Starter Bearings and Bushes
Starter bearings and bushes support the armature shaft inside the starter motor, keeping it centred as it spins the engine during starting.
What it does
The armature spins at high speed under considerable load for short bursts. Bushes at each end keep it aligned, and wear there lets the armature contact the field windings.
Signs a starter bearing is failing
- A grinding or whirring during cranking
- A starter that engages intermittently
- Slow cranking with a healthy battery
- Visible wear or scoring on the armature shaft
When to replace them
Not scheduled. Replaced during starter overhaul, often alongside brushes and the solenoid contacts.
What to confirm before ordering
Have these ready and the counter can usually confirm the part in under a minute.
- Starter make and part number
- Whether the repair kit includes brushes and solenoid contacts
- Whether overhaul or replacement is the better value for the application
Starter Bearings and Bushes questions
Is it worth overhauling a starter rather than replacing it?
It often is, particularly where brushes and bushes are the only worn items. Compare the kit price against a replacement unit with the branch, because on some applications a new starter is barely more.
What causes starter bushes to wear?
Repeated high-load starting, heat, and contamination. Vehicles doing many short journeys with frequent starts wear them faster than those doing long runs.