starter breaking

["Carsten P. Gehrke" <gehrkec@domain.elided>]

In the last half year, I've had the starter on my '70 Travelall break three
times (I've only had it for about a year).  I mean really break; the cast
housing near the mounting flange breaks clean through, and the starter
falls out.  The Travelall was modified by someone else, I don't know
exactly what they did.  This is the setup:  A 1970 Travelall chassis, which
was originally equipped with a 392 I believe.  It was converted to 4WD (IH
parts I think), and a 1983 6.4L Diesel installed.

Each time the starter breaks, I've been travelling on rough roads.  I have
two theories:
1) The starter is mounted at the flywheel only; there is no supporting
brace to hold the starter motor, which is _very_ heavy.  The up-and-down
motion of the truck over rough roads (not x-country, just unpaved roads)
causes fatiguing of the metal (within a few miles), and the housing breaks.
2) The front diff hits the starter when the body hits the bump stops,
breaking the housing.  I've looked at the relationship of the the diff
hosuing to the starter, and it's very close at rest.  The oil pan already
has a dent in it from the diff housing hitting it.

Has anyone here on this list had a similar problem?  Is the starter
suppoosed to have an additional brace?  I've asked at a Ford truck repair
shop, since Ford uses IH Diesels, but they said there is no brace.  Does
anyone know who makes a gear reduction starter for the IH Diesel?  They guy
at the Ford place suggested that.

Thanks,
Carsten

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                            Carsten P. Gehrke
mailto:carsten@domain.elided or mailto:gehrkec@domain.elided
http://home.san.rr.com/gehrke/carsten/
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