# Toro GM1000 Reel Removal and Bearing Replacement



## Brodgers88 (Feb 26, 2017)

After checking over my recently acquired GM1000, I discovered one of the reel bearings was bad. I could wiggle the reel up and down very slightly on one side which makes bedknife to reel setting inconsistent.

First I removed all the side covers. Next I backed off the bedknife to reel setting then removed the bedbar. I then proceeded to remove the reel drive belt, reel pulley and drive assembly, and last the reel lock nut. I wasn't completely sure about how to stabilize the reel to remove the nut. The service manual does not state how to stabilize the reel to remove the nut. My first thought was to wedge something there like a piece of wood but I wasn't sure if this was correct. I reached out to Ware for advice on that and my thought of wedging the reel with wood was confirmed. Thanks Ware!!




























After removing the reel and bearing housings, the next step was to remove the old seals, bearings, retaining ring, and wave washer from the housings. I wasn't concerned with saving the seals so I used a pair of vice grips to pull up the edge of the large seal to remove it and the ring around it. Here's a few pictures showing how I removed everything from the housings. I just used a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to carefully tap the small seal and bearing out of the housing.














































I packed the new bearings with grease then used a seal and race driver to install new seals and bearings into the housings.



















New seals and bearings installed and all ready for reassembly.



















All back together. No more play in the reel now. Nice and solid ready for a backlap!


----------



## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

Nice work! Thanks for taking pictures.


----------



## Brodgers88 (Feb 26, 2017)

Thanks Red! No problem, I thought it might be helpful for others needing to do this procedure. The service manual covers everything pretty well except wedging the reel lol.


----------



## Topcat (Mar 21, 2017)

How did you remove the reel without wedging a chunk of wood in there?


----------



## Brodgers88 (Feb 26, 2017)

I did have to use a block of wood wedged between the reel and rear drum to keep it from spinning.

Like this








The first two pictures show how I wedged it in there but it's kind of hard to see.


----------



## southpaw748 (Jul 12, 2017)

Where did you find the service manual? I have a set of bearings that need to be replaced. Did you get the bearings from R&R?


----------



## Paul (Jul 17, 2017)

@Brodgers88 . Where did you pick up the greens mower? Was it local?


----------



## Brodgers88 (Feb 26, 2017)

southpaw748 said:


> Where did you find the service manual? I have a set of bearings that need to be replaced. Did you get the bearings from R&R?


@southpaw748 Check out this thread:
Toro Greensmaster & Greensmaster Flex Resources

There's a link there that will take you to Toro's website where you can enter the model number of your mower for the correct service and parts manual. Yes I got my bearings from R&R.

@Paul I got the mower from a guy over in Georgia. He's a forum member and had it listed for sale on here in the market place. I have not seen a lot greens mowers for sale locally to Columbia. When I used to search Craigslist regularly I would see mowers come up for sale around the Greenville area and over in Georgia.


----------



## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Did you use a puller to get off the reel gear?


----------



## T0R0 (Mar 4, 2019)

Brodgers88 said:


>


 @Brodgers88 Was there anything holding this seal in? I just had my reel bearings & seals replaced and when greasing them after a wash the seal on the reel drive side popped out.

I'm going to pull the the reel drive and the small cover. Did you just use a 1/2" extension to back it out of the reel? Did the block of wood you used to stop the reel from spinning while removing the reel drive gear work ok? Thanks!


----------



## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Very nice work and thanks for posting! I will probably switch out my 11 blade with an 8 over the winter.

This will help a lot of people including myself!


----------



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Brodgers88 said:


> After checking over my recently acquired GM1000, I discovered one of the reel bearings was bad. I could wiggle the reel up and down very slightly on one side which makes bedknife to reel setting inconsistent.
> 
> First I removed all the side covers. Next I backed off the bedknife to reel setting then removed the bedbar. I then proceeded to remove the reel drive belt, reel pulley and drive assembly, and last the reel lock nut. I wasn't completely sure about how to stabilize the reel to remove the nut. The service manual does not state how to stabilize the reel to remove the nut. My first thought was to wedge something there like a piece of wood but I wasn't sure if this was correct. I reached out to Ware for advice on that and my thought of wedging the reel with wood was confirmed. Thanks Ware!!
> 
> ...


Happy to have found this! I just broke my reel and Im going to try and have it welded to get through the year but if I cant I will replace the 11 blade reel with an 8 blade. Hope its as "not to painful" as you make it seem


----------



## Brodgers88 (Feb 26, 2017)

@ctrav hopefully it will be helpful! Definitely make sure you have the service manual.


----------



## Brodgers88 (Feb 26, 2017)

T0R0 said:


> Brodgers88 said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


Sorry I'm just seeing this! Yes there is supposed to be a ring holding it in. Yes 1/2" drive with block of wood or 2x4 wedging reel, worked great.


----------



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Brodgers88 said:


> @ctrav hopefully it will be helpful! Definitely make sure you have the service manual.


Don't want to jinx things but as of now I have had 4 trouble free cuts with my GM1000 and she sounds so sweet cutting these days 👍🏾


----------



## Reel Low Dad (Jun 1, 2017)

Very cool seeing how the 1000 differs from the flex. Great write up.


----------



## Hadendm (Jul 28, 2019)

@Brodgers88 
Thanks for your write up.
I'm struggling to break the drive pulley from the reel spindle. Is it a standard threading or reversed?


----------



## Brodgers88 (Feb 26, 2017)

@Hadendm If I'm remembering correctly I'm pretty sure it was standard threading. I used a pretty big breaker bar as well with a wrench wedged against the ground holding the locknut on the opposite side.


----------



## kychan (May 4, 2018)

Thanks for the information. I successfully replaced a reel last weekend.

The reel gear was the hardest part. Used a 4 foot pipe over my socket wrench to get some leverage and had someone else hold onto the mower.

I was not able to remove the rings and seals from the housings so i bought new ones. Overall i'm really glad i did it myself. I'm guessing a shop would charge at lease $300 for labor.


----------



## Pamboys09 (Apr 16, 2019)

kychan said:


> Thanks for the information. I successfully replaced a reel last weekend.
> 
> The reel gear was the hardest part. Used a 4 foot pipe over my socket wrench to get some leverage and had someone else hold onto the mower.
> 
> I was not able to remove the rings and seals from the housings so i bought new ones. Overall i'm really glad i did it myself. I'm guessing a shop would charge at lease $300 for labor.


Wow thats alot of work! soon i will change mine too.

when you said you bought a new housing. are you talking about the


----------



## WillyT (Jun 26, 2019)

Do you have to pull the bearings and seals out of the housing to replace the reel? About to replace my reel, thanks!


----------

