Stihl RS 55 R trimmer

If you're pretty handy, you should be able to do this yourself. Once you get the housing off the motor, you may be able to dig the broken end of the rope out of the pulley and wind the spring back up with it, then feed it out the hole. At that point, you could jam the pulley with wooden wedges or something, disconnect the rope from the pulley, and feed in a new rope.

No but you have to be very careful not to let spring go. curve on spring should match up with molded curve on the housing.

I have not worked on you type saw. I have put new starter springs in other saws. One end of the spring fits into the housing and the other in the pulley. Once you have that done there should be a notch in the pulley that you put the rope into that will allow the spring to be wound up without taking up the rope. It is a trial error problem now. If the spring is wound too tight you will not get full rope travel. If it is too loose tilt will not pull the rope in fully.

Pull recoil and remove screw holding the string pulley. There's a spring behind it. Find where it hooks to the housing bend it to latch. This is what broke loose. Now wind it all into the designated spot. Attach string pulley and CAREFULLY put back together. Finally wind up insert rope and let it retract. This is a very difficult and frustrating job.

The recoil housing is held on by four screws around the housing on the corners, the pulley is held to the housing by one screw, all tension needs to relieved from the spring before removing the pulley. you can either cut the rope if you are replacing it, or you can pull some of the rope out, lining up the notch in the pulley with the outlet hole, catch the pulley and hold it from rewinding, and using the slack in the rope pull a section back in and up through the notch, the pulley can now unwind its tension without winding up the rope. Now remove the pulley, it should leave the spring in the housing. If the spring is very rusty it should be replaced, if you've sprung the spring out and have a mess, be prepared for a little fight, you can try hooking the outside of the spring in its tab in the housing and while forcibly holding that in place begin coiling the spring back in place, or try gathering the spring into a large coil and holding the coil with a pair of pliers begin shrinking the coil's diameter by winding it up from the center, last resort and the one I'd recommend if you're looking at a rusty spring, get a new one from an Echo dealer, it comes pre-wound and a nifty retaining clip, it simply slides into place in the housing, and as it goes into place the ring will pop loose. Now for the rope. Install the rope by putting the new piece in the spool and tying it off, thread the other end through the housing from the inside out, and put it into the handle and tie it off on that end, now place the spool into the housing being sure to engage the spring lightly, now install the screw so the spool doesn't come out, pull the slack rope up through the notch in the pulley and begin winding the pulley in the direction it turns when the rope is normally extended, after about 4 turns drop the rope out of the notch and let the pulley wind up the rope, if you have slack repeat a couple turns until there is no slack

Are you sure you have the right length rope??? If you are sure the rope length is correct you may have wound the recoil spring too tight causing it to run out of travel. You want the recoil spring just tight enough to pull the rope all the way in.
Wayne

you dont say what model Stihl, lets assume its FS80/85. the torxs style screw driver is part of the tool kit supplied with the machine and includes spark plug spanner 3/4 AF, remove the four screws to release the starter assembly, the starter also retains the fuel tank, dont lose the oblong rubber insert or the tank will wobble around when assembled. if the rope wont return the end of the rewind spring may have broken off or it maybe that the spring has got so rusty its just hanging up. with the recoil off remove the centre screw (normal anti-clockwise) holding the starter away from your eyes, withdraw the pulley and inspect the spring for damage which normaly occurs at the end that engages with the pulley, if it's broken and you cant get a replacement use a pair of pliers to grip the spring about 3/4 inch from broken end, heat with blowtorch to soften and rebend into a hook to engage with the pulley, dont try to bend without softening, clean off any rust with wire wool and re-install the spring in it's housing working from the outside toward the middle.it's more of a knack than anything else and you could probably do with eleven fingers. having installed the spring make sure the rope is fully un-wound and insert the pulley into the housing turning gently until you feel the spring engage, you will know you've got it right when the pulley attempts to rewind, fit the pulley retaining screw, you will observe a notch in the outer rim of the pulley,make sure that the rope is in the notch and use it (the rope) to wind the spring about five times, check that the whole rope rewinds into the pulley, if you still have some hanging out put more turns on the spring but dont over do it. to check, gently pull on the grip until you come to the end of the rope, thats the important bit, you must come to the end of the rope before you come to the end of the spring otherwise the spring will break again.install the starter assembly by offering up and slowly pulling on the grip until you feel the pulley engage with the starter pawl. good luck.

you need to rotate the starter pulley up first to tension the spring.... then feed in your rope tie a not and let it retract the rope into the starter pulley

remove the cover and the screw holding the recoil down, turning the pulley ccw should release the spring then wind rope around pulley and (hopefully yours has the slot in it) wind in the direction of the pulley teeth then, holding rope in slot put back on spring and wind cw till almost tight, and install screw. Usually you can do this without taking rope handle off. sometimes you have to remove handle. look at spring end in the middle and make sure its not broke as long as you have it apart. Its a easy fix.
Thanks for using fixya

Hello:

>>The Following is a General Instruction File I Made to Perform this Repair. If you have Any Suggestions or Remarks, then Please Let me Know. Thanks.
>>**Remove the Boom/Shaft from the Engine. Remove the Mounting Bolts and the Boom and Center Drive Shaft should Slide Away from the Starter Housing Assembly.
>>**On Some Model Trimmers, there is a Torx Screw Inside the Coupling Drive that has to be Removed.
>>****There is also a Locking Screw on the Side of the Housing that is a Anti-Vibration Lock.****
>>Using the Breakdown as a Guide Remove the Starter Housing Assembly from the Engine Assembly.
>>Now Carefully/Slowly Remove the Pressure Plate Assembly from the Starter Housing.
>>The Spring May have Broken and Sometimes a Section will Jump Out when the Pressure Plate Assembly is Removed from the Starter Housing. When it Jumps, it Pushes the Recoil Pulley Out Also.
>>Look at the Direction of the Coil of the Spring in the Housing and Make an Arrow in the Direction of the Coil with a Magic Marker on the Inside of the Housing.
>>Remove the Broken Spring and Clean the Housing with Spray Lubrication. You can Use Solvent if Required, Just be Sure to Wipe it Before Assembly with Spray Lubricant. The New Spring should come with a Retainer that Holds it in a Circle.
>>If you have Removed the Spring from the Retainer, then Use a Piece of Plastic Pipe About 2" Long that is the Same Inside Diameter as the Retainer (Slightly Smaller than the Recess that the Spring Coils Into if you Lost the Retainer).
>>Coil the Spring Into the Pipe and then Set the Spring Into the Recess. Make Sure the Spring Tab of the Spring Engages the Spring Lock in the Recess.
>>Use a Socket to Hold the Spring in Place and Pull the Pipe Out of the Recess.
>>Lock the Pulley in Place.
>>Now Turn the Pulley in the Same Direction that the Pulley would Turn if the Rope was Turning it.
>>Once the Pulley will Turn No More, then Reverse Direction 1 or 2 Turns and Thread the New Rope Through the Hole in the Center of the Pulley and Out the Hole in the Blower Housing.
>>Pull the Rope Through Until it is Tight Against the Pulley. Now Tie a Slip Knot in the Rope to Hold the Pulley in Place While the Handle is Attached to the Rope.
>>Once the Handle is Attached, Release the Slip Knot and the Rope Should Retract Into the Housing. Reassemble the Blower Housing Onto the Engine.
>>On Some Models you May have to Install the Rope Before you Lock the Pulley in Place. If So, there is a U in the Pulley that the Rope is Held in While Turning the Pulley to Tighten the Spring.
Please, Do Not Hesitate, If you Hit a Snag or this Does Not Correct the Problem, I am Here if You Require More Assistance.
Hope this Helps. Let me Know What Happens, Please. May the All Mighty Bless You and Yours. Be Safe and Be Happy. Thanks.

Good Luck

Respectfully

jbridger (John)