Pinion assembly

A drive pinion assembly 10 for a starter motor has a drive plate 12 adapted to be driven by a shaft of the motor. The drive plate has axially extending projections 22 which co-operate with corresponding projections 34 on a pinion 14, The projections are separated circumferentially by fingers 36 of a resiliently compressible member 16 to reduce impact loading on the pinion 14 as it engages teeth of a ring gear.