Severe Vibration (Focus ST) any ideas?

[R1gtr]

Hi folks, hoping some of the more knowledgeable will be able to help.

I have a 2006 Focus ST and I thought a rear bearing was on it's way out so put it to a garage as the rumbling/vibration thru the steering wheel was getting a bit worse.
It turned out that it was not a bearing but UNEVEN TYRE WEAR on the insides of the rear tyres possibly due to tracking being out.
On the ramps the mechanic spun the wheels and I could feel they were uneven.
I could not have them replaced as I had already ordered tyres from Oponeo the day before(still waiting for delivery) as treads are getting low.
Over the weekend I had to head to Scarborough from Inverness (900 mile round trip) and the noise/ vibration got slightly worse and then when 50 miles from home the vibration got really really bad at around 45-55 mph, the car feels like it is trying to shake itself to pieces, it is that bad.
At lower speeds or higher speeds there is a vibration and noise but nowhere near as extreme as it is between 45-55.
Could this all be tyre related or have I destroyed the transmission or something else possibly?
Bit worried about it.
Car is parked up till the tyres arrive and I can get it to the garage to get them fitted and balancing, tracking checked, until them I am worried I have killed my car.

[Cloggie]

If the wheel bearings are ok I would suspect the off side drive shaft bearing. They have a habit of creating severe noise and vibration.

[Pupp]

Not a corroded brake caliper piston sticking and just dragging one brake is it - had this a while ago on my daily hack, caused a really random vibration through the steering as the disc heated and cooled. Gather the same can happen when rubber flexible hoses start to break down if they prevent pressure releasing after brake application

[PaulKemp]

As cloggie said probably the driveshaft intermediate bearing, it it's a front wheel bearing you'll notice it less or more as you turn.
If you feel it through the steering it's unlikely to be bearings at the rear
Bearings at the rear usually show through a rumble noise from the rear and worse case you'll feel the rear vibrate not the front

[Viperz888]

Driveshaft issues are common on the mk2 STs.

[Zad]

It sounds like the sort of symptoms I have experienced on various cars when the suspension bushes are starting to degrade.

[Martin350]

I've known similar symptoms on several cars over the last few years that turned out to have a tyre or two out of shape.

It's easy to see if you jack the car up and spin the wheel by hand looking at a focal point on the car behind the tyre.

To check the fronts you can put it up on axle stands and run the engine in gear, although that might not be recommended. Or more safely, put the front wheel on a rear hub and check it.