# Starter Gear/Flexpate teeth **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [January 27, 2012, 9:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/starter-gear-flexpate-teeth/262475 "2012-01-27T09:59:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xfinite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/b9bd4f/32.png) [@xfinite](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xfinite)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 9:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/starter-gear-flexpate-teeth/262475/1 "2012-01-27T09:59:09Z")
Hey guys, is it true that the teeth on a flexplate will typically fail before the gear/teeth on the starter will? I was told the metal used to make flexplates is softer? ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 10:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/starter-gear-flexpate-teeth/262475/2 "2012-01-27T10:01:57Z")
Not true at all , starters teeth bend easily . Flexplates typically break off as there brittle . ---
**Author:** ![xfinite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/b9bd4f/32.png) [@xfinite](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xfinite)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/starter-gear-flexpate-teeth/262475/3 "2012-01-27T10:13:55Z")
> [@PS3 + GTAIV ???](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/ps3-gtaiv/47879/69): > > Not true at all , starters teeth bend easily . Flexplates typically break off as there brittle . Thanks dude! That’s what I thought. Got into a disagreement with a co-worker over this. I wasn’t 100% sure. Pretty sure I’ve seen you post before that you are a tech right? That’ll help when I tell him he’s wrong (petty argument…but the dude is a douche). ---
**Author:** ![KrazyKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/krazykid/32/6371_2.png) [@KrazyKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KrazyKid)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 10:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/starter-gear-flexpate-teeth/262475/4 "2012-01-27T10:47:46Z")
Slow is right… think about it this way. Whats easier to change a starter or a flywheel? If I were designing mechanical parts that wear out over time, I would design the parts that were harder to replace to last longer than the parts that are easier to get to. Starters have softer gears than the flywheels. Didnt some starters actually have brass gears IRC. The flywheels are hardened so they will chip easier but will last a lot longer than the starter gear. Most starter rings on the flywheels are damaged from miss-alignment of the starter, so when you see missing teeth and crap, look at the starter… I bet you it caused it. ---
**Author:** ![xfinite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/b9bd4f/32.png) [@xfinite](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xfinite)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 11:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/starter-gear-flexpate-teeth/262475/5 "2012-01-27T11:42:34Z")
> [@Pshop my brother into different places!](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/pshop-my-brother-into-different-places/48056/26): > > Slow is right… think about it this way. > > Whats easier to change a starter or a flywheel? > > If I were designing mechanical parts that wear out over time, I would design the parts that were harder to replace to last longer than the parts that are easier to get to. > > Starters have softer gears than the flywheels. Didnt some starters actually have brass gears IRC. The flywheels are hardened so they will chip easier but will last a lot longer than the starter gear. > > Most starter rings on the flywheels are damaged from miss-alignment of the starter, so when you see missing teeth and crap, look at the starter… I bet you it caused it. Exactly what I thought. I’ve replaced a handful or so of starters and never seen the flywheel/flexplate teeth chewed up. But I have seen the starter gears mushed. He ignored that when I mentioned it and said he has “5 years shop experience”. This guy’s argument was that the car manufacturers make more money replacing flexplates then starters so they use cheaper metal on the flexplate. Paranoid I guess. ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/starter-gear-flexpate-teeth/262475/6 "2012-01-27T14:09:20Z")
What shop did he work at ? The boces where the other tards screw pens together ?