# Lawnboy Recoil Spring



## ccrider966 (Jul 8, 2006)

The recoil mechanism on my lawnboy model 10247 does not return now. The mechanism appears to be rivet together and I wonder if the spring has broken and if it can be purchased separately from the housing top cover?
I guess I could drill out the rivets and see what is wrong with the spring but am surprised it is not more easily accessed and replaced.


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## geogrubb (Jul 28, 2006)

ccrider966 said:


> The recoil mechanism on my lawnboy model 10247 does not return now. The mechanism appears to be rivet together and I wonder if the spring has broken and if it can be purchased separately from the housing top cover?
> I guess I could drill out the rivets and see what is wrong with the spring but am surprised it is not more easily accessed and replaced.


Don't drill out the rivets, remove the whole shroud, it has 3-4 bolts that hold it on then you access to the spring and rewind without breaking anything. Have a good one. Geo


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## paulr44 (Oct 14, 2008)

IPL and parts can be had here:
http://www.partstree.com/parts/search/models/?searchTerm=10247
And NO, don't drill the rivets out as Geogrubb said. You'd still need to remove the housing to do that else you'd have rivet remnants stuck to your flywheel magnets (bad) and you'd only need to do that to replace the entire recoil assy.


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## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

You should remove the entire housing to access the recoil starter, however you can only replace the pull rope without removing the rivets. If the recoil spring requires service or replacement, then you will have to separate the recoil starter assembly from the blower housing. The starter reel will not fit through the opening and the recoil spring is under it. 

A complete starter assembly can be found online from $20.00 on up, Toro/Lawnboy does not list replacement parts for the starter, but there are springs available that will fit them. Springs can be hard and somewhat dangerous to install, if your not familiar with the process.


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## ccrider966 (Jul 8, 2006)

*Housing Removed Still No Access.*

I did remove the housing and the smaller portion that houses the spring and rope. There is no way to get inside where the spring is without removing the rivets. I think it is intended for you to replace it as an assembly. I may remove the rivets just to see what the problem is. I suspect the spring end is broken or slipped out of its anchoring place.


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## paulr44 (Oct 14, 2008)

30yearTech said:


> You should remove the entire housing to access the recoil starter, however you can only replace the pull rope without removing the rivets. If the recoil spring requires service or replacement, then you will have to separate the recoil starter assembly from the blower housing. The starter reel will not fit through the opening and the recoil spring is under it.
> 
> A complete starter assembly can be found online from $20.00 on up, Toro/Lawnboy does not list replacement parts for the starter, but there are springs available that will fit them. Springs can be hard and somewhat dangerous to install, if your not familiar with the process.


I didn't know that! Haven't worked on a LB engine since the 80's, and THOSE side-mount recoils sucked to work on. Thought this newer one was like a B&S.


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## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

paulr44 said:


> I didn't know that! Haven't worked on a LB engine since the 80's, and THOSE side-mount recoils sucked to work on. Thought this newer one was like a B&S.


Yep, I remember those old D - Series starters, what a pain they were to put back in, and keep all your fingers....


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## geogrubb (Jul 28, 2006)

Hey, be nice to the old LB, I bought a new 4501 in 79, took it out of the box, gassed it up, gave it a pull, the rope slipped out of my hand, jumped off the spool and there I was, taking apart a brand new mower to fix the starter rope. I still have the mower, it still has the original points and condenser and usually starts on first or second pull.....after I get the starter assembly to catch. Have a good one. Geo


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## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

geogrubb said:


> Hey, be nice to the old LB, I bought a new 4501 in 79, took it out of the box, gassed it up, gave it a pull, the rope slipped out of my hand, jumped off the spool and there I was, taking apart a brand new mower to fix the starter rope. I still have the mower, it still has the original points and condenser and usually starts on first or second pull.....after I get the starter assembly to catch. Have a good one. Geo


Those old OMC Lawnboy's were hard to beat, but that was one crude recoil starter. You needed three hands to put it back together, and at least two hands to get it back in place on the engine with that little spring clip in the right place. Problem was there was only room for a little bit less than 1 hand!!

Until I got real good at them, I was kind of afraid of them. I had so many of the springs jump out and cut up the one hand I could fit up in there, I had to get good at doing them with both hands, so I could always have at least one good hand at a time to work with...


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