Buy Retaining Rings Online in Australia
AIMS Industrial stocks 55 retaining ring and retaining clip products across seven brands — Champion, Finer Power Transmissions, GJ Works, Work Shop Buddy, Ko-Ken, Inox World and Trax — covering internal and external circlips, E-clips and retainer springs, stainless-steel options, and socket-specific retaining clips for impact tools. This collection is the broad "retaining rings" umbrella: if you need the full circlip range in depth — sizing tables, plier selection and installation guidance for DIN 471/472 shaft and bore circlips — head to our dedicated Circlips collection, which carries the core circlip and E-clip range in detail. This page covers that same core range plus the parts that sit alongside it: broader E-clip and retainer spring assortments, 304 stainless circlips for marine and washdown environments, and an entirely different product family — Ko-Ken's retaining clips for impact sockets. Our Circlip Guide: Types, Sizes & Installation walks through the key differences if you're comparing options.
Quick Reference
| Type | Function | Material Options | Standard / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| External circlip (shaft) | Retains components on the outside of a shaft | Carbon steel (zinc/phosphate), 304 stainless | DIN 471 |
| Internal circlip (bore) | Retains components inside a bore or housing | Carbon steel (zinc/phosphate), 304 stainless | DIN 472 |
| E-clip / retainer spring | Fast, light-duty axial fixing on smaller shafts; retainer springs provide stored-energy return force | Spring steel, 316 stainless (Champion SSC1500) | DIN 6799 (E-clips) |
| Socket impact retaining clip | Secures a socket onto an impact wrench anvil/pin | Spring steel | Sized by drive (1/2", 3/4", 1") — no DIN standard applies |
| Assortment kits & refills | Mixed-size boxes for maintenance workshops | Carbon steel, stainless | Metric and imperial, various brands |
What's In This Collection
Circlips — Internal & External
The bulk of this range is the same internal (bore) and external (shaft) circlip stock carried in our Circlips collection — individual rings from Finer Power Transmissions, assortment kits and refills from Champion, GJ Works and Work Shop Buddy, in metric and imperial sizes. External circlips (DIN 471) compress into a shaft groove; internal circlips (DIN 472) spread into a bore groove. For full sizing guidance, groove dimensions and plier selection, see the Circlips collection — we've kept that detail there rather than duplicating it here.
E-Clips & Retainer Springs
This collection carries a wider spread of E-clip and retainer spring stock than the Circlips collection, including standalone E-clips (Champion C1500 steel E-clip, Champion SSC1500 in 316/A4 stainless), E-clip assortment refills, a stainless E-type assortment refill, and the Champion CA1424 kit — a 740-piece assortment that combines E-clips with retainer springs. Retainer springs are a related but distinct part: coiled springs that provide stored energy or return force, rather than a rigid retaining ring, and are bundled into this range because Champion packages them alongside E-clip assortments. If you need a retainer spring specifically (not a circlip or E-clip), check the part number or contact us to confirm it's a spring rather than a ring.
Stainless Circlips — Inox World
Inox World supplies A2 (304) stainless circlips — internal, external and E-type — aimed at marine, coastal and washdown environments where a standard zinc-plated ring would corrode. These sit alongside Champion's stainless circlip and E-clip kits as the stainless options in this collection.
Socket Impact Retaining Clips — Ko-Ken
These are a genuinely different product to a shaft or bore circlip: Ko-Ken's socket impact retaining clips are the small retaining rings (some described as C-rings) that hold a socket onto the anvil pin of an impact wrench, stopping the socket from flying off under impact load. AIMS stocks them by drive size — 1/2" drive (suits sockets under 15mm), 3/4" drive (suits sockets under 47mm, sold 10 per pack) and 1" drive (sold as a 10-clip pack with a removal puller) — plus a general C-ring variant. There's no DIN standard governing these; they're sized to match the socket and drive, not a shaft or bore diameter. If you work with impact sockets, these are consumables worth keeping spares of — they're a common point of failure when a socket won't stay seated on the anvil.
Trax Quick Retainer
The Trax Quick Retainer (ARX-JI205) is a workshop retaining clip from Trax, an Australian brand supplying pneumatic tools, hand tools and workshop accessories. As with the Ko-Ken clips above, it's a retaining component for a specific tool or fitting rather than a general shaft/bore circlip — contact our team if you need to confirm fit against your equipment.
Materials
Standard circlips and E-clips are carbon or spring steel with a zinc or phosphate finish, suited to general indoor industrial use. Where corrosion resistance matters — food processing, marine, chemical washdown, outdoor exposure — this collection carries 304 stainless circlips from both Champion and Inox World, and a 316-grade E-clip (Champion SSC1500). Socket retaining clips and the Trax Quick Retainer are steel components matched to their host tool rather than general corrosion-resistant hardware.
Standards
The circlip and E-clip products in this collection follow the same DIN standards as our Circlips collection: DIN 471 for external (shaft) circlips, DIN 472 for internal (bore) circlips, and DIN 6799 for E-clips. These standards define ring dimensions and the groove specification they're designed to seat in — see the Circlips collection for groove sizing detail. The Ko-Ken socket retaining clips and the Trax Quick Retainer are not manufactured to a DIN retaining-ring standard; they're sized to the specific tool or fitting they retain, so match by drive size or part number rather than by a ring standard.
Selecting the Right Part
For a shaft or bore circlip, measure the shaft or bore diameter with a vernier or micrometer — the ring is specified to that diameter, not the groove or ring outside diameter — and confirm whether you need internal or external. For an E-clip, measure the shaft diameter at the groove. For a Ko-Ken socket retaining clip, match by the socket's drive size (1/2", 3/4" or 1") and confirm the socket size falls within the clip's rated range. If you're replacing a failed or unidentified part and aren't sure which category it falls into, send us the measurements or a photo and we'll confirm the right product before you order.
Applications
Circlips and E-clips retain bearings, gears, pulleys, bushings and pins on shafts and in housings throughout general machinery, automotive and maintenance work. Stainless variants extend that into food processing, marine and washdown plant. Socket retaining clips are a maintenance consumable for any workshop running impact wrenches, keeping sockets seated on the anvil during heavy-duty fastener removal and installation. Retainer springs cover general stored-energy and return-force applications in machinery, tooling jigs and equipment maintenance.
Brands We Stock
Champion — the broadest range here, spanning circlips, E-clips, retainer springs and assortment kits in metric, imperial and stainless. Finer Power Transmissions — individual circlips in standard and heavy-duty forms. GJ Works and Work Shop Buddy — mixed-size assortment and grab kits for workshops. Inox World — 304 stainless circlips for marine and corrosive environments. Ko-Ken — Japanese-made socket impact retaining clips. Trax — Australian pneumatic and workshop accessories, including the Quick Retainer.
Order From AIMS Industrial
Need a specific size, a bulk quantity, or help identifying a part from measurements alone? Call our team on (02) 9773 0122, get in touch via Contact Us, or send a Request a Quote for larger or ongoing orders. We're happy to help you land on the right ring, clip or kit the first time.
Companion Ranges
Circlips — the full circlip range with sizing, groove and plier detail • Circlip Pliers — the correct installation tool for internal and external circlips • Bearings — commonly retained on shafts and in housings with these rings • Shaft Collars — an alternative axial retention method for plain shafts • Keys & Keyways — radial location to pair with axial retaining rings.
Retaining Rings FAQ
What's the difference between this Retaining Rings collection and the Circlips collection?
Circlips is our dedicated collection for shaft and bore circlips — the sizing tables, groove dimensions and plier guidance live there. This Retaining Rings collection carries that same circlip range plus everything else that falls under the broader "retaining ring" term: a wider spread of E-clips and retainer springs, 304 stainless circlips from Inox World, and an unrelated product family — Ko-Ken's socket impact retaining clips. If you specifically need a shaft or bore circlip, either collection will get you there; if you're after a socket retaining clip or a retainer spring, you're in the right place.
What is a socket impact retaining clip and how is it different from a shaft or bore circlip?
A socket impact retaining clip secures a socket onto the anvil pin of an impact wrench so it doesn't come loose or fly off during use. It has nothing to do with shaft or bore retention — it's a consumable specific to impact tooling, sized by drive size rather than by a DIN ring standard.
What sizes of Ko-Ken socket retaining clips does AIMS stock?
We carry clips for 1/2" drive (suiting sockets under 15mm), 3/4" drive (suiting sockets under 47mm, sold 10 per pack), 1" drive (sold as a 10-clip pack with a removal puller), and a general C-ring variant. Match the clip to your impact wrench's drive size and confirm your socket falls within the rated range.
What's the difference between an E-clip and a standard circlip?
A standard circlip (DIN 471 external or DIN 472 internal) is a near-complete ring that compresses or spreads to seat in a groove using circlip pliers. An E-clip (DIN 6799) is a smaller, open E-shaped retainer that slides sideways onto a shaft groove, generally without needing dedicated pliers, giving a faster fit in smaller sizes and lighter-duty axial applications.
Are retainer springs the same as E-clips?
No. Retainer springs are coiled springs that provide stored energy or return force — a different mechanical function to a retaining ring. Champion bundles them alongside E-clips in some assortment kits (such as the CA1424 740-piece kit), which is why they appear in this collection, but they're a separate part category. Check the part number if you need one specifically rather than a ring.
Which DIN standards apply to the products in this collection?
DIN 471 covers external (shaft) circlips, DIN 472 covers internal (bore) circlips, and DIN 6799 covers E-clips. These apply to the circlip and E-clip stock in this collection. The Ko-Ken socket retaining clips and the Trax Quick Retainer are not made to a retaining-ring DIN standard — they're sized to their host tool or fitting.
What material should I choose for a marine or washdown environment?
Choose a 304 stainless circlip — available from both Champion and Inox World in this collection — for food processing, marine, chemical washdown or humid outdoor environments where a zinc-plated carbon steel ring would corrode. Champion's SSC1500 E-clip is available in 316 stainless for higher corrosion resistance where 304 isn't sufficient.
Can imperial and metric retaining rings be mixed?
No — imperial and metric circlips are dimensioned to different standards and aren't interchangeable, even where sizes appear close. Confirm whether your shaft or bore is a metric or imperial (inch) size before ordering, and keep imperial and metric assortment kits separate in the workshop to avoid a mismatched fit.
Do you sell spiral or constant-section retaining rings?
Not currently in this collection — our range here is lugged circlips, E-clips, retainer springs and the Ko-Ken/Trax retaining clips described above. If your application specifically calls for a spiral or constant-section ring (typically specified for high-RPM shafts to avoid the imbalance risk of a lugged ring), contact our team and we can look at sourcing options.
How do I order a retaining ring or retaining clip that isn't listed online?
Send us the shaft or bore diameter (or the drive size and socket size for a Ko-Ken clip), the material you need, and quantity, via Contact Us or a Request a Quote, or call (02) 9773 0122. We stock this range from several brands and can usually source a specific size even where it's not yet listed on the site.