Where to find a 'Starter Saver'

[ReynardF1000]

Gents;
Do any of you recall who builds 'Starter Savers'? I searched this and the SportsRacer.net sites for an thread that had information one that I thought I saw a few months ago, to no avail.
I want to save my R1 from this problem in future.
Thanks;
Greg Lindahl

[wayno]

This site has them for Suzuki. Don't know about R1. Might give them a call.

http://www.speedpartz.com/GSXR_Starter_Saver.htm

[ReynardF1000]

Hi, Wayne.
Unfortunately, the saver at this site is for Suzuki's only. It turns out that the product is built by a company named Hawk in NY state. So far, I'm unable to find a Hawk company in NY that could be the right one.
If I knew how the product worked, I could probably make one for the R1 myself. Looking at what I have here, I may be able to slot the mounting holes in the starter and a mechanism with a spring and cable actuation that would remove the starter from the drive gear when the cable was pulled...
Thank you for your help!
Greg Lindahl

[carnut169]

Crutchfield Racing... http://www.crutchfieldracing.com/

[Kevin Morris]

Hi, Wayne.
Unfortunately, the saver at this site is for Suzuki's only. It turns out that the product is built by a company named Hawk in NY state. So far, I'm unable to find a Hawk company in NY that could be the right one.
If I knew how the product worked, I could probably make one for the R1 myself. Looking at what I have here, I may be able to slot the mounting holes in the starter and a mechanism with a spring and cable actuation that would remove the starter from the drive gear when the cable was pulled...
Thank you for your help!
Greg Lindahl

They have a Web site - http://www.hawkmachine.com

[ReynardF1000]

Thank you both for your replies.
It turns out that Hawk does not build an R1 starter saver but he they may expand their offering to include other moto engine applications in the future.
In the meantime, I'm going to build a sliding apparatus to save my starter and not have to go through this again!
Greg Lindahl

[JohnPaul]

ok I know is this is an old thread but how does this starter saver work? I'm figuring on a cable system? you pull/push it out once you get going? Has anyone used it? does it work good? this is a great little insurance policy...

[RobLav]

Your clutch pedal!

[JohnPaul]

thanks, Rob, ok excuse my ignorance but does it pull the starter out once you engage the clutch in an incident, ie: spin? or does it pull the starter out once you put it into gear and basically is out the entire time you are on the track?? ok, now i'm really confused. please walk through the way it works for the feeble minded (me)

[glenn cooper]

I believe the starter is mounted to a sliding plate arrangement that allows you to disengage the starter after firing up the engine, via a cable.
I'm pretty sure the amount of disengagement is pretty minor, basically just enough to get gear disengagement of the starter drive and the starter idler gear - maybe 1/4"?
The O ring still seals off the opening obviously.

If there is a poster child of who needs this - I'll volunteer!
I really shoulda had one looooong ago...

[formulasuper]

Your clutch pedal!

Thank you Rob! I've had my fair share of spins with the Busa powered Ralt & have never had a problem. (The Busa does not use a starter saver). The clutch & brake pedals seem to work just fine. When you spin, both feet in!

[RussMcB]

Saving the starter is just another good reason why people should push in the clutch and brakes when they spin.

As I'm sitting here, I can't think of a situation where someone should not depress the clutch pedal while traveling backwards. As long as you are not in a violent spin or hitting things, you should still be controlling what happens (or at least trying).

I know it's easier said than done, but should be easy for better-than-average drivers. Hopefully instructors are implanting that into students' minds from the get-go.

[JohnPaul]

ok, everyone knows that you are supposed to use the clutch and brake when you spin so all you cool guys can save it. The question was how this starter saver works.

[carnut169]

I had one on my car and yes, a cable pulls the starter out of harm's way once the car has been started (1/4" of travel?). Truth be told, I never used it (pulled the starter back) but Cruthfield did most of the conversion work on my car and he installed it. I did spin several times and both feet in saved the starter each time.

[ghickman]

JP
All it does is move the starter motor in and out far enough that the pinion gear on the starter is not engaged with the ring gear.

I've machine a few different iterations of these for the mini sprint guys here in SoCal.

Uses a control cable mounted somewhere in the drivers compartment to disengage or re-engage.

It requires sending me your starter motor for fitting.

[formulasuper]

ok, everyone knows that you are supposed to use the clutch and brake when you spin so all you cool guys can save it. The question was how this starter saver works.

Not only can both feet in save your starter, it can also prevent the destruction of 2 race cars by not rolling across the track in front of another car. A starter saver won't do that.

[JohnPaul]

Not only can both feet in save your starter, it can also prevent the destruction of 2 race cars by not rolling across the track in front of another car. A starter saver won't do that.

Ok let me say it again: no one is saying not to hit your clutch and brake in a spin, pretty basic, pretty sure everyone already knew that (got it?). Ok, next: it is a $38 piece of insurance because as you know **** happens and you may not get to the clutch fast enough..... plenty of very good drivers (probably better than you or me) have burned up there starters on a spin. Now #3, if you by some crazy reason burn your starter up in a spin you can't finish the session (and lets hope you have a spare) and that alone sucks enough for you to spend the $38. Now again, this starter saver peaked my interest not because I said to myself: "self, this thing is great now if I spin I don't have to press down on my brake and clutch I can instead spin around at speed and have fun until I hit something". Makin sense yet? oh again, $38 dollars...(plus cable). Anyway, I got the answer I was looking for thanks.

[RobLav]

Quite a sense of humor

[formulasuper]

"no one is saying not to hit your clutch and brake in a spin, pretty basic, pretty sure everyone already knew that"

Actually, not everyone does know that. I have had two cars badly damaged in my 25 yrs of racing because a couple of drivers that spun in front of me did not know that.

[JohnPaul]

Quite a sense of humor

lol, you are the one with the sense of humor, I thought you were serious about the clutch engaging the starter saver

[lancer360]

At some point in time I need to find one for my F600. I have only blown one starter in a nasty spin at the kink at CMP. I turned in a bit too much and caught the bump. There was no warning or time to to react. The is by far the fastest and most violent spin I have been in. I did get my feet on the clutch and brake, but it was way to late to save the starter. The starter sounded like one of my daughters rattles when I took it off. The insides must have been in 1000 pieces. I have had several other spins and haven't had any problems, but it is hard to tell whether the starter was strong enough or I was on the clutch quick enough.

[glenn cooper]

I'm definitely going to get one, gonna e/m Gary today.
Totally insurance.

BTW my last starter destroyed at ARRC, clutch was pushed in, but pedal was soft, and did not provide enough movement to be of use to prevent innitiation of starter self destruct sequence.

I can see left foot braker's needing this insurance more than righty's...

[RussMcB]

I must admit, that $38 price tag is pretty impressive. I'd have never guessed something could reliably slide a starter in & out of position for that cheap. And, if Gary Hickman is supplying it, I would have high confidence in it.

[glenn cooper]

Would this contraption even be legal? Hear me out...
It's a piece of equipment that would/could save damage to the car if the driver makes a mistake, AND
The engine would no longer be stock, or is ok to bolt stuff onto a stock engine?

Anyone remember the infamous Smart Ass White Boy from Neal Boortz about 20 yrs ago?

Happy Harley Daze and a Merry New Year to all!

[Wren]

Good point. Starters are not free and even when something is specifically allowed, anything that serves to protect engines is frowned on.

[glenn cooper]

That is all!

[Wren]

I was left in charge at work today, so I had some free time. It is too cold outside to get into any real trouble.

[Purple Frog]

Wren is slackin' 9 minutes. He must have been out playing in the snow.

I was thinking... $38 and with shipping it will probably be closer to $50.
Add to the fact, that if the fast guys get it, everybody will feel like they need to get it.
Obviously this is going to raise the cost of racing, and drive folks away from the class.

So... on top of Wren's point that it might save equipment, i can add another reason it will be banned.

Unless there becomes a pro-F1000 series, then it will be mandatory. We don't want to send workers out to push you off the track if you spin. We'd rather you start up and proceed.

[JohnPaul]

I found this starter saver:

http://www.hawkmachine.com/Merchant2...ct_Code=24-200

before I knew that Gary made them. This one is $38, I don't know how much Gary charges but I'm sure it's as good or better. soooooo......that $38 price tag may vary.

on a totally unrelated topic a totally useful website:
http://www.lexcocable.com/index.html

[Herman Pahls]

In the airplane world they say; "Those who have landed gear up and those who will". I would like Gary Hickmans # for the starter saver since I am one that has destroyed a starter.
Thanks Herman

[Mike Holland]

http://edgecnc.com/contact.html

Phone number, address, & Email.

[formulasuper]

In the airplane world they say; "Those who have landed gear up and those who will". I would like Gary Hickmans # for the starter saver since I am one that has destroyed a starter.
Thanks Herman

That saying is an old wives tale. I flew over 2,500 hrs in retractable gear aircraft without a gear-up landing & since I won't be flying any more retractable gear aircraft, it's not likely to happen. Just keep both feet in.

[Herman Pahls]

Mike: Thanks for contact info for Gary Hickman.
Scott: So if I quit racing cars with bike engines then I no longer need to worry about "both feet in when you spin" to save the starter. What are you flying now?

Scott: I noticed your list says formula S with Suzuki.
Do you have a Hayabusa in the car?
If you do I would like to talk to you about how you like racing that engine in a formula car.
Thanks Herman Oregon 541 404 6464