Starter for internal combustion engine

The starter has an output shaft (20) with a pinion which establishes an engagement with a ring gear of an engine and a spline tube (26). The shaft is disposed within the spline tube in splined engagement. The spline tube is supported firmly by a housing through two bearings (23a,23b). A pinion moving mechanism is responsive to an activation of the starter to push an engagement unit for moving the pinion toward a ring gear.