Jeff Liebermann wrote, on Sat, 21 Feb 2015 16:06:40 -0800:
On later models, the nylon prong morphed into a metal equivalent:
http://s51.photobucket.com/user/mantidontowel/media/husqvarna/032408offhusqcorespondprocdureil-17.jpg.html

That's a nice find, Jeff, as I would have expected the nylon post
to be too fragile also.

I was wondering why some of the videos showed little effort involved
in retaining the spring after insertion, while others showed a major
nightmare keeping the spring from flying away.

Yup. For example, when I tried the chain-brake-lever trick, my spring
flew out from under the chain brake so fast I didn't even see where
it went. Yet, in the video, the guy made it look so easy (although,
it's a lot harder than he made it look to get the clutch plate on
when the brake is set. It's like trying to get a car drum on when
the drum brakes are in the set position.)

I found that all the springs had the ends filed flat as in:
http://s51.photobucket.com/user/mantidontowel/media/husqvarna/032408offhusqcorespondprocdureil-15.jpg.html

Yes. BOTH ends are filed flat on my spring also.

However, the thin
part of the ground down spring end provides much less pressure than
the thicker part.

Very interesting (and astute) observation.

That means that different orientations of the spring in the slot offer
different side pressure, which is what causes the spring to buckle and
fly away.
Makes a lot of sense.
Sometimes my spring stayed in relatively well; other times it flew off.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting
different results. If it doesn't work, either try something different
or stop to figure out why it's failing. Methinks "a dozen times" is
too many.

Ah, but *each* of the dozen times was using a different set of tools
and procedures. In the end, I think I came up with the *easiest* and
safest way possible, which borrowed heavily from the video you found,
but, which also added the unique element of "leveraging" the spring on
from the closed end (everyone else "compressed" the spring from the open
end).

I saw your post where you thought that might be dangerous, but, the spring
isn't compressed any more in either method, so, I think it's OK, as long
as there is a temporary cover plate.