Starter Grind/Awful Noise/Not engaging sometimes

Hello 2CarPros,

I have an issue to where the starter on my Jeep is not engaging all the time, as a matter of fact I get maybe one good start out of it then I am out of luck. It makes an awful grinding noise and there is metal shavings in the starter flywheel area. I have replaced the following: starter, starter solenoid, battery, and battery cables. I have looked at the teeth on the flywheel and some are worn, but there are good teeth also, and none are missing. After you get a couple of good cranks (but not starts) it just give a high pitched whine and spins. I have mic checked the whole and it is not two far off of what the diameter of the centering edge the starter has. This is a two bolt setup, one going in from the front and one going into the starter from the rear and has a power cable connecting from the solenoid to the starter. I was told to check how much room is between the flyweel and the bendix but don't know how to do this since there is the main plate between the engine and the tranny in the way. I can upload pictures of the worn flywheel if needed. Thanks in advance for the help/assistance.

Gus