Asserti

Two years ago, I bought my '99 S2000. Lately, I found out that it has halfshaft spacers installed, but the car is standing on stock suspension now. I also knew that the car was lowered in a previous life.

For a while, possible since I bought it, I have had vibrations at the rear at around 120 to 130 kmh. Could this be due to the unnecesary halfshaft spacers? Because the car isn't lowered anymore?

s2000Junky

Typically vibration from the half shafts is felt under acceleration, not cruising at a particular speed, which sounds like something else in your case, wheel balance issue maybe.

jyeung528

the pinion nut could have gotten loose.

give that a check.

Kp1997

I’m new here and I’ve been having similar problems to what you said. My 05 S2K vibrates from under my car when I accelerate from 40-50 mph.. I brought it to the shop last week to get warranty work done and they ended up fixing the driveline. There’s really really light vibration when accelerating hard now. They can’t seem to figure out the problem. Literally all the drivetrain parts have been touched. Unless the new axles are cheap. The car is lowered on springs. I wondering if the spacers had worked for you? This is like my last resort!

engifineer

You say "unless the new axles are cheap". Do you mean they replaced them and you are wondering if they used crappy ones, or you are wondering if they are cheap and should replace? They are about $600 each, so not cheap. If you think that is your vibration, you just swap the cups. Cheap and fast and will fix the issue. Spacers will effectively do the same thing. If you buy them, buy the split type so you dont have to pull the axle all the way out of the diff (you have to pop a ball joint loose to do that so this saves a step).

Car Analogy

I had tbe same questions as engifineer. Assuming they replaced the axles, and assumming they were aftermarket, they fixed one issue and created a new one.

All aftermarket axles for this car are junk. All will vibrate. Your old, worn axles are far superior, and the vibration can be fixed.

So what you to do now, this very second, is rush back to the shop and be prepared to dumpster dive hoping to retrieve your old axles. Ask the shop if they tossed them yet, and if dumpster pickup happened since.

To fix the stock axle vibes:

Put the old axles back on. Toss tbe new aftermarket ones in the trash.

Since axles are already out, have someone do an cv joint bucket swap, and new grease.

This will fix the issue, for approximately as many more miles as the car has now (assuming they use good grease and assuming similar driving habits and assuming a whole lot more).

Then when it happens again, the next fix, for once again as many miles (give or take), is Buy a set of two piece axle spacers (about $80). Have them fit. Shouldn't cost more than $75 labor.

Once they go bad once more, buy new oem axles.

Kp1997

The old axles are gone.. so I’m stuck with these duralast ones. I may just go with the axle spacers. Everyone is recommending spacers. I just got the car back today and the driveline didn’t do much. It still has the damn vibrations from 40-50 mph but at high rpm I would feel the vibrations.

Car Analogy

Spacers won't help with new parts. The spacer fix only works if axle has wear, to give wear parts a fresh, smooth surface to work against.

Unfortunately, you paid someone to throw out superior parts with lots of service life left, and replace with substandard parts that are no good from day one. You'd literally have been off burning whatever money was spent instead of having that work done, as at least you'd have a decent path forward.

Only viable suggestionnow is buy used axles, and start over. Pay to have them bicket swapped and repacked and installed.