[Shop-talk] Starter problems

[eric at megageek.com]

Yesterday, I towed and replaced my buddies starter on his 2007 Dodge Ram 
1500.

It has about 130K miles.  What struck me as odd was that he said this is 
his second starter on that truck.

I'm a high milage truck guy (my last truck had over 220K miles when I sold 
it and my current truck as 175K miles) and I've never replaced a starter.

My questions is, can he be doing something wrong that is killing his 
starters?  I haven't seen him over-crank his truck, but what normally 
causes the starters to fail?  (There was a core charge on the starter, so 
I couldn't tear into it to see what broken.)

Now, I garage keep all my vehicles and he never does, I would guess that 
could play into it.

But, is there anything I can tell him to help him not burn through them as 
quickly?

Thanks

Eric P
"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational 
being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph 
Waldo Emerson