How to Install a Starter on a Hitachi Trimmer

One of the key components of lawn mowing is a starter designed to simplify starting the engine of the device. Like other parts, it breaks periodically. In this case, there are two solutions to the problem: repair of the trimmer starter or its complete replacement. The second option is simpler but more expensive. In addition, the required part must first be found on sale, as different starters are used for different models of lawn mowers. If you have free time and a screwdriver with a suitable tip, you can restore the functionality of this unit yourself if you know how it works, what malfunctions are typical for it, and how to fix them correctly. About all this. In this material.

Trimmer starter. Device and principle of operation

In order to repair the lawn mowing starter on your own, you need to understand the principle of its operation and know its structure. Today, manual and automatic starters are installed on trimmers, while the first are most often found.

The part is a plastic case in which a pulley is placed with a cord wound around it to start the engine. In order for the cord to twist on its own after the winding of the tool, a belt spring made of alloy steel is located on the inside of the pulley. A ratchet is installed on the front of the pulley, which engages the starter with the drive shaft of the tool engine.

On a note! Depending on the model and brand that produced the trimmer (Huter, Husqvarna and other brands), the ratchet pulley can be a single unit or two separate components.

The principle of operation of the manual starter is the same on lawn mowers of Chinese, European and domestic production, whether it be Hitachi, Patriot or another manufacturer. To start the engine, the owner of the device jerks the cord sharply. From this movement, the pulley rotates, and the protrusions located on it engage with the dogs located on the flywheel. Further, the flywheel and crankshaft begin to rotate with a pulley. After starting the engine under the influence of centrifugal force, the protrusions and dogs diverge in different directions. And the starter cord, after the user releases it, is wound on the pulley with the help of a return spring.

Important! With intensive use, the drive cord breaks over time, and the tape spring wears out. These parts are easy to replace with your own hands.

Signs and causes of failure of the starter mechanism

There are two faults in the starter mechanism.

1. Breakage of cord. With regular operation of the lawn mowers, this element is frayed and torn, which will be easily noticed by the user when trying to start a trimmer. To correct the situation, you need to replace the cord.
2. Depreciation of the spring and subsequent breakage or exit of the hook from the groove. You can determine the malfunction by a cord that does not return and does not wrap around the pulley after starting the engine. To repair the trimmer in this case, just install a new spring.

In rare situations, the starter mechanism breaks when the tool is inaccurate. The consequences can be unpleasant: a deformed cord is wound around the flywheel of a running engine, the pulley breaks, and the spring bursts. But these are isolated cases, a complete replacement of the starter is very rarely required.

Diagnostics and troubleshooting

To diagnose the starter mechanism with a view to its subsequent repair, the assembly must be disassembled. It is not difficult to do this, you only need a screwdriver. But during this operation, you need to be careful. With careless movements the spring may fly out and cause injury to the user.

Removing and disassembling the assembly

The procedure for disassembling the starter consists in performing a certain sequence of actions:

• First you need to find the screw connecting the starter cover to the pulley and unscrew it;
• Then you need to remove the spring, antennae and washers;
• Then carefully remove the pulley, keeping the structure away from the face so that a spring that accidentally bounces does not injure the user;
• Next, you need to inspect the spring: if it is damaged, then you need to put a new one (the cost of such a part is low), but if it jumped out of the hook, you need to return it to its original place, after making bends if they break.

Winding spring

Winding a spring is not an easy procedure. Not everyone can get a part in place the first time, so you should not be upset if you fail. Attempts must be repeated until actions are successful. If you wish, you can watch a on the Internet, where craftsmen tell in detail and show how to easily and quickly perform this operation.

Important! When winding and installing the spring, you need to remember that it is hot, which means it can burst if you put too much effort. A new part is inexpensive, but you will have to spend time searching for it, which means that the work on mowing the grass will move for an indefinite period.

To wind the spring, you need to place the bend in the groove, and then, turning the coil, carefully lay the part along the inner diameter of the bobbin. In this case, the spring must be constantly held by hands. If it is not fixed, the part slides and pops out, then the winding must be performed again. When done correctly, the spring holds tightly in its seat.

Cord replacement

To replace an element, in the coil you need to find a hole for it, through which a cord is passed, and then tie a knot. Next, you will need to cock the coil with the spring, performing several revolutions.

On a note! The exact number of turns can be found by looking at the instructions for using the trimmer, or manually. To do this, measure the length of the rope and calculate how many times it can be wrapped around the coil.

For example, if the cord is rotated around the circumference six times, then to tension the spring, you need to rotate the coil six times counterclockwise. After that, it remains only to pass the rope through the hole and fix the handle on the cord.

Other malfunctions

Sometimes after the repair, the spring still flies. There are two solutions to this problem:

1. To bend the spring does not pop out of the groove, you need to insert a small fragment of a metal plate between the bend and the wall of the seat. This will provide a tighter spring fixation.
2. Keeping the spring in the groove also helps with homemade fastening. It is necessary to drill holes in the coil on each side of the groove, place a spring bend in them and fix it with a piece of wire. These steps should be performed so that the wire does not touch the starter cover and does not slow down the movement of the pulley.

Assembly and installation in place of starter

To assemble the starter and set it to its original place, you must:

1. Turn the pulley with the spring down and place it inside the case so that the spring bend hits exactly in the groove of the case;
2. Install the washer, then the spring, on top of it. The second washer;
3. Place a cup with antennae on top of the washer and screw in the screw.

When assembling, be sure to put both washers, otherwise the plastic cup will be damaged by the spring after some time, and when pulling the cord, the user will notice that it is jammed. It will look like a spring has flown. To fix such a breakdown, you will need to install a larger screw or another washer. If it is not possible to find the required parts, just loosen the screw a little, after which the starter will stop jamming. However, you need to understand that these are temporary measures, and the malfunction should be repaired as soon as possible.

Problem prevention

Sooner or later, problems with the starter arise on any trimmer. Stihl FS 55, MTD 790 or another brand. It is possible to delay the appearance of such a malfunction, but for this you need to carefully handle the tool. In particular, you should not make too sharp jerks, this will lead to a break in the cord or to a spring out. It is not recommended to subject the lawnmow to shock or other physical impact. If the starter housing breaks and the cord breaks, it can be wound around the engine flywheel. This will result in a ripped pulley and a bursting spring.

So, having discovered that the starter mechanism has broken on the lawn mowing, one should not immediately rush to the specialists for help. Knowing how the malfunction is eliminated and / or the part is being replaced, repair work can be performed independently. No specific tool is required for this. At first, the procedure may seem complicated and tedious, but numerouss on the Internet dedicated to repairing the starter can help solve the problem as quickly and easily as possible.

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The starter is one of the main components of lawn mowers, which greatly facilitates the start of the tool engine. Its breakdown can happen at the most inopportune time, which will certainly entail significant changes in the daily plans of the owner of the site. There are two ways to solve the problem: repair the trimmer starter with your own hands, or replace the entire assembly. The easiest way to troubleshoot a startup system will be to completely replace it, but from a financial point of view, buying a new starter may seem far too heavy. To fix the breakdowns yourself, it is enough to prepare a screwdriver with the appropriate tip and familiarize yourself with the following recommendations.

The device and principle of operation of the starter lawn mowers

As with any garden or construction gasoline tool, the trimmer starter consists of a plastic case into which a pulley with a pre-wound cord (shmorgalka) is installed. In order to automatically twist the rope after a jerk, a starter spring made of alloy steel is fixed on the back of the pulley with a starter. A ratchet is mounted on the front of the pulley, through which the starter engages with the drive shaft of the trimmer motor. Depending on the manufacturer and the design of the lawn mowing pulley, the ratchet pulley can be either a single unit or assembled from two separate parts.

The principle of operation of the trimmer starter is practically the same regardless of the model of the unit.

The main components of the trimmer starter

When the starter jerks, the protrusions located on the pulley mesh with the dogs, which, when the ICE is successfully started, diverge in different directions under the action of centrifugal forces. There are also models where the ratchet is spring-loaded from the side of the housing and when the pulley is rotated backward, the gear teeth are removed from the motor shaft. Of course, with frequent and prolonged use of the trimmer, no one is safe from a break in the power cord or wear of the tape spring. Therefore, in this case, you will need to repair the trimmer starter, which you can do it yourself.

The main breakdown of the starter lawn mowers

At present, two main malfunctions of the petrol trimmer starter are spread:

1. Breakage of a power cord (shmorgalka);
2. Damage to the tape spring or its disengagement with the pulley.

Trim tab spring

In practice, there are cases when, for some reason, the starter housing is damaged and the dangling cord is wound on the motor shaft, which will inevitably lead to spring breaks and cracks in the housing. In this situation, local repair of the lawn mowing starter will be impossible and a complete replacement of the engine starting unit will be required. In other cases, troubleshooting will be reduced to replacing the spring or cord.

Dismantling, disassembling the trimmer starter, replacing parts

First of all, the repair process begins with removing the entire starter from the trimmer. This process is inherently not complicated and will only require unscrewing a few screws with a suitable bench tool. It should be noted that when dismantling the mechanism for starting the lawn mowers, safety precautions must be observed, since the tape spring in a compressed state has enough energy to injure a person.

Analysis of a starter of a lawn-mowing

This stage allows the wizard to establish the causes of failures of the launch site, as well as to diagnose individual parts. Disassembly should be performed in the following sequence:

Unscrew the screws securing the pulley to the starter housing;

Removing the trimmer starter

Remove the pulley from the starter

Pulley removal from the lawn mowing body

Removed spring from starter coil

Many experts note that it is quite difficult to mount the spring the first time, therefore, when repairing the trimmer starter, the owner will require not only the basic skills of a locksmith, but also patience.

Trimmer Starter Assembly Sequence

Although the assembly process of the lawn-mowing start-up unit is carried out in the reverse disassembly order, there are several nuances to which special attention should be paid:

The coil with the spring installed must be turned over and mounted in the groove of the starter housing so that all the protrusions are in their original place.

Installing the trimmer coil in the starter housing

Installing a compression spring

White cup with trimmer coil mustache

When assembling the starter, pay attention to the compression spring, which on both sides should be limited by steel springs. If this is not done, then after the first season she will wipe the grooves in the pulley case.

Tape spring tension recommendations

Trimmer Starter Spring Tension

After installing the starter, it is necessary to dismantle the rope handle and insert it into the recess of the coil. Further, against the course of the pulley movement at start-up, it is necessary to make a certain number of revolutions indicated in the instruction manual for the gas trimmer. It is worth noting that the tension and further operation of the assembly will depend on how to put the spring on the trimmer and what tension to do. At the final stage, we pass a rope into a special hole and fix it with a handle.

Replacing the trimmer starter rope

Installing the starter rope in the trimmer

At the very beginning, it is necessary to remove the tattered cord, select the appropriate length depending on the trimmer model. We pass it through a special hole in the pulley and tie a knot at the other end to prevent the rope from jumping out of the trimmer trigger. Next, we erect the tape spring to the required number of revolutions and mount the handle.

Repairing the gas trimmer starter may be necessary at the most inopportune moment. At the same time, there are two ways to solve the problem: replace a broken part or change the entire assembly. The latter option will cost more. To repair the device with your own hands, in most cases you will need from the tools only a screwdriver with the appropriate tip. 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 the assembly-disassembly of the starter on the trimmer to achieve the desired positive result.

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

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

Also, the lawn mowers have the following elements:

• Protective cover;
• Lever;
• A belt designed for ease of use of the device;
• A starter used to start a gasoline internal combustion engine.

All details of the lawn mowers are presented in the photo below.

The starter on the trimmer is an integral part that starts the engine to work. It is depicted separately in the two photos below.

Starter mechanisms of various lawn mowing models work on the same principle: during the start of the internal combustion engine, the protrusions marked with the number 1 in the photo above enter the hook with the dogs 3. When the engine starts to work, they return to their previous position due to the action of centrifugal force. A similar role is also played by wires 2.

The process of returning to the initial position of the elements of the mechanism occurs due to the presence of a spring wound around an axis. It unfolds when the rope is pulled. After releasing the cord, it is retracted and wound due to the folding of the spring. During the start of the ICE lawn mowers, the trigger mechanism rotates its shaft until it starts to work (starts).

Today gasoline lawn mowers equip starter mechanisms of two types:

The first option is much more common.

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

The main malfunctions of the trimmer starter

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

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

The indicated details are shown in the photo below.

It may happen that the starter mechanism is accidentally broken. The consequences will be deplorable if a tattered rope is wound around the flywheel of an internal combustion engine: then the spring will burst, the pulley will rip off. But such cases when a complete replacement of the starter assembly is required are extremely rare. In most cases, to fix the mechanism, it is enough to put a new spring or replace the cord.

Removing and disassembling the starter, replacing broken parts

To repair the trimmer starter, you will need to disassemble it first, and then assemble it. This process is not particularly difficult. You will need to work shape screwdriver.

Everything should be done carefully, observing safety precautions, mainly so that the spring does not injure the master during an accidental departure.

Analysis of the starter assembly

Disassemble the start-up mechanism in order to install new parts instead of broken parts in the following sequence:

• Unscrew the screw fixing the pulley with a starter cover with a screwdriver;
• Take out the spring and antennae;
• Carefully remove the pulley (you need to turn your head away or work, having previously worn glasses and gloves);
• Determine why the trigger mechanism has broken;
• If the spring has collapsed almost completely, then it is replaced;
• When the spring exits the hook, it is installed in its original place by bending the antennae before it (the photographs show the installation process);

• After the spring plate is installed inside the groove, carefully twist it.

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

Immediately put in place the spring plate does not always work. It often slips, so attempts must be repeated until the desired result is achieved.

Starter assembly

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

• The coil is turned over, installing it so that the spring bend exactly fits into the groove of the case, as in the photo below;

• Stack two washers, between which a spring is placed;
• Put in place a cup with a mustache;
• Tighten the screw (photos below).

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

When such parts are missing, you can just a little bit unscrew the screw, and the starter assembly will start to work without wedging. But this option is temporary. It is better to repair it qualitatively as quickly as possible.

Spring tension

After installing the spring, tighten it. To do this, perform the following steps:

• Remove the handle from the starter cord;
• Then the rope is inserted into the reel groove;
• Spring is tightened by rotating the coil in the opposite direction to the clockwise direction (winding);
• Make the required number of revolutions indicated in the operating instructions for the trimmer model used and corresponding to the length of the cord used;
• At the very end, the rope is threaded into the hole provided for this, located in the starter cover;
• Put the handle in place, fixing it with a knot.

If after repair the spring continues to fly, you can get rid of this in the following ways:

• Cram a suitable piece of plate into the groove at the location of the spring hook;
• Drill holes on both sides of the groove in the coil, into which to insert the spring hook and fix it with a wire.

Replacing a torn cord

A torn rope is replaced in the following sequence:

• The old cord is removed;
• Choose a rope of suitable size (thickness and length);
• Passing it through a special hole located in the coil, tie a knot;
• Cock the spring, producing the required number of revolutions;
• Fasten the handle.

It is better to tighten the spring plate together with the partner so that the edge of the cord does not wound inside the starter mechanism.

It is not difficult to assemble the starter on the trimmer and wind the spring, only this should be done carefully and with caution. For different models of lawn mowing, the breakdowns of the starting mechanisms are the same, therefore they are repaired in a similar way. There are some nuances associated with their design features.