Starter Making a Grinding Noise/ Possible Misaligned with Flywheel

[gang6er]

My Ford Explorer, Automatic, recently started making a grinding noise and stopped turning the flywheel after I recently installed a new starter. I took the new starter to Autozone and it tested fine so I put it back in. It made the same grinding noise so I went back and got another starter. Installed the second new starter and it made the same grinding noise. The teeth on the flywheel look fine. It appears the starter is hitting the side if the flywheel teeth like the starter is not aligned right. Is there anyway to not align the starters right on these?

 

[tylergabriel]

Man, I have never replaced the starter on my explorer but my riding mower is having an identical problem as yours my friend i;m interested to see if there the same solution. unfortunately I don't have a solution yet... did you polish your crankshaft with emerycloth?