So whats the deal with pull starters - why are they so much $$$ on ebay?

[Billy Golightly]

Is it just because people don't know or wont figure out how to re-assemble them, or because that many parts are discontinued?

I'm looking at some of the 185-200 series ones on ebay, and they are going $100+, some close to $200. Even 90 and 110 ones seem pretty spendy.


What am I missing here?

[Dave8338]

I think you're exactly right. Most can't figure out how to rebuild a recoil. They can be a little tricky in the spring rewinding to get them "tight" enough, but not all that difficult.
That being said, even a replacement handle for the 185-200 series will run you nearly $20.00. Makes me want to scour and scrounge for a few and completely rebuild / restore them. Flip them on the Bay.

[coolpool]

Good question. Seems to be an often forgot about part that's easy to find, or so I think? I have a thesis about why the ATC 70 ones go missing but not the other models. I figure that due to the little buggers being finicky with carb/points adjustments, the pull starters fail by them being pulled to death for no starts, removed and lost/forgotten about. Just a thought.

[aldochina]

I see countless machines for sale on craigs with no pullstarts, or pullstarts in a box. Especially the 70's and 200's. So gotta figure demand is high between those looking for one because they just picked up a cheap machine thats missing the pullstart, and those who wont attempt to rebuild the ones with busted components.

[shortline10]

Ahhh yes that's why I have a box full of nos recoils , better than money in the bank !

[86Rrider]

Funny that I find this post since I have one going in the same section looking for parts to repair the recoil on the '84 200S I just bought last week. I too was wondering the same thing as to why the complete recoil assemblies on E-bay that I saw were $125+. So what is the alternative? Does someone have a pile of recoils with a foot of rope hanging out of them that need to be re-wound or the spring repaired?

Unfortunately, I am now looking for parts to repair the recoil on this 200S becasue the spot welds broke on the steel piece that guides the "dogs" - free from the pulley and it looks like several "repair" attempts were made (i.e. bending up many parts with ) so now that I have the piece welded back to the pulley, it still does not work right.

[3wheeledfanatic]

A guy on a facebook trader tried to sell me a 200s pullstart for 150 dollars. I took my time and found a whole 200s from a farmer for that price. I knew 70 ones were high but 200 ones too? I try not to buy any 200s around here if their missing pullstart because their so high

[Dirtcrasher]

I wish they would reproduce them with a chinese knockoff like the motors, carbs and light switches.....

[blue27]

Yep everyone takes them off, can't fix them and forgets where they left them or they are still at the local lawn mower shop waiting to be picked up. You can buy most of the internals for the 90s and 200s aftermarket. Not for the 70s. I have a large box full of pull starters waiting to be rebuilt and put on ebay, with new decals,lol but I haven't gotten to that project yet. I buy them at motorcycle swap meets when I see them. The ATC70 ones I keep because they never have them when you buy one.

[Billy Golightly]

I wish they would reproduce them with a chinese knockoff like the motors, carbs and light switches.....

Thats kind of where I'm going with this Steve - are there that many components inside that are discontinued driving the price up, or is it purely peoples laziness and lack of knowledge?

Its been years since I had one apart and seriously looked at it - but I know of nothing off of the top of my head that wouldn't be fairly easy to repop from what I can remember...

[86T3]

I found a nos one for a 125m quad on ebay a couple yeara ago for $45 bucks and it fit the atc 125m motor perfectly. The only difference is that the writing is red on it. For the people looking for 125 or 110 pull starters those may be a viable option if they're still available

[DasUberKraut]

Geeze... a recoil only takes 15 minutes to clean and reassemble.

[Flossyb20]

Geeze... a recoil only takes 15 minutes to clean and reassemble.

Only if you don't pop out the recoil spring....that thing is a pain to put back in

[MRSOUND]

I just attempted my first rebuild of a 200s recoil a few weeks back for a machine sitting in my trailer. It needed a new pull rope as the decomp was not working when starting. I would manually lift the decomp but as soon as I hit the compression stroke it would rip your arm off. Anyway replaced cord after it tore and decomp still did not work. Pulled up a utube video and found out starer was missing the decompression spring. Found (1) and only (1) on ebay and promptly bought it. (Not even weezy had one loose to sell) Part is discontinued. I agree with Blue27. Folks trying to repair it, can't, tossed it, and bought a working one somewhere. Could be becoming the next high ticket item (recoils or recoil parts) of a growing list items we can no longer get. Mine was also missing the rubber stopper that keeps the decompression cable in the plastic ring inside the recoil. Still have not found one of those.

[ebaccm26]

I have bought quite a few machines that had broken pull starters still on them and I would guess that it is just because people have no clue how to rebuild them. Usually it is nothing but a broken rope. I imagine most people just don't bother trying because if they did they would know it is not difficult, takes me about 5-10 minutes typically. I sometimes get machines that are missing the pull starter all together and I think that is probably also because people failed to fix them and they end up in a box or who knows where in pieces. It definitely can get pricey if you have to buy another pull starter or if you are missing certain parts.