Buy Retaining Rings Online in Australia
Circlips & Retaining Rings — Quick Reference
Circlips (also called retaining rings in international standards) are specified by the shaft or bore diameter they fit. DIN 471 covers external rings (sit in a shaft groove, retain components ON the shaft). DIN 472 covers internal rings (sit in a bore groove, retain components INSIDE the bore). Groove dimensions must match the ring cross-section — using an undersized groove risks the ring popping out under load.
| Standard | Application | Common Sizes (mm) | Groove Width | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIN 471 | External (shaft) — external circlip | 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80 | 1.0 - 2.7 mm (per size) | Carbon steel ZP or 304SS |
| DIN 472 | Internal (bore) — internal circlip | 8, 10, 12, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 32, 35, 40, 45, 50, 62, 72, 80 | 1.0 - 2.7 mm (per size) | Carbon steel ZP or 304SS |
| DIN 6799 | E-clip (external, axial mount) — e-clip | 1.2, 1.5, 2, 2.3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 19, 24 | 0.7 - 1.5 mm (per size) | Spring steel |
For installation, use the matching circlip pliers — internal pliers for DIN 472 rings (squeeze to remove from bore), external pliers for DIN 471 rings (squeeze to fit over shaft). See our circlip pliers and the circlip guide for full selection and installation guidance.
Circlips & Retaining Rings — Internal, External and E-Clips
Circlips — known internationally as retaining rings — 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 Circlips
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. E-clips (DIN 6799) snap axially onto a shaft groove and provide a fast retention method for light-duty axial fixing.
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 circlip 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.
Push-On Retaining Rings (Push-On Fasteners)
Push-on retaining rings (also called push-on fasteners) are a one-way axial retainer pushed onto a plain shaft without requiring a machined groove. Tapered teeth around the inside of the ring bite into the shaft on installation and resist withdrawal — perfect for low-load axial retention on toy axles, instrument shafts, sheet metal fastening and light automation where machining a circlip groove isn't practical. Push-on rings are single-use (the teeth deform on install) and sized by nominal shaft diameter — typically 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm. They're not a substitute for circlips in load-bearing or shock-loaded applications; for those use the DIN 471 external rings in this collection with a properly machined groove. For matching plier installation tools, see circlip pliers.
People Also Ask — Retaining Rings
Q: What's the difference between internal and external retaining rings?
External retaining rings (or external circlips) clip onto the outside of a shaft, sitting in a groove machined around the shaft circumference. Internal retaining rings clip into a groove inside a bore, holding a component against a shoulder from inside the housing. Each requires its own type of plier — internal circlip pliers have outward-spreading jaws, external pliers have inward-closing jaws. Picking the wrong type causes ring damage or installation failure.
Q: Are retaining rings reusable?
Single use is the safe assumption. The act of compressing and expanding a retaining ring with pliers work-hardens the material and can introduce micro-cracks at the lug holes. For low-load assemblies that get serviced often (e.g. inspection access covers) careful reuse is sometimes acceptable, but for safety-critical applications (bearing retention, vehicle suspension, machine guards) always fit new rings.
Q: Which retaining ring style suits high-RPM applications?
Spiral rings (also called Spirolox) or constant-section rings with full 360-degree coverage are preferred for high-RPM work — they have no lug holes to create stress concentration and balance issues at speed. Standard lugged circlips can fly out of their groove under centrifugal load at high RPM. For shaft speeds above several thousand RPM, design with spiral rings or use mechanical retention.
Q: What does the groove dimension need to match the ring?
Groove width, groove depth, and groove diameter are the three critical dimensions. The ring needs to seat fully into the groove with the correct radial coverage — too shallow and the ring can pop out under load, too narrow and the ring can't compress to install. The ring manufacturer publishes the groove specification for each ring size. Don't mix and match between brands without checking the dimensions agree.
Q: What's a snap ring vs a retaining ring vs a circlip?
They're regional terms for the same family of components. 'Circlip' is the British English usage, 'snap ring' is North American, 'retaining ring' is the international engineering term. All refer to the spring-steel ring that fits into a groove to retain or locate a component. Regional spec sheets may use any of these terms — when ordering, focus on the dimensions and the internal/external orientation rather than the name.