Custom suspension shims for shock absorber manufacturers, tuners, and racing teams

Shock absorber manufacturers, suspension tuners, and racing teams often work with large quantities of shims. In many cases, standard sizes are sufficient because many shock absorbers and forks use recurring dimensions. However, sometimes standard sizes are not suitable. For example, development, testing, racing, or specific tuning may require a different inner diameter, outer diameter, thickness, or shape.

Therefore, ShockShim combines a wide standard range with the ability to produce custom shims. The webshop features hundreds of shims with various inner and outer diameters and thicknesses. If the correct size is not listed, ShockShim can create custom shims based on the desired specifications using a specially developed laser cutting machine.

Standard sizes in suspension shims

Many suspension shims are produced in standard sizes. There is a practical reason for this: the inner diameter of a shim must fit over the relevant part of the shock absorber or fork. Therefore, inner diameters such as 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 20 mm are common. The outer diameter and thickness can subsequently vary depending on the position and function of the shim within the shim stack.

A shim is usually specified as inner diameter x outer diameter x thickness. Thus, an 8 x 30 x 0.15 mm shim has an inner diameter of 8 mm, an outer diameter of 30 mm, and a thickness of 0.15 mm. For suspension specialists, this sizing is essential because small differences in diameter or thickness can affect how a shim stack opens and how the damper responds.

The ShockShim webshop features 588 shims with various size combinations. This allows many common applications to be ordered immediately. For workshops, tuners, and manufacturers who regularly work with the same dimensions, this is the fastest and most efficient solution. 

Why not every shim is die-cut by default

Standard shims are generally die-cut. In this process, the shape of the shim is pressed out of the material using a punch. Here, the inner diameter is punched out first, followed by the outer diameter. For large volumes, this is an efficient production method, but it does require specific tooling. A suitable punch is needed for every size combination; making such punches is expensive, and their maintenance requires attention. The punch nipples are also subjected to heavy loads and must be well maintained to preserve consistent quality. Therefore, it does not make sense to have a standard punch available for every possible combination of inner diameter, outer diameter, and thickness. For commonly used sizes, die-cutting is a strong solution. However, for non-standard sizes, test series, prototypes, or small series, it becomes less flexible. It is precisely there that the need arises for a production method that allows for faster and more efficient customization.

Custom shims using laser cutting

For custom shims, ShockShim uses a specially developed laser cutting machine. This machine cuts shims automatically from coil material. Because the laser head is freely programmable, there is no need to create a separate die for each size or shape. This makes it possible to quickly produce non-standard combinations of inner diameter, outer diameter, and thickness.

With this machine, round shims can be produced with inner diameters starting from 6 mm and outer diameters up to 46 mm. Just like the standard shims in the webshop, thicknesses up to 0.40 mm are possible. In addition, not only standard round shims can be cut, but also non-standard shapes. This is interesting for manufacturers, tuners, and racing teams working on specific shim stack configurations or custom damper designs.

An important advantage of this approach is flexibility. Whereas die cutting requires tooling to be created first, with laser cutting, the digital design can be adjusted. This makes it easier to test variants, produce small series, or reorder a specific shim. 

Special Shapes and Applications

In addition to standard round shims, other shapes can also be valuable in suspension tuning and damper development. Consider, for example, ring shims, crossover shims, slotted shims, or shims with specific cutouts. Such shapes can be used to influence the opening behavior of a shim stack, the preload, or the transition between different parts of the damping curve.

The effect of such a shape always depends on the overall shim stack and the construction of the damper. After all, a shim does not operate completely independently of the other shims in the stack. That is precisely why it is valuable for professional tuners and developers to be able to have variants produced and tested accurately.

For racing teams, this can be relevant in the search for marginal gains. Small differences in shape, thickness, or flatness can help to further refine a setup.

Flatness as an additional benefit

An additional advantage of laser cutting is that less mechanical stress is placed on the shim than with stamping. With stamping, the material is forced out, which can cause local stress or slight deformation. With laser cutting, the shape is cut out without the same mechanical stress.

Flatness is important for a shim. A flat shim fits more consistently into the shim stack and contributes to the predictable behavior of the damping system. Especially in professional applications, where reproducibility and accurate comparison between setups are important, this difference can be valuable.

This makes laser-cut shims interesting for shock absorber manufacturers, racing teams, and suspension specialists who have specific requirements regarding dimensions, flatness, and repeatability.

Who is interested in custom suspension shims?

Custom shims are particularly relevant when standard sizes do not match the desired application. This can occur with a new damper design, a specific racing setup, a test program, or a non-standard shim stack. Customization can also be useful for tuners who regularly work with their own configurations. For shock absorber manufacturers, customization offers the possibility to have shims produced that match their own construction. For suspension tuners, it is interesting when a missing size is required or when a specific setting needs to be tested. For racing teams, customization can help replicate setups more accurately and enable minor optimizations.

ShockShim is therefore not only a webshop for standard shims, but also a production partner for companies and specialists who require specific shim solutions.

Ordering standard or custom shims

In many cases, a standard shim from the webshop is the best choice. With 588 available shims, there is a good chance that a common inner diameter, outer diameter, and thickness are already available. The right size can be found quickly using the filters.

If the desired size or shape is not listed in the webshop, ShockShim can produce custom shims using its own laser cutting machine. This makes non-standard size combinations, special shapes, and test series possible without the need for a specific die first. Whether it concerns standard shims or custom suspension shims: ShockShim supplies precision shims for shock absorbers, forks, and shim stacks. Contact us for custom work or view the available standard sizes in the webshop.