Vibrations from rear of the car. Violent shaking

[Moddiction]

Ok well it feels like the vibrations are coming from the rear of the car. Could be from somewhere else but feels like it is from there. It vibrates once I go over about 65 mph, over 70 really start to notice it and gets worse and worse the higher speeds I go. I have not had it stop shaking once I got over a certain speed. It does not let off from shaking when I let off the gas. The only thing that affects the vibrations and shaking seems to be speed. I can feel it in the steering wheel and the shift knob wobbles a lot. Don't know if it more than normal as I can't remember how another S2000 I test drove was, but seems to be worse than other owners say.

So far I have had the rear wheels balanced twice, one wheel had a dent that was fixed and both checked for any other dents, 2 brand new tires on there rear. Air pressure checked. I took my car to Billman250 who is a great mechanic over on S2KI.com for the NY metro area. He did not think the wheels were messed up from what he could tell. He said it was definitely not the axle, which doesn't sound like anyways given the symptoms.
This part might be in my head, but after I got the axle nut TSB done, it seemed like at first driving the car home the vibrations were not bad, but then a little later they were really bad again. Could that mean a wheel hub issue?
The vibrations are extremely strong. Feels like the wheels are going to fall off when I start going higher speeds. I never drive over 65 mph now since it starts shaking so bad. Can feel it very strong in the seat and the whole car will shake the same way.

Any suggestions or ideas?

Thanks-----Ryan.

[Tugz S2k]

Can you recall anything different or had changed before the vibration started? New parts, after the wheel was fixed, after new tires were installed etc..?

[Moddiction]

I bought the car and did not notice any vibrations, but they day I was taking it home I noticed the vibrations and have had them since. I bought the car end of October '07

[Tugz S2k]

If you feel it in the steering wheel, check your front wheel balance, tire run-out and alignment. Usually if the problem is in the rear, you wont feel the shake in the steering wheel. I would say, get the front checked out.


What's the history on the car? Has it been in an accident?

[Moddiction]

Clean history, I'm the 2nd owner of the car. Seems in over all very nice condition.
Oh one thing I forgot to add is the wheels are aftermarket 17" Mille Miglia HT3 wheels with Dunlop SP5000 245/45r17's on the rear. The fronts are 205/55/17 I think and are re070 or something like that.
Car has almost 80k on it now. Bought it with 69k it's an '01

[Tugz S2k]

If Billman checked out the axles (including driveshaft balance?), then i say check all 4 wheels for balance and tire runout (new tires can have bad runout)...then confirm the alignment if its correct. Go from there......and reportback ;)

[Moddiction]

Yeah I'm going to be checking some stock AP1 wheels with tires next week, so that will let me know hopefully if it's in the wheels or tires I have on. I am hoping it is since I have bad tire rub anyways since the offset is wrong on the wheels. Gonna pick up some AP1 wheels for sure if thats the problem.

[risky business]

those fronts should be 205/45/17.... and for the back i'de probably run 245/40/17s

[Moddiction]

Yeah I am going to go with stock wheels and the stock s02's I think. Seem to be a nice combo.

[Tugz S2k]

Def a good idea. Throw on another set of wheels and if the vibration is gone then you will know the root cause.

[Moddiction]

If it's not that what is the deal with the wheel hub or wheel bearing? I have read that that can cause vibrations like this as well.

[kwando]

This part might be in my head...


have someone else drive it and see if they notice the vibration.

[Moddiction]

have someone else drive it and see if they notice the vibration.


It was just for a moment then. There is without any doubt in anyones mind when in this car that it vibrates. It vibrates like crazy and will make your teeth rattle together. The mirrors everything shakes.

[repiv]

It's obvious that you don't have stock rims or tires, so it would have been of some benefit to state what exactly you're running when asking the question originally. Some aftermarket rims can be very difficult to balance and in rare cases, are impossible to balance no matter what the tire shop tells you. Some tires have manufacturing imperfections that make them nearly impossible to balance properly.
Bad wheel bearings/hub assemblies can also create high speed running problems. Although not always the case, this usually is accompanied by some fairly loud bearing whine. This sort of flaw can also be tested when the car is jacked up and the individual tire/wheel grabbed and wiggled. Bad steering rod ball joints can also make the car vibrate at speed. But I trust Billman checked these.

BTW, OEM 16" tire sizing is 205 front 225 rear. Aftermarket tire sizing is 205 front, 245 rear. When talking about 17" rims, OEM tire sizing is 215 front, 245 rear. Aftermarket for this remains the same.

[kwando]

if it goes away with stock wheels it might be the hubcentric rings for the aftermarket wheels.

[repiv]

if it goes away with stock wheels it might be the hubcentric rings for the aftermarket wheels.

Excellent point! Did you use rings and were they the right size?

[Moddiction]

I am not sure. It does not have the stock Honda badge in the center of each wheel. Is that just the cap though? It has Mille Miglia wheel centers. What should I check for? Not familiar with what the hubcentric rings are.

[repiv]

I am not sure. It does not have the stock Honda badge in the center of each wheel. Is that just the cap though? It has Mille Miglia wheel centers. What should I check for? Not familiar with what the hubcentric rings are.
Aftermarket rims require these rings to help the rim support the weight of the car. Sometime, if an owner doesn't use these rings, it is nearly impossible for the wheels and tires to spin without vibration.
I did a whole thread on hubcentric rings with pictures just to answer questions like this:

http://forums.s2kca.com/showthread.php?t=12144&highlight=hubcentric+rings

[rioyellows2k]

All Mille Migilia Wheels are Hubcentric. You can contact tire rack, they retail those wheels and should have hub rings for them.

[Moddiction]

I am having the fronts balanced right now and I will see what that does. If no improvement I will have it aligned today as well, and see if any improvements are made. I think I am just going to get some oem AP1 wheels regardless as my offsets ar wrong. Hopefully if nothing else does that will stop the vibrations.

[repiv]

I am having the fronts balanced right now and I will see what that does. If no improvement I will have it aligned today as well, and see if any improvements are made. I think I am just going to get some oem AP1 wheels regardless as my offsets ar wrong. Hopefully if nothing else does that will stop the vibrations.

That seems like a very tedious methodology to take when a few hub rings that should have come with the rims might resolve this thing easily.

[Moddiction]

OK well just had the fronts balanced again, thought they were done already, seems like that was the problem. Took it up to about 85 mph and couldn't feel any vibrations or shaking. Can't believe this whole time it was just the front wheels.
Asked somewhere before to balance all the wheels but I guess they just did the rears. Well important thing is that it seems to have fixed my 4 months of suffering haha.
Thanks all for help.

[repiv]

Looks like "Tugz" wins .........................

check your front wheel balance