about handling

[ionstriker]

So I got the Alfa Romeo gt 3.2 and when ever I brake to turn it just refuses only when I let go of the breaks does it turn is this still understeer? If so how do I fix it?

 

[Gatorbait771]

So I got the Alfa Romeo gt 3.2 and when ever I brake to turn it just refuses only when I let go of the breaks does it turn is this still understeer? If so how do I fix it?

It's front wheel drive so I'd change the brake balance more to the rear so the front wheels don't lock up so much. I'm no expert but that usually works for me when I have stubborn FWD cars

 

[ionstriker]

Thanks

 

[Johnnypenso]

It's front wheel drive so I'd change the brake balance more to the rear so the front wheels don't lock up so much. I'm no expert but that usually works for me when I have stubborn FWD cars

This and tuning. Quick rules of thumb for FF tuning.

Lower weight as much as possible.
Throw as much ballast on the back as possible.
Harder front, softer rear suspension.
Negative toe front and rear as in -0.10/-0.20 to start.
Low front/high rear BB like 2/7, 1/6 etc.

You may not need all of those adjustments to that degree, some FF's like the Integra's turn quite well without a ton of tuning, but many, and the Alfa's are known for understeer, will require quite a bit of modification to get them to turn well.

 

[ANNIHILATOR90]

I think the most important tip is try not to brake while steering (or the other way around). I don't think you should ever brake when turning normally, no matter what car; brake on the straight before the turn, accelerate in the turn.

About the Alfa Romeo GT 3.2, my personal opinion is that it's actually one of the best FF cars I've driven (in GT5). Cornering goes surprisingly smooth for an FF, and it doesn't have a lot of understeer at all (when accelerating).

 

[praiano63]

For me a top 5 FF car in the game. Just don't use max power and too soft tires.

ALFA ROMEO GT 3.2 V6 24V '04 // 450PP // SPORT HARD TIRES

 

[Stotty]

Personally, I never bother with FWD cars as the handling model for them is fundamentally flawed - they just don't handle right whatever you do to them.

But the tuning principles used on other drive trains will most likely work on FWD... I would typically run higher rear bias on anything other than a car that naturally rotates on corner entry... and the more a car understeers whilst trail braking, the more rear bias I'd use. I'd also use -ve front & rear toe, higher front camber, low rear, soft front ARB, stiff rear.

You could also just bung a load of ballast in the rear, or use less grippy tyres on the rear wheels.

If you have the skill, you can also use brake release oversteer to create entry rotation, but I'm not sure if FWD cars will do this.

So you can do some things to the settings to make them a bit better, but they still don't handle anything like how a FWD car does in real life.

I think the most important tip is try not to brake while steering (or the other way around). I don't think you should ever brake when turning normally, no matter what car; brake on the straight before the turn, accelerate in the turn.

I'm afraid you're wrong on that one... trail braking is essential if you want to be quick. You need to be braking all the way to the apex, then transitioning to the throttle as soon as possible... in GT5, cars will just understeer if you try and pick up the gas before the apex, so you need to carry maximum speed all the way in which trail braking allows.

 

[ANNIHILATOR90]

I'm afraid you're wrong on that one... trail braking is essential if you want to be quick. You need to be braking all the way to the apex, then transitioning to the throttle as soon as possible... in GT5, cars will just understeer if you try and pick up the gas before the apex, so you need to carry maximum speed all the way in which trail braking allows.

I guess a lot comes down to what you personally use (aids, tires, the type of corner). I too brake when entering certain corners (I just noticed when watching some replays, lol). Although it's very early that I start accelerating again, way before the apex (not with full throttle, it builds up on exiting the corner).
I guess it may be because I stick to stock road cars on comfort tires? Braking all the way up until the apex feels impossible as I would never be able to hit the apex (at a perfect speed), and when accelerating from the apex I would exit it too slow. At least that's my personal experience.
You're probably right for racing cars, I'm certainly not an expert anyway. I assume it's quite different for stock road cars, especially with their soft suspension.

If you have the skill, you can also use brake release oversteer to create entry rotation, but I'm not sure if FWD cars will do this.

You can, but if you accelerate immediately after doing that you won't be very smooth.

 

[GODfreyGT5]

FF's are naturally VERY different to drive and tune from rear wheel drive cars. Try to encourage oversteer towards apexes, and avoid touching the throttle before you are straightening out of the corner. They can feel sluggish, but by experimenting with aggressive stance (nose lower than the rear), higher camber and toe in on the rear, and softer suspension and a good diff setup too!

But to avoid spending 20 minutes tuning before every race, just pick a small track (nurb gp/d or Tsukuba) and do lap after lap in a stock car such as your alfa. Chase your ghost, you'll see where you are going wrong, and will soon be flying round

 

[Stotty]

I guess a lot comes down to what you personally use (aids, tires, the type of corner). I too brake when entering certain corners (I just noticed when watching some replays, lol). Although it's very early that I start accelerating again, way before the apex (not with full throttle, it builds up on exiting the corner).
I guess it may be because I stick to stock road cars on comfort tires? Braking all the way up until the apex feels impossible as I would never be able to hit the apex (at a perfect speed), and when accelerating from the apex I would exit it too slow. At least that's my personal experience.
You're probably right for racing cars, I'm certainly not an expert anyway. I assume it's quite different for stock road cars, especially with their soft suspension.

I hardly ever drive 'racing cars', much preferring standard road cars on comfort tyres - as long as it's RWD and there's enough power to overcome grip I'm normally quite happy.

I might have exgerated slightly when I said brake right to the apex, but it could be very close to the apex and there's trypically only a very small 'coasting' phase between fully releasing the brakes and starting to pick up the throttle. Of course the amount of braking force decreases proportionally with the amount of steering lock applied - full brakes whilst running straight, then gradually redicing the brake force as steering angle increases to make the apex. Then in the same way, throttle increases as steering angle is reduced.

Picking up the throttle (even slightly) before the apex isn't generally a good habit to get in to as it tends to generate understeer, which in turn limits the amount of throttle you can use after the apex. The only time I'd personally recommend this is if you're creating rotation before the apex in a RWD car (through the use of ballast or brake release oversteer) and can pick up just the right amount of throttle to maintain a very slight drift through the middle of the corner, using this to stop the car understeering.