SBT starters quality / engine causing issue?

[FLJetBoater]

Hi guys,

so again this weekend I had another starter crap out. Press the ignition and can just hear it spinning and not engaging.

Last time I took a starter back to SBT (2nd time for the same part in 6 months) they told me they wouldn’t warranty them anymore because they weren’t having other returns at the same rate as mine, and that it must be caused by my boat.
However, it’s happening on both engines. Are these starters just not up to quality/durability as the Yamaha OEM ones?
What’s happening is the starter gear and piece it attaches to that sticks out of the starter are stripping. There’s no other issues with the engines that I’m aware of and simply swapping the starter for a new one gets me back up and running.

so questions….1. Is this just a quality issue where the fit between the gear and pole isn’t tight enough or 2. Are my engines somehow creating a greater force on the flywheel that’s causing these starters to strip?

pics attached of removed starter vs new starter.

 

[Babin Farms]

Something is not right if the splines are stripping out. I would ask SBT what on the ngine would cause this issue. If they have no answer then I would push hard for them to replace it under warranty again.
Was the gear loose in the splines before you installed? Wiggle just a little? they Need to mate fairly tight or you can strip it if it wobbles on the splines

 

[FLJetBoater]

Something is not right if the splines are stripping out. I would ask SBT what on the ngine would cause this issue. If they have no answer then I would push hard for them to replace it under warranty again.
Was the gear loose in the splines before you installed? Wiggle just a little? they Need to mate fairly tight or you can strip it if it wobbles on the splines

The new one is definitely a bit wiggly on the splines. Not tight like you would expect….it seems to me that little bit of wiggle would just slowly wear away at the splines leading to the eventual failure. Every time you start it, the splines move a bit before they catch the gear, putting a little more indent/wear onto the spline each time.

I’m going to go in next week and speak with the warranty admin again. Last time he said something like 200 units have went out in the past year and they’ve had 5 returns, 3 were mine. This will be #4

 

[Neutron]

I have bought many parts from SBT but never electronics. Not that i have heard bad things from them, i just have always used Rick's electric
With great results

 

[Wishfull1]

I’m going to go in next week and speak with the warranty admin again. Last time he said something like 200 units have went out in the past year and they’ve had 5 returns, 3 were mine. This will be #4

I am not sure they have a valid argument. How many "starts" did these other 195 starters have on them? Perhaps others have replaced their starter and only started only 5, 10 times without failure? Fixed it and sold it? It would be interesting to see if the other 2 failed in the same manor.

In additional, how many people actually file a warranty claim? Perhaps they believed they bought a sub-standard product and simply replaced with OEM.

If multiple starters have failed on separate engines, I don't believe the engine is the problem.

 

[Seno]

I had put an SBT starter in my old boat, it was perfect..... Sorry it’s a nightmare for you

 

[FLJetBoater]

I had put an SBT starter in my old boat, it was perfect..... Sorry it’s a nightmare for you

How long did you run it for after you put it in?

 

[Seno]

How long did you run it for after you put it in?

It’s been going a year now. I still talk to the guy who bought my old boat, and see it once in a while.