Use the nominal diameter
The shaft or bore diameter normally gives the circlip designation directly: a 40 mm shaft usually uses A40; a 40 mm bore usually uses J40.
Interactive engineering tool
Circlip Identification Tool
Identify standard external shaft circlips to DIN 471 and internal bore circlips to DIN 472 using the measurements you can obtain from the application, the loose ring or its groove.
431 standard sizes
External A3-A650
Internal J8-J650
Metric dimensions
01
Application
Where does the ring fit?
02
Search method
What can you measure?
Identification results
Closest standard matches
Important: Results are dimensional matches, not final design approval. Verify the application, material, groove condition and load before ordering or installation.
How to measure accurately
Three reliable identification routes
Measure the loose ring
Free diameter and thickness are highly useful together. Do not force a distorted ring closed or open while measuring.
Measure the groove
Groove diameter and width can identify a missing ring. Measure at several points and account for wear, coating and chamfers.
Different retaining ring?
Not every retaining ring is DIN 471 or DIN 472
This tool covers conventional tapered-section circlips with plier holes. It will not positively identify E-clips, crescent rings, spiral retaining rings, round-wire snap rings, self-locking rings, heavy-duty AS/JS rings or custom stampings.
Send Bridge Engineering a photograph →- E-clip / DIN 6799Radially installed onto a shaft; no plier holes.
- Spiral ringTwo or more turns; uniform section; usually no lugs.
- Wire snap ringRound section rather than flat stamped strip.
- Heavy-duty circlipThicker than the normal DIN 471/472 version for the same nominal size.
Browse the complete included size table431 DIN 471 / DIN 472 sizes from 3 mm to 650 mm
| Designation | Application | Nominal | Thickness | Free diameter | Groove diameter | Groove width min. | Pliers group |
|---|
Technical basis
Reference data and limitations
Dimensional data is based on manufacturer-published standard-ring tables for DIN 471 shaft rings and DIN 472 bore rings. Standard dimensions can be revised and manufacturers may apply permitted tolerances differently.
Source references: Seeger-Orbis DIN 471/472 overview and Rotor Clip DIN 471 product data. Always verify the latest manufacturer data for safety-critical applications.