Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): Craftsman lawn mower, craftsman lawn mower, recoil spring

Question
I'm trying to replace the recoil spring on a Craftsman mower. I can not find the part available at Sears and the part that I bought at Home Depot appears too big to fit in the pulley. I want to make sure before I take the part back, that there is not some trick in getting the spring I have into the pulley. Am I missing something or do I need to dig deeper at Sears?

Thanks,
Brett

Answer
Hi Brett,

If the spring does not match the old one exactly then it probably is not the right one.  Sears parts are sometimes hard to get.  If the mower has a B&S or Tecumseh engine then you may be able to buy a spring or an entire used or new recoil assembly from a local repair shop.

Good Luck,
Michael