Buy Retaining Rings Online in Australia
Retaining Rings & Circlips — Internal and External for Shaft and Bore Applications
Retaining rings (circlips) are precision-engineered snap rings that locate and retain components on shafts or inside bores without threads or welding. AIMS Industrial stocks internal circlips (for bore retention) and external circlips (for shaft retention) in metric and imperial sizes, in carbon steel and 304 stainless steel — from Champion, GJ Works, Ko-Ken, Trax, Finer Power Transmissions, and Work Shop Buddy.
Types of Retaining Rings
External circlips fit into a groove machined on the outside of a shaft. They prevent axial movement of bearings, gears, pulleys and other shaft-mounted components. Internal circlips fit into a groove machined inside a bore or housing. They retain components from within — commonly used with bearings, bushings and pin retention in housings.
Materials and Grades
Standard circlips are carbon steel with a zinc or phosphate finish for corrosion protection in general industrial use. Stainless steel circlips (304 grade) are available for food processing, marine, chemical and washdown environments where carbon steel would corrode.
Selecting the Right Circlip
Key selection criteria are shaft or bore diameter, groove dimensions (width and depth), and material. DIN 471 covers external metric circlips; DIN 472 covers internal metric circlips. Imperial circlips follow equivalent ASME/AWS standards. Groove dimensions must match the circlip cross-section — using an undersized groove risks the ring popping out under load.
Assortment Kits
Champion, GJ Works, Trax and Work Shop Buddy all offer circlip assortment kits — a practical solution for maintenance workshops that need a range of sizes on hand without ordering individual sizes. Assortment refill packs are also available to restock standard assortment boxes.
Not sure which retaining ring suits your application? Contact our team with your shaft or bore diameter and we'll point you to the right ring.
Also see our Circlips collection for additional retaining ring styles and assortment options.