Plastic head cover broke at shaft screws. need part #, aprox cost

The curved shaft machine has a flexible drive shaft like a speedo cable, slacken the two tube pinch bolts, these are accessed on the r/h side of the grey plastic handle through holes in the plastic housing,, remove the two mushroom headed screws either side of the plastic handle,don't lose the black o rings under the screw heads, do not remove any of the plastic housing screws, now carefully draw the tube out through the plastic handle/trigger assembly, once out pull out the old drive shaft, grease the new drive shaft and push back into the tube, once fully in turn the end to make sure the trimmer head turns, now feed the tube back through the trigger housing, make sure it is fully back home and the square end of the new shaft has entered the square hole in the drive drum, re tighten the pinch bolts, start the engine, if the head does not turn, slacken the pinch bolts and push the tube further in, re fit the two mushroom headed screws.

This is the stalk switch which also works the turn signals and wipers. This is a multifunction switch and it is replaced as a unit.

The switch is mounted to the steering column. The plastic column cover needs to be removed to access the mounting screws. You have wiring couplers which need to be carefully removed. Sometimes oddly shaped screw heads are used and need special bits to fit in the recesses. Designers went crazy making different shapes to thwart thefts, but the kits of toolbits cost about $10 and were no deterrent to theft. Usually a torx or star shaped bit is needed.

Torx head screws are down inside the cover. Some people call them "star" screws. With the proper size Torx head screwdriver (T-15 or T-20 I think), you will be able to unscrew the cover.

remove shaft from power head check to see if drive shaft end is square if ok grab drive cable with pliers and try to turn head while holding pliers to make sure other end of cable and gear box are ok if so may have broke spring in clutch. remove plastic cover from engine you will see clutch bell remove spark plug stick piece of rope in hole to stop piston from moving where cable would go in bell there is a screw that holds bell on either torx or allen remove screw and take bell off there will be 2 shoes ans 2 springs that hold shoes togeather end of springs usually break where they hook in to shoe hope this helps

The spindle screw is reverse tread and you need to turn it clockwise to loosen and counter clockwise to tighten the screw. You can usually hold the spindle with your hand then turn the screw clockwise to loosen the screw. Worst case scenario, carefully turn the machine upside down. Place it on a clean supporting surface. Use a flat-head screwdriver or similar device to remove the plastic gear cover to gain access to socket-head screw. Carefully place the machine on its side. Attach the spindle adapter to the motor shaft turning the spindle adapter counter-clockwise on the shaft.
NOTE: Motor shaft has a left-hand thread.
Place a 7/16" open-end wrench on the flats of spindle adapter. Insert a 3/16" hex
wrench into the socket-head screw located where the plastic gear cover was removed.
Hold the hex wrench to prevent the motor shaft from turning. Turn the wrench counter -clock wise to
fasten the spindle adapter on the motor shaft.
Reinstall the plastic gear cover that was removed above.

Had the same problem on mine. 18.5 B&S OHV. The throttle shaft in the carb broke causing it to run wide open. The shaft broke at the small screw holes holding the butterfly on. The small screw went and stuck on the head and the butterfly was not able to close to idol down. No damage luckly, just had to take off the head to remove the small screw and get a new gasket. The shaft cost me around 17 bucks from a local mower shop. not hard to put on. It had 2 different buttlerflys in the packet, make sure you use the right one. Took longer to go get the part than to repair it. Good Luck. Tom bivens40 at bellsouth dot net

Contact the manufacturer of the unit to enquitre about replacement covers.

The easier solution is to use a typical 5/16 hex head screw just like found on HVAC systems everywhere, and replace the plastic tabs with the screws.

If the screws are not self tapping, you may want to predrill the holes in the metal first to make it easier.

The steerin wheel screws have come loose inside the steering colum, if you can move the steering wheel up and down and back and forth you will have to remove the air bag the horn and horn button and tighten the two screws that are tork heads #8 to fix this issue.
Comments: Aug 20, 2009- If you want to fix this yourself you can do this it takes two to three hours with out the right tools, If you rent the tools to remove the steering wheel and the u clamp to remove the snap ring it will cost you almost nothing and would take an hour. You can rent it from schucks or autozone, you need steering wheel puller and screw on u clamp to remove plastic cover to ge tto the screws, I am also assumeing it is a tilt wheel. Disconnect the battery pull two bolt air bag retainer covers remove two bolts holding air bag on, next disconnect the air bag, Next remove 3 philips screws holding the horn assembly plastic and metal ring, Put tothe side in order how the screws and two parts go, if there are wires for a cruise control disconnect them. Next Remove 3/4 inch center steering nut, install U bolt on the bolt thread that you removed the nut off of screw down till the plastic cap is 1/4 inch down allowing you to getto the center snap ring, using too picks work snap ring out of the grouve then remove the u clamp. once you pull the clap off the plastic plate whell come off and the plate is keyed to go on one way. after you remove plastic cover you will see three screws tork head type #8 or #6 buy a tube ot thread lock #605 remove the screws and put a drop on each screw then screw down. once screws are tight make sure the steering ball is not broke it is a plastic ball with a notch on one end with a spring on the other. Connect the battery up, install key and turn the key on put foot on brake then shif the shifter selecter back and forth if it operates somothly your done, if it gives you trouble still then check the pin in the pivot point on the shift lever, if it looks broke hammer it out and take to the parts store get new roll pin and hammer new one pack in with a center hole punch. then reinstall the parts. If you run into trouble you can post here and I can help you more.
Thanks for using fixya and have a good day!
Avid101.

For what it's worth, when the handle on my mother-in-law's crockpot broke, I went to Home Depot and bought a cheap wooden drawer knob (about $1 as I recall). I put a plastic washer between the knob and the glass and another under the screw head from the bottom (to prevent cracking the lid), tightened the screw and good as new.

I just decided to try to fix mine. There are all together 5 screws. The two on the handle are covered with plastic caps which can be pulled out by sticking a duct tape and pulling it up. The other three screws are in the thumper head and are covered with the purple violet rubber piece. I removed it with my fingers. There are also two plastic bolts in the head of the thumper opposite to the handle. I removed them by using a sharp knife to loosen them and pulled with pliers.
I purchased two thumpers over time and in both the switch failed. I see that the switch in the handle is linked with the underlying mechanical switch by a very thin plastic piece. What a miserable design. That piece broke off in both thumpers rendering them unusable.
Good luck. Artur