Shaft Couplings: Jaw Couplings, HRC Couplings, Flexible Tyre Couplings and Rigid Clamp Couplings

A shaft coupling connects two rotating shafts to transmit torque while accommodating misalignment, absorbing shock loads, and protecting connected equipment from overload. AIMS Industrial offers and extensive range of shaft couplings including jaw couplings in metric and imperial bore, NBR/polyurethane/Hytrel spider elements, curved jaw elements, HRC couplings in nitrile rubber and polyurethane, flexible tyre couplings, and two-piece split rigid clamp couplings.

The AIMS Couplings Range

Our coupling range covers the most common flexible and rigid coupling types for Australian industrial drive systems.

• Jaw Couplings (Metric & Imperial): Jaw couplings (also called spider couplings or claw couplings) are the most widely used flexible coupling type in industrial plant. Metric and imperial bore versions are available with matching spider elements in NBR (standard, petroleum resistant), polyurethane (higher torque, lower damping), and Hytrel (high-temperature, chemical resistant) compounds.
• Spider (Insert) Elements: Jaw coupling spider elements are the sacrificial wear component — designed to be replaced when worn rather than replacing the entire coupling. NBR Spider (standard), Curved Jaw Red/Yellow Shore Element, Polyurethane Spider, and Hytrel Spider elements available to suit different misalignment, temperature, and torque requirements.
• HRC Couplings: HRC (Highly Resilient Coupling) elements in nitrile rubber and polyurethane provide higher torsional flexibility than jaw couplings — suited to high shock load applications such as compressor drives, crusher drives, and conveyor head drives where damping of torque spikes is critical.
• Flexible Tyre Couplings: Flexible tyre couplings accommodate significant angular, parallel, and axial misalignment through the flexing of a synthetic rubber tyre element — providing the highest misalignment tolerance of any standard flexible coupling type.
• Rigid Clamp Couplings: Two-piece split rigid clamp couplings provide a rigid shaft-to-shaft connection for aligned shafts where flexibility is not required. Black oxide finish for corrosion resistance in general industrial applications.

Coupling Selection Guide

• Misalignment Tolerance: Jaw couplings tolerate small misalignment (±1° angular, 0.2–0.4mm parallel). HRC couplings tolerate moderate misalignment. Tyre couplings tolerate the most misalignment. Greater misalignment demands require a more flexible coupling type — never force-align shafts with a stiff coupling as this transfers misalignment loads into bearings.
• Match Spider Hardness to Application: Softer spider elements (NBR, lower Shore A) provide more damping for shock-load applications. Harder elements (polyurethane, Hytrel) provide higher torque transmission for steady-load drives. Over-specifying spider hardness reduces the coupling's ability to protect connected equipment from torque spikes.
• Expert Support: Need help specifying a coupling for your motor-to-gearbox or pump drive application? Contact our team or request a quote for drive system specification support.
• Australian Business, Local Supply: As a proudly Australian business since 1988, we stock locally and work with trusted local Australian manufacturers and distributors to ensure fast, reliable supply.

Also see our bearings and bushings, chain and sprockets, and industrial V belts for complementary power transmission components.