Finding a good car setup

I've searched around online and found some useful website that explain what the different set up features of a race car alter. They are useful, but are quite generalised and say how it affects the balance more than anything. I haven't found anywhere that gives a good guide on what areas of set up you should focus on first. So if we have a new circuit we want to race then do you focus on getting spring rates feeling good first then tweak diff settings, or is it better to get the aero and ride heights working before looking at other areas etc.

With a sim like rFactor there's so many things that can be tweaked that you can easily get lost in the car setup. Are there any experienced people that can share their tips for finding a good setup that works for you on a particular circuit? Or does anyone know of any good links to read? I find it much more satisfying deciding on a setup for a circuit that helps me go faster than just downloading one that someone has already made.
 
Cheers for the links. Had a quick read through and they certainly seem to be more explanatory than, increases oversteer/decreases understeer. Hoping to have a nice long session of rFactor 2 over the weekend finding a nice setup all by myself. :)

Dont think this has been linked yet.
Its very good across all sim based platforms that I have tried.
RD Member Ramon Van Rijns guide.
In my personal experience I want to second Xaviers comment on wing/aero.
Its too easy and over simplifies things to "just add wing"
As "if your only tool is a hammer then every problem becomes a nail".

For example time spent on
-shock absorber settings especially slow bump/rebound will change grip balance big time and alleviate under/oversteer.
-Diff lock settings also very high yield.

Do aero last its the simplest and has simple predictable effect.
But re do gearing once its done!

Once you start thinking about how the car hangs on the four corners the penny starts to drop.

Also search for Racer Alexs F1 setup guide online. It too is first class.

enjoy the journey. Getting a car thats handling like a pig to grip and turn in is fun



http://www.racedepartment.com/forum/threads/racedepartment-setup-guide.1085/
 
I find there are crucial setup features such as springs, brakes, gears arbs and then aero.i rarely play with dampers . If I had the time I would..however, some people sit there for hours playing with the things that have limited effect rather than...focusing on their driving lines and technique. At the end of the day, a great driver will driver faster than any average joe no matter what setup and car. It is a nice feeling to make a setup change and gain time but it is a nicer feeling to murder a rival through raw pace to which they can't answer. Often people make setup changes which they think have worked but in fact, they have just got better through spending time on track. My advice- focus on some of the major things like springs until the car feels suitable then focus on your driving. If you get to a highly competitive level and have lots of time on your hands, focus on the minute details. I think Hamilton has more fans than button because he can race any car ...even without a perfect balance. Just my opinion though. :)
 
:roflmao:
Breaking news:
F1 Teams to sack all race engineers.
Apparently its all about talent behind the wheel.
"Engineering side not central to what we do" says team principal.
"Setup efforts a sign of weakness" says insider.
"real men dont need setups" says unnamed driver
:whistling:
 
:roflmao:
Breaking news:
F1 Teams to sack all race engineers.
Apparently its all about talent behind the wheel.
"Engineering side not central to what we do" says team principal.
"Setup efforts a sign of weakness" says insider.
"real men dont need setups" says unnamed driver
:whistling:
"If you get to a highly competitive level and have lots of time on your hands, focus on the minute details". I'm assuming you skim read...in a hurry to get to the garage or to the briefing room :roflmao: ;)

I suppose it's a bit like...
Breaking news:
The winner of a competition to get a drive in an F1 car, today sent out a warning to his "rivals".

Sim racer David O'Reilly, with no experience of high end open wheelers, was granted 45 minutes of testing time in a disused HRT car at Melbourne - this followed his purchase of the last 2013 British Lions top in world production.


After initially stalling "his" car three times in the pit-lane, Mr. O'Reilly requested engineers return him to the pits. After pulling out his "Advanced Drivers Guide" (written by David O'Reilly with chunky excerpts from Alain Prost's best seller), Australia's "new Mark Webber" made immediate changes to damper settings and camber.With only 30 minutes to spare in the session, the Aussie managed to complete 1 outlap and 1 timed lap.

Delighted at the setup changes and the progress he made in achieving a time of 19 minutes 43 seconds, D. O' remarked, "I feel I achieved a lot today and with a couple more hours of setup changes, there was definitely more time out there which I left on track. I truly believe that next season a big team will come calling."

...and other news...

Jenson Button set the fastest timed lap for a cycle ride around Albert Park today. His time of 21 minutes was a record but miraculously, Button's time was only the 2nd fastest on track today.
 
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If I was to be polite I would simply highlight that the OP was a question about setup.
Mr Ford your response was in essence "don't worry too much about setup beyond the basics"

If I was to be frank: I used huimour to highlight very succinctly what I believe is the apparent ignorance of your suggestion/view to the OP
The game facilitates physics very accurately and many people really get into it. The teams have 10 times as many ppl working on setup than on driver skill.
Just becasue you may not fully understand something doesn't mean its irrelevant.

If I was to be truthful I would observe that despite it being several months since we have even been on a track or had anything to so with each other you still never seem to tire of using any opportunity toi belittle my efforts to enjoy this sim or help others.
eg::
- Your hilarious and frankly pathetic Youtube post where you attempt to prove something by racing an AI called David O'Reilly
-your post here where you follow your normal habit of "double the word count means I'm right" and calling into question my name and any contribution I have made in the RD forums such as the 2010 and 2011 Guides. It may really rankle with you that it's in 6-7 languages and over 50,000 downloads now. Instead of trolling me do something of your own Andrew.

You have a real beef with me it seems. Andrew its time to move on buddy, leave the past in the past. Theres no unmarked graves.
 
@David O'Reilly

Firstly, I wasn't trolling. I happened to disagree with your post. In fact, from memory (I have a good memory), you made a suggestion a while back that you had hit some "Ignore" button so that you didn't have to view my post. Either this was a lie or a bad joke. However, I wouldn't have known that you could read my post would I?
RE: If I was to be polite...No David. In my last post, I tried to add a little humour in reminding you that my post was NOT about simply saying, "Only worry about the basics". I believe you tried to use humour too? It was about saying, unless you are highly competitive, ( e.g.FSR) then don' spend too much time on the minute details of setup as driving practise will bring the greatest rewards.

RE: If I was to be Frank...David, you're not Frank, you're "David".:laugh:
I'm sure you wouldn't agressive words like "ignorance" just because I disagreed with your opinion. If you read my above paragraph and the post before, I have done nothing to suggest that setup is irrelevant. Once again...my post was NOT about simply saying, "Only worry about the basics". I believe you tried to use humour too? It was about saying, unless you are highly competitive, ( e.g.FSR) then don' spend too much time on the minute details of setup as driving practise will bring the greatest rewards.

RE: if i was to be truthful...I have to point out that you have missed the point. No offence. What have I said which is aimed at belittling your attempts to enjoy the sim? Just because I gave my opinion/advice TO SOMEONE ELSE.
Regarding the youtube video, I can't help it if you haven't got over that defeat. You win some and lose some so just relax about that.
I think you have me all wrong about the guides. I don't get rankled by anyone and I especially don't get rankled by a guide which was admittedly (by yourself) taken in chunks from different sources.

I have to be honest and say that I am disappointed by your post. It seems you gave an opinion (along with others), but when I give my opinion, you seem to make a joke of it or try to belittle it. Everyone can see this. As I don't get rankled, I made a light hearted response but also to clarify what I was saying (in case your comments had twisted it by accident). You in turn, follow that up with a long rambling attack on me in "many words"...blaming me for writing too much. I have to say, looking back, it seems that your post was the first one to change the subject away from the original post. Perhaps we could keep on topic from now on rather than you launching personal attacks for the good of everyone.

A couple of final points - on topic - for what its worth to others.
My original post recieved likes from 3 people. 1 was ranked at number 2 in the RD driver rankings and an experience sim racer. The other 2 members are experienced sim racers who are faster than you and me david. that speaks volumes. I respect their views.

and a bit of history...I entered the f1 2011 Xbox league as a newb to sim arcade racing. I was lapped in the practise races and took it on the chin. You were very friendly to me david, made me feel welcome to events. Miraculously, when I started beating you, you were short with me and began calling on stewards to penalise me (no penalties were given as my driving was judged fair). On beating me on rare occasions due to punctures, wheel disconnects (CSR issues) and one occasion, running out of fuel on the last corner, you weren't a gentleman. You didn't say, "unlucky buddy, good race, crack open a beer". You would claim a "strategic victory" or but it down to setup. After I beat you over the course of the season, you stopped referring to me in posts. I finished the following season ahead of you by race 4 (?). In every race I was faster than you. records prove this. In our last racing club friendly event, I overtook you inspite of you trying to weave two ways to block me. I could cope with this but not the allegations you made of me doing unfair driving. You simply couldn't admit you were beaten by the faster driver. You did the right thing in stepping down as an organiser for f1 2012 as you started to make personal attacks on people like Marcin and ruffle too many feathers because you became controlling. You even had a go at me for making out you were too sparing when sprinkling cakes with hundreds and thousands. Ludicrous (?)

Recently, I was looking at times on the mid ohio gtr track. I noticed that my best time in rfactor 2 on that track was over one second faster than you. I recently checked rfactor 2 times at sebring in the renault 3.5 cars. I noted your time of 1.51 compared to my 1.48. I wasn't specifically looking for your name but I couldn't help but notice - i compare myself to mark and calum's times when we race too.

So, bearing in mind you used to lap me when I started and now I am a faster driver than you, perhaps we should let the OP decide if he wants to take your advice, my advice or anyone elses advice. I won't be insulted either way. I will say this: If (when i used to be lapped by you and the guys) i had spent double the time playing with setup, i would have made roughly half the progress. Whilst you were playing with setup and aspiring to be jenson button or prost, i focussed on driving. that is the route I took and it seems to have paid off. results speak for themselves. facts are facts.

I'm not putting you down - you take your route. Now put your arguments and opinions down and let others decide. it is a forum after all.
Good luck and I hope you enjoy living the "dream". remember, this is sim racing and not real racing.
 
Guys if you are going to start getting personal with each other, it's best you take it to PM. This threads purpose is to get advice from people with regards to setting up a car in rF2. Either we help each other out, or we move on.
agreed. I don't like going off topic but when suggestive comments are made about me or my comments are twisted, i felt the need to give a clear picture. Thank you. lets move on.:geek::thumbsup:
 

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