How to Remove a Spool on a Toro 910 Trimmer

Toro 910 Electric Trimmers (model numbers 51230, 51235 and 51236) use a cutting head with a pre-wound spool containing 12 feet of monofilament cutting line to tackle weeds and grass-edging projects. Whether you need to remove a spool to rewind the line, add new line, clean the spool and drum area or replace the entire assembly because of damage or wear, you can easily access and remove the spool with a simple flat-headed screwdriver.

Work gloves

Brush

Flat-head screwdriver set

Safety goggles

Turn the trimmer upside down to access the spool.

Brush or scrape off any dirt, debris or grass from around the cutting head and spool cap with your gloved hands, a soft bristled brush or the end of a screwdriver.

Look for two cut out sections--each containing a windowed or rectangular slot--on the spool cap.

Insert the head of a wide, flat-headed screwdriver, like a key in a lock, into one of these slots and firmly hold the screwdriver in place.

Twist the screwdriver handle 1/4 inch so that the spool pops or snaps off the trimmer core in the same way that a safety-style "pop off" or "snap" spray paint lid comes off a can of spray paint. For example, some professional spray paints---specifically automobile paints---have safety lids that cannot come off without the use of a screwdriver inserted into a slot as leverage to "pop" off the lid. The 910 electric trimmer spools work exactly the same.

Remove the trimmer spool and perform any necessary cleaning, maintenance and/or repair.

Use the green links in the "Customer Care" section of The Toro Company Electric Trimmers overview website to access support, owner's manuals and parts information for additional assistance.

Always unplug your trimmer and wait for the cutting head to stop spinning before turning the trimmer upside down to remove the spool.

Never hose off dirt, debris or grass from the cutting head area (spool or drum) as this can damage the trimmer--always brush, scrape or use a damp cloth instead.

Use only Toro-approved parts (monofilament cutting line or pre-wound spool) as other brands might not work as well or may damage the trimmer.

Always wear safety goggles when attempting to remove the spool as a loose or damaged spool can make the screwdriver head slip from the windowed slot causing debris, plastic or the screwdriver to fly into the air and into your eyes resulting in serious and possibly permanent injury.

Never allow young children to assist with removing a trimmer spool.