Retaining Rings for Shaft and Bore Locking – Types, Installation, and Best Use Cases

In mechanical design, when components must be securely held on a shaft or inside a bore, but space is limited and disassembly must remain possible, the best solution is often the Retaining Ring—also known as a circlip, snap ring, or locking ring.

At Dongguan Sango Hardware Fasteners Co., Ltd., we manufacture a wide range of retaining rings for axial retention, component positioning, and rotational safety across industries such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, and precision tooling.

1. What Is a Retaining Ring?

A Retaining Ring is a non-threaded fastener that fits into a groove on a shaft or inside a bore, providing a shoulder to prevent axial movement of parts like bearings, pulleys, gears, or sleeves.

🔧 Primary Functions:

• Prevent axial displacement
• Maintain component alignment
• Enable easy assembly/disassembly
• Withstand centrifugal and vibrational loads
• Reduce hardware count vs nuts, washers, or shoulder bolts

2. Main Types of Retaining Rings

🔹 External Retaining Ring (Shaft Mount)

• Mounted around the outside of a shaft
• Fits into a machined groove
• Prevents parts from sliding off the shaft

🔹 Internal Retaining Ring (Bore Mount)

• Installed inside a hole or housing
• Holds parts such as bearings, bushings, or rollers in place

🔹 E-Clip (E-Ring)

• Slides onto a shaft from the side
• Requires no shaft-end access
• Ideal for field assembly or retrofit

🔹 Spiral Retaining Ring

• Continuous flat spiral design
• No lugs; better balance and compactness
• Preferred in high-speed rotation or tight radial space

🔹 Self-Locking or Push-On Retaining Ring

• No groove required; locks via interference fit
• Common in appliances, toys, small devices

3. Where Are Retaining Rings Used?

• 🚗 Automotive axles, transmissions, and CV joints
• 🛠️ Power tools and rotating equipment
• 📦 Packaging machinery and gearboxes
• 🔩 Precision bearings and roller assemblies
• ✈️ Aerospace linkages and actuators
• 🧲 Magnets or magnetic ring retention in motors

They’re also essential in designs where quick assembly, low profile, and axial security are priorities.

4. Selection Criteria for Retaining Rings

5. Manufacturing Options from Sango Hardware

We supply:

• 📏 Sizes from Ø1.5mm to Ø100mm (shaft/bore)
• 🔩 Standards: DIN 471/472, GB, ANSI/ASME, JIS B2804
• ⚙️ Materials: Carbon spring steel (hardened & tempered) Stainless steel (SUS304, SUS316) Phosphor bronze / beryllium copper (on request)
• 🧪 Surface finishes: Black oxide Phosphate coating Zinc plating Passivation (for stainless steel)

We also offer custom groove tolerances, ring thickness adjustments, and private-labeled packaging.

6. Installation & Tooling Tips

• 🔧 Use circlip pliers for standard internal/external rings
• 🔁 E-clips can be snapped into place using tweezers or push tools
• 🌀 Spiral rings require winding into grooves—ideal for tight spaces
• ⚠️ Ensure groove is machined to standard depth/tolerance to avoid ring dislodgment

Pro tip: Match material hardness to shaft/bore material to prevent wear or groove deformation.

7. Case Study: Spiral Rings in High-Speed Servo Motors

Client: European automation OEM
Challenge: Standard circlips were deforming at high RPM, affecting magnet alignment

Sango Solution:

• Delivered spiral retaining rings Ø25mm made from polished SUS316
• Custom thickness 0.8mm, tolerance ±0.02mm
• Shipped in dust-free trays with QA report

Result:

• 3× longer service life
• No failures after 10,000+ hours of use
• Approved as preferred component in global BOM

8. Why Choose Sango Hardware for Retaining Rings?

✅ Dedicated tooling for DIN, ANSI, JIS specs

✅ In-house heat treatment and plating

✅ Custom packaging: color-coded, private label, QR/barcode

✅ RoHS, REACH, ISO 9001 compliance for export

We support small-batch prototyping, long-term OEM contracts, and multi-model mixed orders.