Quick Answer
A 2019 Rolls-Royce Ghost developed a subtle vibration felt only at 100-120 km/h. The dealer quoted AED 55,000 for driveshaft and wheel bearing replacement. Root cause: a single out-of-balanc
In a Rolls-Royce, you feel everything. That's the point. The cabin is engineered to be so quiet and so isolated that the occupants exist in a bubble of silence. Which means when something is wrong — even slightly wrong — it's amplified.
A vibration that would be unnoticeable in a BMW X5 becomes a symphony of wrongness in a Ghost.
Vehicle: 2019 Rolls-Royce Ghost, 32,000 km Symptom: Subtle vibration felt through the steering wheel and floor, exclusively at 100-120 km/h Characteristics:
Owner's concern: "I know my car. This wasn't there before the tyre change."
The dealer performed:
Recommendation: Replace front driveshaft (AED 22,000), replace both front wheel bearings (AED 18,000), and perform four-wheel alignment (AED 2,500). Labour: AED 12,500.
Total quote: AED 55,000
The dealer's balance check declared the wheels "within specification." But the specification matters enormously.
Standard tyre shop tolerance: 5-10 grams imbalance per wheel (acceptable for most vehicles) Rolls-Royce factory specification: Less than 3 grams imbalance per wheel
We placed all four wheels on a Hunter Road Force balancer — a machine that simulates road contact and measures both static balance and road force variation.
Results:
| Wheel | Static Balance | Road Force Variation | Rolls-Royce Limit | |-------|---------------|---------------------|-------------------| | Front left | 5g off | 8 kg | < 7 kg | | Front right | 8g off | 14 kg | < 7 kg | | Rear left | 3g off | 6 kg | < 7 kg | | Rear right | 4g off | 9 kg | < 7 kg |
Front right: 8 grams out of static balance AND 14 kg of road force variation — double the acceptable limit. This alone would cause the vibration.
Front left and rear right: Also above Rolls-Royce specification, contributing to the vibration pattern.
The road force variation indicated a tyre issue, not just a balance weight issue. We inspected all four tyres:
Finding: The front right tyre had been mounted incorrectly by the previous tyre shop — the tyre was not fully seated on the bead, creating an asymmetric contact patch. Additionally, the tyre itself was a budget brand that the previous shop had fitted — not the OEM-specification Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric that Rolls-Royce specifies.
The budget tyre issue: Budget tyres have higher manufacturing variability in their construction. The rubber compound, belt alignment, and sidewall uniformity are less consistent than OEM-specification tyres. On a Rolls-Royce — where vibration standards are the most demanding in the industry — this variability becomes perceptible.
The dealer noted "minimal play" on the front right wheel bearing. We measured this precisely:
Finding: Front right bearing play was 0.03mm. The Rolls-Royce replacement threshold is 0.05mm. The bearing was within specification — not failing.
What the dealer missed: "Minimal play detected" was used as justification for replacement. But 0.03mm on a bearing with a 0.05mm limit is 60% of service life remaining — it's perfectly healthy.
We checked driveshaft runout (straightness) with a dial indicator:
Finding: Driveshaft runout: 0.02mm. Factory maximum: 0.08mm. The driveshaft was perfectly straight.
Actions:
Total cost: AED 2,800 (4 OEM-spec tyres + precision balance + match-mounting + alignment)
Post-repair road test:
The owner's words: "It's my car again."
| Approach | Cost | Outcome | |----------|------|---------| | Dealer (driveshaft + bearings + alignment) | AED 55,000 | Would not fix the vibration (tyres were the cause) | | MotorMec (OEM tyres + precision balance) | AED 2,800 | Root cause addressed, vibration eliminated | | Savings | AED 52,200 | 94.9% reduction |
| Vehicle | Perceptible Vibration Threshold | Common Tyre Shop Tolerance | |---------|---------------------------------|---------------------------| | Standard sedan | 15-20 kg road force | 10-15 kg | | Luxury sedan (S-Class, 7 Series) | 10-12 kg road force | 10-15 kg | | Rolls-Royce | 5-7 kg road force | 10-15 kg |
A standard tyre shop balancing a Rolls-Royce wheel to their normal tolerance is literally twice the acceptable imbalance. The work passes their quality check but fails the car's requirements.
OEM-specification tyres for a Rolls-Royce cost AED 1,500-2,500 per tyre. Budget alternatives cost AED 400-800. The AED 3,000-6,000 savings on a set of four creates a vibration that leads to a AED 55,000 misdiagnosis.
Q: Should I always use the OEM tyre brand on my Rolls-Royce?
A: Strongly recommended. Rolls-Royce specifies tyres not just for grip but for noise, comfort, and vibration characteristics. The OEM tyre (marked with a star or specific marking on the sidewall) has been developed with the vehicle. Premium alternatives from Michelin, Continental, or Pirelli in OEM-equivalent specifications are acceptable. Budget tyres are not.
Q: How do I find a tyre shop that can properly balance Rolls-Royce wheels?
A: Ask if they have a road force balancer (Hunter or equivalent) and whether they can balance to under 7 kg road force variation. If they don't know what road force balancing is, they shouldn't be touching your wheels. Most Rolls-Royce specialists and high-end tyre centres have the equipment.
Q: Can I feel a 5-gram imbalance in a Rolls-Royce?
A: At highway speeds, yes. The Ghost's cabin isolation is so effective that external noise is virtually eliminated — which means mechanical vibrations that would be masked by road noise in other cars become noticeable. A 5-gram imbalance at 120 km/h creates a perceptible disturbance in a Ghost.
Q: Why did the vibration only appear at 100-120 km/h?
A: Every rotating mass has a resonant frequency — a speed at which its imbalance creates maximum vibration. The tyre/wheel imbalance resonated with the Ghost's suspension at this speed range. Below and above that range, the vibration energy was either too low to feel or the frequency shifted away from resonance.
Q: Is this covered under Rolls-Royce warranty?
A: No — the vibration was caused by non-OEM tyres installed at a third-party shop, not by a vehicle defect. Warranty covers manufacturing defects, not aftermarket modifications. However, if the vehicle had been serviced at the dealer with OEM tyres, the issue would never have occurred.
A Rolls-Royce Ghost is engineered to isolate its occupants from the outside world. When that isolation is disrupted by a AED 400 budget tyre, the diagnostic trail can lead to a AED 55,000 quote for components that are working perfectly.
Equipment. Knowledge. Patience. And a very precise balancing machine.
No Fix, No Fee.
Reviewed by [Rolls-Royce Specialist], MotorMec Dubai. Last updated: February 2026
