The purpose of the Starter Rope, of the Recoil Starter, is to enable the operator to manually pull a cord held under tension by a spring which engages the clutch, turns the crankshaft, and then starts or "cranks" the engine. Over time, the rope, grip, reel or spring that make up the Recoil Starter are all subject to wear out and may eventually fail. Most components of the recoil system can be purchased individually or as a complete assembly. Note the mounting screws are not usually included in the assembly.