► Shop Aid | Slotted Stainless Steel Shims

Faster Machinery Alignment Around Installed Bolts

Need to correct machine position without completely removing the mounting bolts? Shop Aid stainless steel slotted shims give Australian fitters, maintenance teams & workshops pre-cut 300 Series stainless steel shims that fit around compatible installed fasteners for controlled machinery alignment & levelling.

The current range contains four Shop Aid Mini assortments — Sizes A, B, C & D. Each size family provides multiple shim thicknesses from .001" through to .125", giving technicians a practical selection for fine through to larger measured corrections without cutting every shim from raw stock.

With slotted shims, overall size & slot width come first. The shim needs to suit the mounting footprint & fastener arrangement before its thickness can be used to make the required correction.

Working through machinery alignment? Alignment Tools (Laser, Dial, Manual) support the measurement side of the process, while Bolts & Fasteners provide a related pathway when mounting hardware also needs attention.

► 300 Series stainless steel
► Pre-cut slotted profile
► Sizes A, B, C & D
► .001"–.125" thickness selection
► 10 pieces of each included thickness per Mini assortment
► Reusable metal storage case
► Built around compatible machinery alignment & levelling work

What Are Slotted Stainless Steel Shims?

The open slot is what makes these shims different from ordinary flat shim stock.

A slotted shim has a pre-cut U-shaped opening that allows it to be positioned around a compatible bolt, stud or mounting fastener without completely removing that fastener from the assembly.

That can simplify machinery-alignment work. Once the mounting arrangement has been loosened as required, a technician can insert or remove an appropriate shim then continue the measurement & adjustment process without fabricating a new piece from sheet or roll stock.

Shop Aid also uses terminology such as horseshoe shims & water pump shims for this general profile. In this collection, however, the products are 300 Series stainless steel industrial shims intended around compatible machinery applications—not plastic horseshoe packers used in building work.

Each Mini assortment combines several thicknesses within one physical size family. That means buyers should determine the footprint & slot size first, then work from the measured thickness correction.

Need custom material instead of a standard pre-cut profile? Shop Aid | Steel Shim Sheets provides steel shim stock for custom fabrication.

Why Choose Slotted Stainless Steel Shims?

Pre-cut geometry removes a fabrication step when the machine already suits a standard slotted profile.

Raw shim stock is valuable for unusual shapes, but it requires layout, cutting & edge preparation. Shop Aid slotted shims arrive with their basic geometry established, allowing the technician to concentrate on fit, thickness & the measured correction.

The open slot can also reduce unnecessary fastener removal where the equipment procedure permits the shim to be inserted around a loosened installed bolt.

Material matters too. Shop Aid identifies this range as 300 Series stainless steel, providing corrosion resistance as a useful material characteristic where stainless is appropriate for the equipment & operating environment.

The assortment format gives maintenance crews multiple thicknesses within the selected A, B, C or D footprint rather than requiring the exact correction to be known before the machine is inspected.

A slotted shim still isn't an alignment measurement. Machine condition, mounting surfaces, fasteners, measurement technique & final verification remain part of the job.

Common Applications

Motor & Pump Alignment

A machine foot that doesn't sit correctly can complicate every alignment measurement that follows.

Where the equipment procedure permits shimming, Shop Aid slotted shims can be positioned around compatible mounting fasteners to make measured height corrections beneath motor or pump feet.

Because the profile is already cut, technicians can change shim thicknesses during the alignment process without repeatedly fabricating custom pieces.

Pumps, Compressors & Rotating Equipment

Shaft-driven machinery often needs controlled positioning before final coupling alignment.

Slotted stainless steel shims can support compatible mounting corrections where the machine design allows adjustment beneath its feet or base.

If servicing exposes related rotating components, Bearings provides a relevant maintenance pathway when bearing condition also needs investigation.

Bearing Housings

A measured housing correction calls for known shim thickness—not an unidentified piece of workshop packing.

Where the housing design permits shimming, a correctly sized slotted shim can fit around compatible mounting hardware while providing a controlled adjustment.

For related mounted-bearing components, browse Housings & Accessories.

Gearboxes & Drive Assemblies

Gearboxes, couplings & driven machinery can require positional correction where shafts need to operate in the required relationship.

Pre-cut slotted shims can simplify suitable adjustments when the mounting geometry matches one of the Shop Aid A–D profiles.

Planned Plant Maintenance

The exact correction may not become clear until the machine is measured.

A Mini assortment keeps several thicknesses within one size family together, giving maintenance crews adjustment options once the equipment is offline & the required correction has been established.

For a practical look at maintenance around demanding plant, Quarry Crews Crusher Maintenance explores crusher & quarry equipment upkeep.

Product Selection Guide

With pre-cut slotted shims, select the physical fit first. Then select the thickness.

Match the Shim Size to the Machine Foot

The current Shop Aid Mini range progresses through four physical sizes:

The overall shim should provide a suitable footprint beneath the intended mounting area while the slot needs to work with the compatible fastener arrangement.

Bigger isn't automatically better. Choose around the actual machine-foot geometry rather than defaulting to the largest assortment.

Check the Slot Against the Fastener Arrangement

The slot needs sufficient clearance to be positioned around the intended bolt or stud without forcing or distorting the shim.

Check the fastener diameter, washer arrangement, surrounding geometry & available insertion path before selecting the size family.

Measure the Required Correction

Once the physical shim size is established, determine how much adjustment the machine actually requires.

The Shop Aid Mini assortments provide thickness options from .001" through to .125", allowing a technician to work from a measured correction rather than visual estimation.

Understand What “Mini” Means

Mini refers to assortment quantity—not the physical size of the shim.

The Shop Aid Mini format contains 10 pieces of each included thickness within the selected A, B, C or D size family.

Keeping one physical profile with multiple thicknesses can be useful when alignment readings change as the adjustment progresses.

Inspect the Machine Foot & Base

A precision shim can't correct a measurement distorted by dirt, corrosion, burrs or an underlying mounting defect.

Clean & inspect the contact areas before establishing the final correction. If the mounting surface itself is damaged, determine whether repair is required rather than automatically adding more shims.

Recheck After Tightening

The machine's position before final tightening isn't necessarily its final position.

Complete the applicable alignment checks after the mounting hardware reaches its required installed condition.

For additional dimensional checking during workshop work, Calipers (Digital / Manual) provide a useful measurement pathway.

Slotted Shims vs Shim Stock

Both products create controlled spacing, but they solve different preparation problems.

Choose a slotted shim when its existing geometry suits the machine. Choose stock when the required profile needs to be made specifically for the assembly.

For custom spring-steel work, compare Shop Aid | Blue Tempered Shim Packs.

Expert Tips

Check for Soft Foot Before Final Alignment

If one machine foot doesn't sit correctly against the base, alignment readings can change as mounting bolts are loosened or tightened.

Use the appropriate machinery-alignment procedure to identify the actual mounting condition then correct the measured issue rather than simply adding thickness until one reading looks acceptable.

Build the Correction Efficiently

Several thicknesses may be available to produce the same total correction.

Where the applicable procedure permits it, use a practical combination rather than creating an unnecessarily large stack from numerous thin shims.

Keep Sizes A–D in Their Own Cases

Correct thickness with the wrong slot size is still the wrong shim.

Keep the Shop Aid assortments separated so A, B, C & D profiles don't become mixed during workshop storage or field maintenance.

Never Force an Undersized Slot

If a shim doesn't fit naturally around the intended fastener arrangement, confirm the selected size.

Distorting a pre-cut shim simply to make the slot fit defeats the benefit of starting with a controlled profile.

Keep Contact Faces Clean

Contamination between thin shims changes the assembled stack & can interfere with how the pieces sit.

Inspect the shims, machine foot & mounting surface during installation rather than trapping workshop debris between layers.

Treat Repeated Shim Changes as Diagnostic Information

If the same machine requires a noticeably different correction every service, investigate what else has changed.

Fasteners, mounting surfaces, base condition, wear or equipment movement may need attention before another shim adjustment is made.