Weed Wacker repair help

So my weed wacker decided to stop working the other day in mid use. had a spring sticking out of the side of the motor enclosure. Took the cover off and found the springs were all sorts of screwed up (should be easy to find/replace) but with that the half circle metal things under there look out of place. One is wedged under the part that spins and the other was just dangling. Ideas on how these are supposed to be sitting in there? I see where the spring attaches but the rest of it is confusing.

It is a cheap $80 Troy Bilt unit from Lowes so I figure if it's unfixable, not too big a deal.

 

The clutch has come apart.

Those "half moon things" should be inside "the thing that spins"
(or is there another drum they fit into that isn't in the pic?)

 

Any idea how to put them back inside or to take the clutch portion apart to get them back in? There isn't any room to slide them under.

 

No idea.
I am at a loss as to how they got out!

 

Same here now that you explained they go under it. Was using it and the edger attachment and it started smoking. Shut it off and let it cool down for awhile (it was upper 90's outside), came back and it starts up fine but no longer spun.

 

Think i figured it out via youtube.

 

still no clue how they got out but figured out how the clutch mechanism worked once I got everything apart. essentially its a centrifugal clutch. unfortunately I can't get the springs from the local repair shop so I might have to order the entire clutch (going to try an auto parts store first). at least the clutch is only $15. tried a pair of springs from another model but they were about 1/16 inch too long and the half circles won't fit inside the clutch housing when they are hooked in. see picture:


crazy how much you learn from taking shit apart eh?