# Weedwacker head won't spin



## Iris1955

HELP! My weed wacking has come to a drastic halt. I have a craftsman 2 cycle weed wacker. It starts just fine, the problem is the head won't spin. I took the head apart and nothing is amiss in there. I looked back by where the engine is and behind the plastic cover on the back of the engine I can see a loose thingee, I would call it a coil/spring with a hook on one end. 
I am assuming that should be hooking a cable from the engine to the head to make the head spin?

Is that thing fixable? Any ideas?
I am a woman but know a phillips from a flat head, etc. lol

My yard looks halfway good, help me out, PLEASE!


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## roachmobkiller

Howdy Iris,
I think we maybe have similar weedwhacker problems.
Hopefully some knowledgeable member here can put us
both on the right track.

Roachie


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## glenjudy

Iris1955 said:


> HELP! My weed wacking has come to a drastic halt. I have a craftsman 2 cycle weed wacker. It starts just fine, the problem is the head won't spin. I took the head apart and nothing is amiss in there. I looked back by where the engine is and behind the plastic cover on the back of the engine I can see a loose thingee, I would call it a coil/spring with a hook on one end.


Posting the model no. of the unit in question is hugely helpful,
being a Sears, the model no. will be in the xxx.xxxxxx format.

the coil/spring with a hook on one end.  sounds like part of the rope start mechanism

thanks,


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## TCT

Something is amiss with the drive shaft, either it is broken, or where it attaches to the engine or the trimmer head is broken.


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## Iris1955

glenjudy said:


> Posting the model no. of the unit in question is hugely helpful,
> being a Sears, the model no. will be in the xxx.xxxxxx format.
> 
> the coil/spring with a hook on one end.  sounds like part of the rope start mechanism
> 
> thanks,


The model # is 354-795543

If it was part of the rope mechanism, would the engine start? The engine starts just fine, the head doesn't spin. 
I am guessing its the cable that runs from the engine to the head and makes the head spin. Is that called a drive shaft? 
I guess I need to take it apart and start looking. It appears I need to take it apart with a hex driver? Any of you guys familiar with wackers? (LOL)


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## Iris1955

TCT said:


> Something is amiss with the drive shaft, either it is broken, or where it attaches to the engine or the trimmer head is broken.


Dearest TCT,

I am not blonde but I had figured that much out. So, what do I do about it? Are any of these things fixable or should I be buying a new weed wacker? This sucks because the engine runs great.


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## Iris1955

*Weed wacker problem*



roachmobkiller said:


> Howdy Iris,
> I think we maybe have similar weedwhacker problems.
> Hopefully some knowledgeable member here can put us
> both on the right track.
> 
> Roachie


Is yours the same model number? Did you take yours apart? If so, what tool did you use and was it easy to get back together? 

Was your symptom that all of a sudden the head did not spin? Did you see the little coil/spring thingee I mentioned anywhere inside your wacker? 

What have you tried so far to fix this? Are you able to reply off board, if so could you reply to [email protected]. I really need to fix this if possible. Thanks!


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## glenjudy

Iris1955 said:


> The model # is 354-795543
> 
> If it was part of the rope mechanism, would the engine start? The engine starts just fine, the head doesn't spin.
> I am guessing its the cable that runs from the engine to the head and makes the head spin. Is that called a drive shaft?
> I guess I need to take it apart and start looking. It appears I need to take it apart with a hex driver? Any of you guys familiar with wackers? (LOL)


It's actually 358.795543
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...d?modelNumber=358.795543&pathTaken=partSearch
This is parts list for unit.
as previously mentioned, the problem is probably in the driveshaft area.
hth


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## Iris1955

glenjudy said:


> It's actually 358.795543
> http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...d?modelNumber=358.795543&pathTaken=partSearch
> This is parts list for unit.
> as previously mentioned, the problem is probably in the driveshaft area.
> hth


Yep, I typed it in wrong. 
Thanks, if I can get inside the wacker I might need that info. :tongue:


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## Iris1955

*Weed wacker problem*



glenjudy said:


> It's actually 358.795543
> http://www.searspartsdirect.com/par...d?modelNumber=358.795543&pathTaken=partSearch
> This is parts list for unit.
> as previously mentioned, the problem is probably in the driveshaft area.
> hth


This is the coolest thing! I feel like I have a fighting chance now to fix it.

I can't find that little coil thingee on the parts list. Any clue about that? 

Thank you so much for your help!!!!!:thumbsup:


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## TCT

Iris1955 said:


> Dearest TCT,
> 
> I am not blonde but I had figured that much out. So, what do I do about it? Are any of these things fixable or should I be buying a new weed wacker? This sucks because the engine runs great.


Hey, when I see terms like (thingee) I keep it simple!:thumbsup:


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## roachmobkiller

Iris1955 said:


> Is yours the same model number? Did you take yours apart? If so, what tool did you use and was it easy to get back together?
> 
> Was your symptom that all of a sudden the head did not spin? Did you see the little coil/spring thingee I mentioned anywhere inside your wacker?
> 
> What have you tried so far to fix this? Are you able to reply off board, if so could you reply to [email protected]. I really need to fix this if possible. Thanks!


Iris we do have the same weedwhacker according to the Sear's parts
link posted by "glenjudy"(Thanks). I used an allen/hex wrench to take 
the weedwhacker apart.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hex_key

I operated on mine again today and put it back together. It worked for 
for about 30 seconds. I am going to take it to a lawnmower repair
shop tomorrow. I think it is something simple. If it is i will e-mail
you the solution.:thumbsup:


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## Iris1955

*He's not heavy, he's my broken Craftsman brother*



roachmobkiller said:


> Iris we do have the same weedwhacker according to the Sear's parts
> link posted by "glenjudy"(Thanks). I used an allen/hex wrench to take
> the weedwhacker apart.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hex_key
> 
> I operated on mine again today and put it back together. It worked for
> for about 30 seconds. I am going to take it to a lawnmower repair
> shop tomorrow. I think it is something simple. If it is i will e-mail
> you the solution.:thumbsup:


I would appreciate that as I hate to go out and buy a new one since the engine on this one runs great. If it is fixable, that would be great. Let me know what your lawn mower guy says and does so if I have to take it to someone half of his work (troubleshooting) will be done and it will cost me less. 
That parts list that the other guy sent was great. He sounds like he knows his way around the end of a wrench! (I should have asked if he was married!!! I could use a guy like that around here!) 

Did you see the little coil thing I mentioned when you had your machine apart? Did you have to take out everything, the carb, etc to get to the top of the drive shaft? 

Was it hard to put back together?

Anyway, please let me know what you find out.


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## roachmobkiller

Iris1955 said:


> I would appreciate that as I hate to go out and buy a new one since the engine on this one runs great.
> 
> Did you see the little coil thing I mentioned when you had your machine apart? Did you have to take out everything, the carb, etc to get to the top of the drive shaft?
> 
> Was it hard to put back together?
> 
> Anyway, please let me know what you find out.


Iris my weedwhacker  is now working!:thumbsup: And it fixed it myself!
I took pic's to show how repair was made.


This is what is in the bottom part of the weedwhacker.









Here is everything the way it should be inside of the shaft.










Here is my problem. The crimp in the shaft keeps the head assembly in place. The crimps had worn down over time. 









So i applied some "lock tight".... the red stuff.









And put everything back in the shaft.Then i took a flathead screw driver and hammer. And tapped the 3 crimped places a little deeper.









I think your drive cable maybe loose or worn down.
I don't think you will have much problem dissembling or 
resembling. You don't have to go into the engine,
just the shaft. Good luck and hope you get it running.

Roachie


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## Iris1955

*Hopeful!*

This is sooooo helpful! I will work on it tomorrow and see if I can get it running. My dad (in heaven) would be so proud of me if I can get this working again! I worked with him all the time in the garage when I was a little girl (50 years ago!!!) and he was proud that I could fix the toilet when it broke, replace a rotten deck board, change my own oil, etc. If i can do this following your pictures I really will indeed be my father's daughter!

Thanks! 

Pam 



roachmobkiller said:


> Iris my weedwhacker is now working!:thumbsup: And it fixed it myself!
> I took pic's to show how repair was made.
> 
> 
> This is what is in the bottom part of the weedwhacker.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is everything the way it should be inside of the shaft.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is my problem. The crimp in the shaft keeps the head assembly in place. The crimps had worn down over time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So i applied some "lock tight".... the red stuff.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And put everything back in the shaft.Then i took a flathead screw driver and hammer. And tapped the 3 crimped places a little deeper.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think your drive cable maybe loose or worn down.
> I don't think you will have much problem dissembling or
> resembling. You don't have to go into the engine,
> just the shaft. Good luck and hope you get it running.
> 
> Roachie


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