ATC 90 starter recoil spring

[bigcrunch]

any tricks on gettign the spring rewound for the starter recoil?
went to replace it tougher than I thought...

[TheRealFatShady]

Getting the spring back into the case? Damn near impossible if you ask me.

Some people use a center nail or two to put the center of the spring on, while working on a table or counter top. Then wind the hell out of it and hope that it will fit it. I spent a few hours then gave up.

[atc350xer]

I mastered it after 2 tries...The handle must be removed from the starter rope. Determine how many times the rope will go around the pulley and remember that number. Stretch the rope back out and hold it in the square notch with the rest of the length of rope held out of the way. Set the pulley down and hold the coil spring in one hand, stretch and coil up with the other hand until it will fit in the case. After it is in the case, take the inner "hook" of the spring and center it on the spindle. It will stay there. Take the now handle-less inner part and run the rope through the notch on the "pulley". Center the pulley on the spindle while watching through the small square-ish hole in it. It will be on the spindle, but not seated. You want the spring to end up between the spindle and the small catch next to it. Pushing down and wiggling the pulley, it will drop into place. You then hold the outer casing in both hands, and spin the inner pulley with both thumbs, keeping the rope through the square notch, and wind the spring one revolution more than the number of revolutions you were supposed to remember. Hold on tight, it will want to spin on ya... clamp down with one hand so it doesn't spin, and run the free end of the starter rope through the outside case, and tie a light know it it... SLOWLY let the spring draw in the rope, set it on a table and put the dogs, springs, line up the cap with the 3 dogs and put the washer on, push down firmly, hold with one hand and put the C clip back on. Pull a little rope out, untie the light knot you made, holding the rope FIRMLY and thread it through the handle, tie a tight knot, and crack open a beer.... done. I can do it pretty easily now, but it might be better with an extra pair of hands. Maybe I should take mine apart and have the wife take pics while I assemble it... make it easier to understand because I'm sure I used some wrong terminology

[jb2wheels]

It took a few tries for me but i just put on some thick gloves and slowly fed it back into the case. I was totally pissed and frustrated. What a PITA.

Hook the outer hook of the spring into the pull start cover, hold it there with one hand, feed a little in, hold it, feed a little, hold it, etc slowly working around and around until it's in. The first time sucks but it goes in. I bet if you did 2 or 3 it would get real easy.

I've never been able to re-wind the spring outside the case. Other's have just not me.

[bigcrunch]

there are 5.5 turns of the rope, wind the pulley up that many times after the spring is seated?

[atc350xer]

I actually went one extra so the starter handle wasn't floppy

[bigcrunch]

ok got the spring wound on the second try also for winding the pulley on the spring and getting the rope thru the hole.
I added on more wind to the pulley to ensure it returns and it DOES,,,
thanks for the help

[atc350xer]

Awesome... glad it worked for you.