BTW, I have used my very old Coleman starter as a belt drive starter for perhaps 7 years now, without any apparent problems due to radial(side) loads on the shaft.
I do run the larger 3" dia cups on my Benders, and I run a smaller cup on the starter to improve the starter "drive ratio, and I let the starter spin up to speed before I lean back to put tension on the belt.
Works like a charm! And takes up way less space than the "old school" starters.
Only problem I ever had was when my Buddy Tim (of the Go Kart 800) held the starter backwards at Bakersfield - and tried to start the engines by spinning them backwards. R r r r r.., pop! R r r r r..., pop! R r r r r..., pop!
I do run the larger 3" dia cups on my Benders, and I run a smaller cup on the starter to improve the starter "drive ratio, and I let the starter spin up to speed before I lean back to put tension on the belt.
Works like a charm! And takes up way less space than the "old school" starters.
Only problem I ever had was when my Buddy Tim (of the Go Kart 800) held the starter backwards at Bakersfield - and tried to start the engines by spinning them backwards. R r r r r.., pop! R r r r r..., pop! R r r r r..., pop!
Jim Waltz, West Sacramento, CA