Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Recoil Spring Woes

I have a Ryobi 1079r 2 cycle trimmer on which the starter handle broke. I thought I would go ahead and replace the rope as well. Of course when I removed the starter pulley the recoil spring jumped out and now I can't seem to get it back into place. Any Hints would be apreciated. I am wovdering if it takes some sort of specialized tool to rewind the spring and hold it together to insert into the starter assembly or if there is some technique I just don't know about

Thanks

Hello Jcharleb!

I guess it's too late now to tell you that you don't have to remove the pulley to replace the pull-rope, lol!

It can be very difficult to reinstall the spring. You basically have to wind it up tight in your hands, into a coil small enough to fit it back into the housing. Then slip it back in there. Be careful, it can hurt or cut you...wear safety goggles! Hope that helps!

On this Ryobi the starter rope knots on the underside (Spring Side) of the pulley. I can't see how would be possible to get that stop knot in place without removing the pulley and separating it from the recoil spring. I did see on another website a $25.00 tool made to rewind and hold a recoil spring.

I tried for 3 hours yesterday to get that spring back into place yesterday with no success. Guess I'll bring it to a pro today.

If the spring doesn't have a metal retaining cover to hold it in place it can be tough to get in. For tough springs without a retainer I like to wind it in hand small enough to fit and use a couple of nylon locking ties. Once in the ties can be cut and removed. I did a Ryobi last week and that model did require the pulley to be removed to get to the knot.....Mike

Oops!

I guess I haven't run into that one yet. Sorry for the confusion.

Most do not require removal of the spool, and a lot of people take them out anyway.