouTube video above to learn How to Rewind a Lawnmower Recoil Spring.

3) The Pull Cord Works, But the Engine Won’t Start.

If your pull cord works but the lawn mower engine won’t start, you may have a clog in your fuel line or fuel filter.

The other most likely problem is that you’re using old gasoline (last year’s gas) or have a bad spark plug.

Either of these issues is easy to remedy. Flush out the harmful gas and replace it with a new spark plug.


Both are inexpensive solutions. Remember, only two things are required to start a combustible engine: gas and spark.

Tip:  Replace each of those two items together or one at a time, then try to start the mower again.


Conclusion

Maintaining an attractive and well-kept yard requires a commitment. While the DIY step-by-step instructions we’ve provided may seem intimidating, changing the pull cord on a mower or small engine is relatively easy for a typical homeowner.

The average time spent on this project is about 30 minutes.

Watch the videos provided before getting started; they are a great visual tutorial and might save you time and frustration!


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References & Additional Reading:

Kevin
Kevinhttps://www.besthomegear.com/
As publisher at Best Home Gear, Kevin draws on 25+ years in Construction, Real Estate, and Property Management, and since 2018 has published DIY advice for Home, Lawn, and Garden Improvements. Your feedback helps us grow and lets other homeowners discover our site. Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts in the Comments Section below!

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Kevin:  Author and Publisher at Best Home Gear

As the publisher at Best Home Gear, Kevin draws on 25+ years in construction, real estate, and property management, providing DIY advice for home, lawn, and garden improvements and expert Product Reviews.

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