# What can I use to shim old yoyojams? **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [August 27, 2022, 2:11am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-can-i-use-to-shim-old-yoyojams/361892 "2022-08-27T02:11:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a183cd/32.png) [@Zacy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Zacy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 2:11am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-can-i-use-to-shim-old-yoyojams/361892/1 "2022-08-27T02:11:47Z")
I’ve got my kickside and I want to widen the gap. Any thing I can use to make shims? ---
**Author:** ![yoyojoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e99b99/32.png) [@yoyojoe](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyojoe)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 2:14am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-can-i-use-to-shim-old-yoyojams/361892/2 "2022-08-27T02:14:24Z")
> **[YYJ Shims](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/products/yyj-shims?variant=19951969796)** > > Shims by YoYoJam are built to offer a way to increase the gap width of your YoYoJam keeping it fixed at a larger size than normal. What this does is help make the yo-yo unresponsive since a wider gap means the string is less likely to grab the yo-yo... ---
**Author:** ![Zacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a183cd/32.png) [@Zacy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Zacy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 2:16am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-can-i-use-to-shim-old-yoyojams/361892/3 "2022-08-27T02:16:09Z")
Or that. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![yoyojoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e99b99/32.png) [@yoyojoe](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyojoe)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-can-i-use-to-shim-old-yoyojams/361892/4 "2022-08-27T02:36:10Z")
I have a set in my kickside and they work pretty well ---
**Author:** ![suspense](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/suspense/32/178499_2.png) [@suspense](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/suspense)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 3:53am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-can-i-use-to-shim-old-yoyojams/361892/5 "2022-08-27T03:53:15Z")
6x8x1 washers. 6x10 works too, the only downside is that you have to actually hope for one with shoddy tolerances so that it fits over the bearing posts which are 6.35mm 0.90mm gap with increase on both sides, so almost a 2mm gap width increase - I sand each one down to as flat as I can get them. ![IMG_7708](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/3/0/5/3059b397b4c3046cb8853f8e3c8b62fec1e4b37f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![cowmamba](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/cowmamba/32/270859_2.png) [@cowmamba](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/cowmamba)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-can-i-use-to-shim-old-yoyojams/361892/6 "2022-09-18T12:56:16Z")
You can also cut tiny washers out of a soda bottle or even a water jug. It’s pretty much the same size. Soda bottles are thinner than the jug so it helps you dial in the size you want. Plus it’s infinitely available everywhere. That’s what we used to do back in the day if we couldn’t get ahold of proper metal washers. Thin cardstock also works well. Something like a cereal box thickness usually works pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-can-i-use-to-shim-old-yoyojams/361892/7 "2022-09-23T22:20:44Z")
YYJ spacers were previously available. It looks now like the only option to purchase is Dif-E-Yo shims… > **[Dif-E-Yo Shims](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/products/dif-e-yo-shims?variant=18870991684)** > > If you ever wanted a wider gap on your yo-yo the best way to achieve this is using "shims". Shims go on either side of a bearing to keep it out of the bearing well which increases your gap width to make the yo-yo less responsive.In the past these... You can make your own out of card stock with a simple cutter setup. Hardware stores and hobby shops sell a variety of small diameter brass tubes of various sizes that can be used to accurately cut paper shims. Get one for the outer diameter and one for the inner diameter. Sharpen one end of each with a fine file. Cut the shims by spinning the tube between your fingers. Cut the inner hole first, then use the tube for the outer diameter to finish the cut.