Any ideas for a 'general' setup?

[VQuick]

There are some of the less popular cars that I like, and I don't want to trouble someone by requesting setups for them all. Examples include the Datsun 510 and 240Z, Toyota TA22 Celica, etc. Ditto for certain FFs, MRs and AWDs.

Any ideas on a general, 'one size fits all' setup that could get me started? I figure a baseline setup like that is better than nothing.

 

[Canadian Speed]

There are some of the less popular cars that I like, and I don't want to trouble someone by requesting setups for them all. Examples include the Datsun 510 and 240Z, Toyota TA22 Celica, etc. Ditto for certain FFs, MRs and AWDs.

Any ideas on a general, 'one size fits all' setup that could get me started? I figure a baseline setup like that is better than nothing.

Thats kind of tricky to do as all cars are different... you may be able to round em off to a "kind" of car... The last 5 RX7s (Bathurst, Spirit, Infini) are kind of alike. As are the latest Skylines (Nur, V Spec II). Try changing em up a bit if it works well for one... it may work well for another.

The other thing you could do is look for a set up for a car "like" the one you want to drive... like two similar AWD cars.

It won't get you to the greatest tuning for that car, but my help any how...

General rules I go by for street set ups.

Ride height about 5 ticks from bottom, springs go about 2-3 full numbers harder, the rest you have to play with... toe in in the rear makes a rear end stable... that's about it for quick fixes though... Hope it helps

 

[Duke]

There's really no generic setup that will work. There are a few moves that I make on most cars, but then I really spend some time dialling in each individual car.

• First, I usually lower the ride height 10% and increase the speing rate 10-15%.
• Set front camber to 2.0 or more for RWD cars; 3.0 for AWD or FWD cars. On FWD cars I reduce rear camber to zero.
• For FWD cars I usually increase rear stabilizer 2 clicks.

But really, that's about as far as it goes without spending some seat time with the car.

 

[rk]

OK, here is the secret formula to make your car drive like the arcade ones. You should have all adjustable suspension parts to get it exactly the way you'll like it; in my experience the tuner village original suspension is just as adequate as race suspension for the (well, my at least) most discriminating and demanding tune.
First rule is to add the front and rear spring values, divide by two and set each to this number. Next jack the rear all or almost all the way up, about 25 to 30mm in most cars, but if more is available, you should test it. I drop bound one click or leave them on 8 if I used the original. Camber is a base I adjust from; 2.8/1.7 to start in rwd cars and 2.5/2.0 in ff cars. 4WD is usually somewhere between the two depending on drive bias and other factors. As an example, the Skyline I recently posted ended up at 2.4/2.3. Best braking for race tires is often default, I usually settle on 3/4 or 4/5. I set 5/5 for sport tires. Stabilizers at default, asm off, tcs 2< 300 hp, 3 for 300 to 1000 hp and 4 for over 1100 hp; adjust to suit. Downforce max, lsd default, although I assume I will be decreasing- NOT eliminating- any front lsd control. If vcd is available, I usually run about 22 to 27. No weight, although 5 pounds can have a surprisingly significant effect.
I am currently working on a post that explains how to adjust these settings to your own needs, I will re-post this part with it.

 

[pmgolf]

Nice post, RK! It provides a good starting point for tuning without getting into the specifics required for each car. Thanks!

Pete

 

[VQuick]

Thanks a lot for the help, everyone! Again, I wasn't really looking for a cure-all, just some things I could do that would yield some improvement.

It's definitely better than buying everything for the car, then keep the stock settings, like my friends do. Rather than get 100%(I'm at 88.6% now), my goal is now to build a garage that will let me beat the snot out of my friends. I raced one of them in a 900hp+(stage 4 turbo & 60-shot) Lotus Esprit in my 474hp Opera S2000. If he hadn't rammed me on the turn leading to Trial Mountain's big straight, I would have won.

Thanks for the mini-tuning guide, rk! Back when I was going through the game and couldn't find a setup for a car, I used to just drop the car a few mm above the minimum, raise spring rates by one, and adjust the camber a bit. I didn't know what to do with the other stuff. Your post helps a lot. I'm looking forward to the rest of your guide!

 

[Mazda_Ricer]

Well I have a basic tune to all cars so then I can start tuning them.I leave the spring rate as it comes lower the ride height 5mm before the minimum you can set it.Bound and Rebound at 10 in all wheels.And that's about it.From there I start tuning them untill I feel comfortable with it.

 

[Wild Cobra Z28]

There are some of the less popular cars that I like, and I don't want to trouble someone by requesting setups for them all. Examples include the Datsun 510 and 240Z, Toyota TA22 Celica, etc. Ditto for certain FFs, MRs and AWDs.

Any ideas on a general, 'one size fits all' setup that could get me started? I figure a baseline setup like that is better than nothing.

One size fits all huh.... OK, I'll try... However, I am redoing the 24hour Nurbringer in B-Spec with a Saleen right now, so I have to do from memory... (putting miles on Saleen before Saleen race for more spec points).. And to get another F1 car!

OK, shakey memory, so bear with possible mistakles in naming...

Using the Full Custon Suspension, look at the defaults of the first setting. Note that they are a ratios, usually 2x the botton setting. I move them both so the larger is near the top, but not maximum, and then set the smaller of the two to the same multiple of it's lowest setting. Example... Front/Rear default, 6.4/5.8, lower settings front/rear 3.2/2.9, max setting 15 each. I would simply double each to 12.8/11.6, however, if I multiple each default by 4.4, I would set them to 14.1/12.8.

OK, Bound and Rebound.... I almost always leave the front and backs to 6 for the upper pair setting and 8 to the lower pair.

Height.... Except for tracks that are rough, I set the height to minumum. The rougher the track, the higher you must set the height.

Bottom Setting, I almost aways set the Stabilizer to 6.

I usually set the camber to 4 front and rear, and the toe to -1 rear.

I have found it unnecessary on most tarmac tracks to deviate from this method. GT4 is less sensitive to setting changes than GT3 was.

Now ballast.... It helps acceleration, normally, on high powered cars, to add ballast over the drive axle. I got something like 1 sec better on the 1/4 mile with the TVR Speed 12 by adding 200KG to the rear axle. On most MR and FR cars, adding weight over the rear axle will balance the car, and give you better traction.

Another thing ballast. Besides adding weight and increasing spec points won, FF and FR cars likely have more weight over the front axle than the rear, and spring setting higher in the front because of this. I think the default spring settings are proportional to the cars balance. I sometimes add ballast to the 'lighter' side, then match the spring rates. The cars generally corner better when doing this.