Who Uses Steel Shims?

A shim’s main job is to fill in gaps but they can also be used to stop wear from happening to two metal parts that are rubbing together. Steel shims come in a variety of metals, sizes, and shapes and are used in many different industries and applications. Metal shims are used for different reasons in the assembly of equipment and can also be made out of laminates, plastic, and paper.

You may have seen the installation of a door frame or window and watched as the contractor used a construction level to determine if the door frame or window was squared up and level. When the level shows the door frame or window needs to be adjusted a bit to make it square, a shim is commonly inserted under the lower bottom edge of the door frame or window to bring it up to level. Depending on the level of the floor or the window frame, multiple shims may have to be used.

Valves in a motorcycle or vehicle engine open and shut over and over again, hundreds of times a second. Components that make up a valve wear out as they age. When this happens, the clearance between the cam lobes and the end of the valve stem creep closer together. A mechanic will use a feeler gauge to measure the gap that needs to be filled. The manufacturer assembles the valves at a specified clearance for optimal wear which the mechanic will use as a guide when adding the shims. There are other parts in the automotive industry that use shims to reduce clearances when needed.

When a vehicle’s wheels go out of alignment—due to rust, dirt, or paint that ended up where it wasn’t supposed to be—metal shims can be used to bring the wheels back into alignment. Stainless steel shims are used in environments that are corrosive or humid to eliminate their corrosion and the need to replace them. Equipment needs to be adjusted constantly and metal shims are used to bring the equipment back into alignment.

Cycling shoes that have a mechanism to receive the cleats on a bike pedal come with shims to be able to adjust the cleat height when necessary. The shims that come with these cycling shoes usually come with a thin set as well as a thick set of shims. In the home craft industry, metal shims are used to protect surfaces when using a die cutting or embossing tool. In this application, the foundation materials are protected from damage as pressure is applied in the cutting and embossing process.

We can manufacture just about any type of shim you need. If we have the item in stock we can ship it in 24 hours. Custom orders may take up to two weeks. As an industry leader for over 100 years, we know shims as well as washers and stampings. Our staff is up to date on any new materials, finishes, and the equipment we use in order to bring you products that are of the highest standard at the best prices.