You might go here and take a look

"https://lookup3.toro.com/partdex/index.cfm?xCaller=LawnBoy";

Those things can be a pain because there are so many things to keep in place when reassembling them. Note the clip that goes around the starter gear, where the ends of it go, which way the ends point, note the crazy shaped rope guide wire, where it goes. Also, there is a recess in the top part of the aluminum housing casting where the spring ends goes to hold it from unwinding. All these thing need to be held in place while positioning the recoil axle, placing the retainer bar and starting the bolt to hold the ass'y.

You are right about the halves of the rope spool coming apart.

Good luck,

Walt Conner

Walt,

Thanks much for the quick response! Never expected that
there are people so highly interested in lawnmowers!

I looked at the exploded view for the magneto/starter parts,
and yes it is rather complex. The two halves of the pulley
(I called it reel) are held by 3 screws (not 4 bolts).
What I intend to do is just loosen those 3 screw just
enough to maybe clamp the end of the new rope (cord),
hopefully without any other parts/springs popping off.
Will note/mark parts beforehand just in case.
If I see a problem, it is going to a professional.

One thing I noticed is that LB Model 7023 is a 1974 model.
WOW, that's a 33 years old good survivor! However there is
one thing I cannot explain. Toro/LB lists the serial #'s
400000001 - 499999999 for that model.
Mine starts with the digit 7 !?

Will let you know how things turn out...

Regards,
George.

"What I intend to do is just loosen those 3 screw just
enough to maybe clamp the end of the new rope (cord)"

Actally, that rope is clamped into a couple of dog legs in the halves, not just caught by the end. Never tried what you propose, will be very much surprised if it works out, you can do the job but requires care. They didn't have such a thing as digital cameras when I was learning to do this.

Walt Conner

What is that couple of 'dog legs' thing? All I know about
dog legs is that normal dogs have 4 of them! I did a quick
web search and came up empty handed. Is it one of those
mechanical elliptical shaped (with teeth) clamps?

Just crooked, no teeth, don't bark either.

Walt Conner

Yep, just figured that it is some kind of a sharp 'bend'.

Thinking hard, I may have come up with a possible simpler
solution. If I have any trouble accessing/loosening those
3 pulley screws (yes, I am afraid of opening a can of OLD
equipment can of worms, you know what I mean, e.g.,
breaking frozen bolts/screws, WD40 comes to mind;
or popping springs/parts).

I may just drill a hole at the bottom of the pulley,
at 45 degree to the plane of the pulley (I think best
away from the engine) and at 45 degree against the rotation
of the rope. I will rim the hole, to remove any knife like
edges. That is what (or similar) my expectations were when
I removed the top shroud (cover). The rope will then be
threaded through with some knots tied later as a stopper.

At first I thought that I may drill through the existing
'tear shaped' rope hole, but to preserve it, I might as
well drill ~1" away from it.

Thanks for your help.

I think that now I am ready for some action.
(a) Best that could happen is that I will cut my
(overgrown) grass today or tomorrow with my LB 7023.
(b) Ask to borrow my neighbor's LM to do it (mine will
be going for professional repair).
(c) Will be looking for a new LM (I completely scr*wed
up mine up and is now garbage)...

George (NJ).

I found a very nice, relativly new Weed-eater in the garbage, so i took it home! Found the starter rope was pulled out. Having an identical machine in storage, i set about just changing the starter housing and related parts.
WELL!!
The parts from one were altogether different from the other one, although the numbers on the outside were the same! After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, i gathered up both of them and consigned them to my personal scrap drive!
I never liked Weed-eater products, and that episode reinforced my dislike!