maxg765

Hello

Can someone tell me what the original tires were on a 1993 US Spec FD Touring.



Was it the Bridgestone Potenza S-02 225/50ZR16?

Thanks

Max

trickshot

Bridgestone Expedia S-01. V rated on base and Touring, Z rated on the R-model in '93. I believe automatic trans cars came with either a Yoko or Dunlop tire, but I'd have to check on that.
R-2 Models switched to Pirelli P-Zero tires in 94 and 95, but the V rated Bridgestones continued on manual transmission cars.

S-02 is a very good tire, but they are different from the S-01 and they never came on a U.S. RX-7. S-02's might also be getting a bit old by now. If they've been on the car more than 6 years it's time to start thinking about changing them.

MisterX

trickshot is pretty damn close. My R1 came with, I'm almost positive of the number, the Expedia S-07. I seem to remember seeing certain models of the 93s coming with a Goodyear....maybe the GS-C or GS-D (confused as to which one was which).

Also, the Potenza S-02 wasn't available on the market until around '96, IIRC.

maxg765

Hello

I am happy to hear that the S-02 is old. I am looking at and to buy a very low miles 1993 Touring and they car has S-02's on them. I was told by current owner that the S-02's are in good conditon with what he thinks is more than 50% tred left and even all arround but that they feel like the rubber on them is very hard and thus he would recomend chaniging them. This does in someway support the low miles and the carfax report which bring me back to being happy that the tires are of a older model. I only wait for the mechanical inspection for coolant leeks and compression. If that flys so will the car.

Thank you

Max

ArmitageGVR4

iTrader: (13)

Old S02s that have many heat cycles can be dangerous when cold. Be careful pushing the car even just driving around town. My car came with some old s02s that had plenty of tread life left but they were hard as rocks and would lose grip in the rear at 15 mph in a turn.

DaveW

IIRC, that's what my FD came with...

And these, even when new, were treacherous in ambients below 50 degrees (don't ask me how I know... ).

maxg765

I don't plan on keeping the tires on and my reason for asking was more to try and validate the age and miles of the car I am looking at. As well this car would not be my daily driver and would never see cold, snow, or rain being stored durring the winter months.

Its the same feed back the owner gave me, they are very hard due to dry older age.

Thanks for all the feed back.

Max

trickshot

That's a common misperception, a typo that's been repeated many times. There was no So-seven, only an SO-1.

Think about it. The SO-1 was followed by the SO-2. That was followed by the SO-3. So where's the SO-7? The script on the tire could be construed as a 7 instead of a 1, but there was no SO-7.

And you're right, some other tires appeared on the 93's besides the Bridgestones, especially on the automatics which were given a different tire. The Yamaguchi book has the best info on what tires the engineers chose when designing the FD. Sorry, I don't have the book in front of me right now. I do remember they were very concerned with keeping the tire and wheel combo as light as possible.

trickshot

If you go to the TireRack.com you'll still find a few SO-1's for sale. It's listed as an SO-1 everywhere on the website, but the myth and misperception of the SO-7 is so pervasive that they headline the model specific webpage as "SO-1 and SO-7".
But there never was an SO-7. It's just that the 1 on the sidewall of the tire wasn't distinct enough.

DaveW

I beg to differ.

IIRC, the Bridgestone Expedia S-07 was made as a lightweight version of the S-01 tire specifically for OE application to the FD. It was only available for a few years.

I haven't recently looked this up until today, but I don't think my memory is playing tricks on me.

Links to some confirming info:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~erix7/rx7kits/wheels.html

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/D387022.html

trickshot

You won't find S0-7 in an official Bridgestone catalog. It's an S0-1, and some are still for sale. (see the Tire Rack. Note how every reference is to SO-1. They add SO-7 at the top of the page because of this common confusion.)

You'll find SO-7 references all over the place. As I say, it's a common misperception that's appeared in a number of places. But again we have S0-1, SO-2, and SO-3. Maybe someday they'll get to seven, but they didn't in 93.
I had SO-1's on my '95 from new and only got rid of them a few years ago. It's easy to see how people could think the 1 was a 7, but Bridgestone called it the SO-1, never a 7.

DaveW

Bridgestone Patent:

Tire tread - Patent D387022 - It references the Bridgestone Expedia S07 Tire, 1995 Tread Design Guide, p. 11, Jan. 1995.

trickshot

LOL!!!! Ah, the fallacy of a sloppy Google search. You know, you can Google up Bigfoot. Doesn't mean he exists, does it?

Did you bother to read this reference of yours? LOL. First of all, it's for this fly by night Free Patents Online. Did you read it? The assignee of this alleged patent is Michelin. Michelin?! For a Bridgestone tire?! "SO-7" is listed as a reference....meaning they're not issuing a patent for it....and a number of other tires are listed. This is hardly anything official from Bridgestone.

You'll really have to do better than this, not just a quick and dirty Google. Again, have you bothered to look at the Tire Rack site? Note how all the references are to SO-1. The single SO-7 notation is because of this pervasive confusion to which you've succumbed. (And if, as you claim, there was a SO-7 for the FD, why are they still selling it in sizes that were never standard on an FD? ) No, I'm afraid that the Tire Rack tacked on a single "SO-7" reference to their SO-1 webpage because so many people get confused on the details.

DaveW

I'm sorry I don't agree with you and you're taking it so hard. I'll look up my original data when I get home. I work for Bridgestone, and I'll do a library search here tomorrow.

There really were S-07's.

The Tire Rack site only carries currently available tires. There are 1000's of tire types that were once available that are no longer around and are not on their site. That doesn't mean they never existed.

trickshot

If you work for Bridgestone, why are you giving us a sloppy Google search as proof?

Here's a simple test anyone can do:

First Google "Bridgestone Expedia SO-7".

You'll come up with one page with just 3 lousy, bogus links on it. Look for yourself. Do they look convincing? (I've already exposed the "Free Patents Online" scam. Read the details for yourself. Note how the assignee of this "patent" is Michelin.)

Now Google "Bridgestone Expedia SO-1". You'll come up with 8 pages of links. Do these look legit to you?

Now, after performing both Google searches (plus looking at the SO-1 page at the Tire Rack) ask yourself if the scales are tipping against the SO-Seven Myth?

trickshot

So why would they include a notation for the SO-7 on an SO-1 webpage if it wasn't for people misreading the 1 script on the sidewall as a 7 ?

DaveW

Probably because these tires are now available and are now a substitute for the long-discontinued S-07's.

Believe me, I am not trying to BS you or anyone else. I just looked out in my old records from around when I bought the car in March '92, and I only have a hand-written note to myself about the S-07's that I was trying to replace in about 1994. I eventually went with RE-71's because the S-07's were too expensive, even back then.

I will keep looking until I come up with something that will even convince you that they DID exist.

For now, I just don't know what else to say, but they really did exist.

MisterX

You're mixing the expedia line with potenza. When I had a nail in the tread of one of the OEMs I distinctly remember getting pricing and ordering the exact replacement- Expedia S-07; it was Z-rated where the other OEMs were V.

I'd be willing to bet you a fair amount since you're so adamant that there was no such tire, and that all there was was a S-01. (I remember vaguely about a S-01 at the time, and also for some reason, a S-08 too). Will be interesting when Dave comes back with his findings...

MisterX

I, too, needed a replacement in '94 and remember calling a few stores and Tire Rack. Even remember the Rack's price on the Expedia was like 208, and I ended up special ordering them at a local Firestone for 222. Wow, for roughly $100 less per tire one can get the RE-01r these days!

They did exist. Trickshot just has to believe- like in the tooth fairy and Kris Kringle. He's lost his faith. :-(

DaveW

trickshot

Wow, everyone has these vague, hazy memories but no documenation. Now you've come up with an S-08 ! LOL!

The SO-1 is not in dispute. It exists, even currently. Again, does anyone here bother to look at the Tire Rack before they go spouting off? Have you tried a simple Google search to see what you come up with? This is really getting quite amusing.

I'll be willing to take your bet, in the amount of $100, so long as we can agree on a standard of proof.

trickshot

I urge any interested reader to start with the simple stuff. After you've read the vague and hazy recollections of some posters in this thread, and you've done the simple Google search I've suggested, try this:

Go to www.tirerack.com

Select tires by brand. Select Bridgestone. Note the model tires offered.
Well, whaddya know?! Lookee here. S-O1 is listed! Click on link.

Now note the page. In red letters it says S-O1 and S-O7. Now why do you suppose that is? Could there be some confusion with people misreading the 1 for a 7? (Note: under the model tires listed on the previous page there is NO S-O7)

Now scroll down the page and read the reviews. Note how each is listed under S-O1. By now, intelligent minds have figured out what's going on.

MisterX

Type this in google (with the quotes):

"expedia S-07" watch magically how there are 220 results. (Significantly more than your alleged "3")

What standard of proof would you like to use? Right now, I'll bet you $100 that the tire that was on the 1993 RX-7 R1 (from the factory) was the Expedia S-07.

MisterX

http://kaele.com/~kashima/car/rx7aspec.html

I love arguing with someone who, despite growing evidence, thinks he's right.

As I stated before, you're on.

bajaman

Just for reference, here is the data the MOTOR TREND article had.
Very definitely SO-7s.