Shims are thin pieces of material used to fill a gap between two surfaces or components and are sometimes referred to as spacers. They usually either come as strips or sheets of material or pre-cut into horseshoe shapes. Strips or sheets are designed to be cut to size for less specific applications, whereas horseshoe types are ideal for fitting around existing mounts, screws or nails.
Our range of shim stock offers a wide variety of products which can be bought either pre-cut into specific shapes or as sheets or coiled rolls from leading manufacturer SKF, as well as our high-quality own brand RS PRO.
Different types of shims and shim stock
- Brass shims – brass is a softer metal, so has a low friction rate. This means these shims are useful for applications where it’s vital that sparks don’t occur, such as near explosive gases. As well, brass has antimicrobial properties, which makes it a good choice for shims that are used in areas where sterilisation is important, like the food and beverage industry or medical applications.
- Plastic shims – these are thin plastic sheets which come in various thicknesses and colours, making them easily identifiable. With plastic shims being waterproof and weather resistant, they’re well suited to outdoor use.
- Steel shims – shims made from steel are ideal for use in construction, machinery and industrial environments.
- Shim kits – these include a range of shims in different sizes, which can either be used singly or stacked together.
- Pre-cut shims – these shims are already pre-cut into tapered, horseshoe shapes and categorised by bolt size, slot size and dimensions.
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