feeding lawn mower pull cord replacement

November 3, 2021 Mike Shelley

How To Replace Small Engine Pull Cord on Mower

Own a lawnmower long enough, and eventually, you will experience small engine pull cord failure. Whether your lawnmower pull cord has seen its fair share of uses or it fails before its time due to quality, these seven simple steps will show you exactly how to replace pull cord on mowers to get you back up and running before your next mowing mission.

Supplies Needed for Lawn Mower Pull Cord Replacement

First things first, you’ll need a few tools, like:

Screwdriver
Needle Nose Pliers
Nut driver
New pull cord— preferably one that’s more reliable than a generic pull cord.

Choose replacement cord for your mower

Check your mower or engine manufacturer's instructions for the required starter-cord diameter, length and replacement procedure before ordering. Do not select cord solely by appearance or assume one size fits every engine.

Compare our Solid Braid Polyester Pull Cord and Diamond Braid Polyester Pull Cord. Select the required diameter and length on the product page to see current pricing and availability.

Need help identifying an option? Contact RopeHub with the engine model and the cord specification from its manual.

Before you begin, follow the equipment manufacturer's shutdown, ignition-isolation and recoil-starter service instructions. If you are unsure how to handle the spring-loaded assembly safely, use a qualified repair technician.

How To Replace Pull Cord on Lawn Mower in 7 Easy Steps

You’ll begin your lawn mower pull cord replacement by removing the bolts and popping off the starter housing.
Find the end of the old pull cord and slowly pull it out of the starter housing (needle-nose pliers may be handy here if you’re not able to easily grab the pull cord). Then, remove the rope from the handle by cutting or untying the knot.
Feed the new cord from the outside of the starter housing to the inside. Wind up the starter pulley as far as it will go. Then, back up the pulley so that the pull cord hole on the pulley lines up with the pull cord hole on the outer part of the starter housing. You can keep it lined up by sticking your screwdriver through a slot in the pulley and pulley housing (if applicable).
Once you’ve fed your new pull cord through both holes, tie a knot at the end of the rope and pull it tight. Cut off the excess and use a lighter to melt the end for a secure knot (optional).
Let the pulley wind itself back up until it stops. Cut off any excess rope outside the starter housing and fish your remaining piece through the pull handle.
Tie a knot, cut off the excess, and use a lighter to melt the end for a secure knot, or heat up the knot to melt it together (optional).
Secure starter housing back to the mower with bolts and get back to business!