It's always annoyed me that nitro engine pullstarts use bronze bushings instead of ball bearings. Bushings wear out and get sloppy. I realize there needs to be a solid surface for the pullstart shaft to seat against to produce an airtight seal, but the pullstart shaft still ought to be *supported* by ball bearings as it spins.

Well, my HPI .12R SS engine has a press-fit bronze bushing in a standard size instead of a cast-in bronze bushing that can't be removed, so I decided to do something about it:



I also cut a second notch in the opposite side of the pullstart shaft so it would be balanced. That should reduce vibration a bit, and hopefully reduce imbalance-induced friction a bit too.