Mini starter crapped out already

The hammer worked on 3 different starters I dealt with, none being a Denso...Doh! 2 Fords and a big dead Chrysler Gear reduction. I've never had an issue, fitment, mesh or otherwise with the RAM style, 2 in 4 different blocks: slant, 2 LA's and 451...all A/T's. Now for the gear reduction to 'only spin' is a head scratcher: the electric solenoid only completes the motor circuit when its pulled back onto the contacts, and that is physically attached to the fork that moves the drive pinion forward over the ring gear/flywheel even before the electric motor starts to turn. Maybe the fork is bent, broken? Just a click would be the solenoid hitting a dead or broken contact. Would like to tear that one down and find the root cause.