Replacing the Rope on a Snow Blower Flywheel

Preparation

• Before replacing the rope on the snowblower flywheel’s pulley, gather the necessary tools so that they are handy while working on your machine. You will need a lighter, needle-nose pliers, open-end wrench, flat-head screwdriver and replacement starter rope. Gloves and eye protection should be worn to protect yourself from injury. Once the tools and safety gear are in place, park your snowblower on a flat, level workspace and have a clean workbench area adjacent. Locate the spark plug boot, which is connected to the spark plug, and disconnect it to prevent an accidental start.

The Tear Down

• The starter recoil housing that protects the flywheel pulley is connected to the engine. In most models of snowblowers, the housing is located on either the top or side of the engine. Remove the bolts -- usually four -- in the recoil housing that attach it to the engine, using the open-end wrench. Place the bolts aside for later use. Pull the recoil housing away from the engine; you may need to use a flat-head screwdriver to separate them. Any pieces of the old rope remaining attached to the recoil pulley can be removed with the needle-nosed pliers.

Replacement Procedures

• To replace the starter rope, the recoil housing will need to be placed pulley side up on the workbench. The tension of the pulley spring, located under the pulley, is used to recoil the rope once it's pulled. The pulley spring will need to be tensioned by rotating the pulley six to nine times counterclockwise. When enough tension is on the spring, line up the hole in the starter recoil housing with the hole in the pulley and place a flat-head screwdriver through the holes to secure the pulley in place. Locate your new starter rope and melt both ends of the rope with a lighter to fuse the strands together to make installation easier. Place your starter handle on one end of the rope and tie a double overhand knot to secure it. Feed the opposite end through the hole in the starter recoil housing and the hole in the pulley. Tie a double overhand knot on the pulley side as well to secure it to the pulley. Now remove the screwdriver from the pulley and let the rope recoil slowly around the pulley.

Reinstallation

• Once the rope is coiled around the flywheel pulley, you’ll be ready to reinstall the starter recoil housing back onto the engine housing. Line up the holes in the starter recoil housing with the holes in the engine housing and reinstall the bolts that were removed earlier. Reattach the spark plug boot to the spark plug. The snowblower will now be ready to remove snow again.