RJ's drag racing AMA

[Rotary Junkie]

Ask me anything. Want tips with something, you've got 'em.

Also, since I'm feeling nice...

http://puu.sh/DVzk

Note post date, note how few found it (because they all went to gt5dragracing instead).

Oh and I'll throw in a free gearing method.

First off, this is just how I've always set spread, seems to work well. I'll give more if it's desired.

Top speed at minimum.
1st full long
LEAVE BRITNEY (second) ALONE!
4th/5th/6th full short
3rd splitting difference between 2nd/4th.

This only works with 1st gear launch; 2nd gear launch would be 2nd set full length, rest shortened fully save 3rd (which would be played with most likely). Anyway, I've found this spread to work pretty damn well on most cars; like, less than 0.050 off on pretty much everything I've tried (from individual gear tweaking, this gap is after finding overall ratio wanted for launch and resetting individual ratios so max length first is said ratio.


Anyway, I've not got a working PS3 (well, I do, but I can only get like 3 runs in at most if I'm lucky before it goes stupid) at the second but I know more tips/tricks/stuff than most "pros" are willing to give out. Heck, I'll even train the right person how to tune.

 

[GuitarHack]

How do you personally flip your transmission? When beginning to tune a car, do you just put final all the way right and speed all the way left? Or, do you have a certain final gear setting you personally always start with?

Thanks.

 

[salikriaz]

Third gear bogging. How do you stop it? It's not much, maybe goes back 200 rpm (after overloading the tires the first two gears it gets grip ). Any tips?

 

[Maccer_42]

Heres a question i've always wondered but never been able to put enough time in myself to find out due to my connection.

How much difference is there in the online / offline physics divide when drag racing at Indy(online) verses Speed Test(offline)? Is it just a case of running a slightly shorter or tighter gear box for online at Indy due to the shorter distance? Or do the online physics effect suspenssion differently to how it does offline. (eg: offline a min - max spring rate might be best, would a different setting be more beinifical online?)
Or does the online/offline physics difference not effect straight line perfomance?

 

[Rotary Junkie]

How do you personally flip your transmission? When beginning to tune a car, do you just put final all the way right and speed all the way left? Or, do you have a certain final gear setting you personally always start with?

Thanks.

I always wind up with a minimum final drive (2.000/2.500/3.000 are most common, is there a 3.500?) (gearing is the keyway to more speed from my Renault35 up there, that was one of several test sets while I was still figuring stuff out) after all is said and done.

My usual starting point for my trans "flip" is default, TS to minimum, spread the gears as shown above, then play with final drive until launch is correct. At this point I write down the final drive and first gear, multiply, divide by minimum FD. This is the new minimum first gear I start hunting for by moving final around, resetting top speed (move it up one then back to minimum), checking minimum, etc. Higher FD when you set top speed = lower (numeric) 1st gear minimum ratio.

Third gear bogging. How do you stop it? It's not much, maybe goes back 200 rpm (after overloading the tires the first two gears it gets grip ). Any tips?

Either find grip in the first two or try shortening 3rd a bit if you can avoid 4th gear lag.

Or, alternately, just run longer overall. Figure out how you've got your gear spread (if you're happy with it) and just redo it, starting with a taller final (then going back down to minimum final).

Or go 2nd gear launch if you're running 1/4 because it lets you go with much tighter spreads.

Edit:

Heres a question i've always wondered but never been able to put enough time in myself to find out due to my connection.

How much difference is there in the online / offline physics divide when drag racing at Indy(online) verses Speed Test(offline)? Is it just a case of running a slightly shorter or tighter gear box for online at Indy due to the shorter distance? Or do the online physics effect suspenssion differently to how it does offline. (eg: offline a min - max spring rate might be best, would a different setting be more beinifical online?)
Or does the online/offline physics difference not effect straight line perfomance?

I honestly... Couldn't tell you. I've never run Indy particularly competitively (I ran tunnel until SSRX hit) but I can almost guarantee that it's got different traction levels than SSRX by itself, same for tunnel vs SSRX. Tuning at SSRX is fine if you're going to be running at SSRX but I'd suggest at least trying to tweak launch gearing for Indy. I would not suggest going for a shorter box just because Indy is shorter, so long as you are in your powerband at the end of the track, as you'd probably wind up breaking your launch gear in order to do so and it's just not worth it. Launch is #1 priority.

 

[salikriaz]

Heres a question i've always wondered but never been able to put enough time in myself to find out due to my connection.

How much difference is there in the online / offline physics divide when drag racing at Indy(online) verses Speed Test(offline)? Is it just a case of running a slightly shorter or tighter gear box for online at Indy due to the shorter distance? Or do the online physics effect suspenssion differently to how it does offline. (eg: offline a min - max spring rate might be best, would a different setting be more beinifical online?)
Or does the online/offline physics difference not effect straight line perfomance?

I know for a fact my Civic Type R 08 fishtails all over the place at Indy online while bieng compeletly fine on SSRX...

Either find grip in the first two or try shortening 3rd a bit if you can avoid 4th gear lag.

Or, alternately, just run longer overall. Figure out how you've got your gear spread (if you're happy with it) and just redo it, starting with a taller final (then going back down to minimum final).

Or go 2nd gear launch if you're running 1/4 because it lets you go with much tighter spreads.

I'll try second gear launching then. Thank you 👍

 

[Rotary Junkie]

I know for a fact my Civic Type R 08 fishtails all over the place at Indy online while bieng compeletly fine on SSRX...

Hello -1.00 rear toe!

Indy isn't glass smooth like SSRX and that much toe out WILL destabilize a car MASSIVELY... Add in a bump and you've got suspension movement and weight transfer, with fishtailing as a result.

Just reminded me of what happened when I tried the 1/4 suspension I had on my FTO with a top speed run gearset... Constant correction at 160mph FTW, taking all lanes just to keep it off the walls also FTW.

I'll try second gear launching then. Thank you 👍

No problem; also, honestly, you do not want to stay spinning in your 2nd used gear, thus my "go longer" recommendation.

 

[salikriaz]

Hello -1.00 rear toe!

Indy isn't glass smooth like SSRX and that much toe out WILL destabilize a car MASSIVELY... Add in a bump and you've got suspension movement and weight transfer, with fishtailing as a result.

Just reminded me of what happened when I tried the 1/4 suspension I had on my FTO with a top speed run gearset... Constant correction at 160mph FTW, taking all lanes just to keep it off the walls also FTW.



No problem; also, honestly, you do not want to stay spinning in your 2nd used gear, thus my "go longer" recommendation.

Yes I figured that out first time I took it online. Ah well, i'll take ssrx times over Indy any day. Lol I can imagine, it goes everywhere.

So if i launched off of second i'd want it to have caught grip by third? That might not happen... i'll try all those out then

 

[Rotary Junkie]

So if i launched off of second i'd want it to have caught grip by third? That might not happen... i'll try all those out then

Yep. What car is it?

 

[MNP]

Heres a question i've always wondered but never been able to put enough time in myself to find out due to my connection.

How much difference is there in the online / offline physics divide when drag racing at Indy(online) verses Speed Test(offline)? Is it just a case of running a slightly shorter or tighter gear box for online at Indy due to the shorter distance? Or do the online physics effect suspenssion differently to how it does offline. (eg: offline a min - max spring rate might be best, would a different setting be more beinifical online?)
Or does the online/offline physics difference not effect straight line perfomance?

If you're part of Redsuns the drift team, you should know physics online are way different than that of anything offline. Drifters could all tell you that they are two totally different feeling surfaces which probably has nothing to do with the track being different just the way the game runs online makes grip much less realistic.

 

[Maccer_42]

If you're part of Redsuns the drift team, you should know physics online are way different than that of anything offline. Drifters could all tell you that they are two totally different feeling surfaces which probably has nothing to do with the track being different just the way the game runs online makes grip much less realistic.

I do know the there is a HUGE difference in online physics compared to offline in not only the surfaces, but the way the suspension reacts, from my experience the way I set up cars to suit my driving style for circuit/track racing a good online suspension setup = too much understeer offline, and a good offline suspension setup = too much oversteer online, my question was how much the difference in physics effects the straight line perfomance of the car.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

I do know the there is a HUGE difference in online physics compared to offline in not only the surfaces, but the way the suspension reacts, from my experience the way I set up cars to suit my driving style for circuit/track racing a good online suspension setup = too much understeer offline, and a good offline suspension setup = too much oversteer online, my question was how much the difference in physics effects the straight line perfomance of the car.

Someone doesn't do many MR/RR cars :-"

I swear a very large portion of the online/offline difference is that online exaggerates fuel weight.

Why do I say this?

Way back, before Spec II even, I built a RUF RGT offline. Took it online, understeer. Same for a fair few others, including a Proto Spirra. My NSX that I tuned to be just slightly tight until the tires were warm online was a bit loose offline, etc etc.

Between this and different tire heat modelling we've probably got most of the difference covered. There are some other oddities but really it explains pretty much all of it.

 

[DavidtheGT20]

Do you have any tips on how to tune dampers and spring rates on a FR rotary car? And what's the best Route X launch technique?

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Do you have any tips on how to tune dampers and spring rates on a FR rotary car? And what's the best Route X launch technique?

Spring rates for FR will usually be either max/min or min/min depending on run length. Generally, max/min will be a bit quicker short-track but min/min will do better on the top end.

Dampers... It depends on the car. Experiment with it; use automatic and adjust them to see. Thing is, the changes are extremely miniscule.

 

[DavidtheGT20]

Spring rates for FR will usually be either max/min or min/min depending on run length. Generally, max/min will be a bit quicker short-track but min/min will do better on the top end.

Dampers... It depends on the car. Experiment with it; use automatic and adjust them to see. Thing is, the changes are extremely miniscule.

Thanks!Yeah, the dampers are a bit hard, so i'll experiment. 💡 So what would the spring rate be if it was 1/4 and it's an RX car i'm using?

 

[Simple Matt]

Thanks!Yeah, the dampers are a bit hard, so i'll experiment. 💡 So what would the spring rate be if it was 1/4 and it's an RX car i'm using?

Go to SSRX, auto transmission.. Full throttle launch from black screen.. Then this is where you can perfect your suspension for Indy due to the fact it's 'exactly' how Indy takes place.. Start with min/min and work your front springs up until you start doing worse.. Then you know what to have your springs at 👍

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Go to SSRX, auto transmission.. Full throttle launch from black screen.. Then this is where you can perfect your suspension for Indy due to the fact it's 'exactly' how Indy takes place.. Start with min/min and work your front springs up until you start doing worse.. Then you know what to have your springs at 👍

I'ma just say this.

Either max works or min works. Haven't seen the in-betweens actually work better than the extremes.

Then again I only got to play with like 20 cars before my PS3 started going Fully Stupid.

 

[Simple Matt]

I'ma just say this.

Either max works or min works. Haven't seen the in-betweens actually work better than the extremes.

Then again I only got to play with like 20 cars before my PS3 started going Fully Stupid.

I know that your favourite car likes to have max/12.5 spring rates

 

[Rotary Junkie]

It used to be in love with min/max with max/max ride height in GT4...

Which was quite a departure from most other stuff, which tended more towards min/min springs and max/min ride height.

 

[Gvesho518]

@Red sun- the only reason ff cars fishtail at indy is because their probably never lined up as straight as we think they are. We always tap the anolog at some point causing ff to fishtail. (not all but some) at ssrx the car is allready lined up for you...

 

[viperbeatsvette]

@Red sun- the only reason ff cars fishtail at indy is because their probably never lined up as straight as we think they are. We always tap the anolog at some point causing ff to fishtail. (not all but some) at ssrx the car is allready lined up for you...

Im pretty sure it isn't a flat level track towards the end and the ballast reacts with change in direction on the crest of the unseen hill

 

[Simple Matt]

Im pretty sure it isn't a flat level track towards the end and the ballast reacts with change in direction on the crest of the unseen hill

You seen my DC5 at the end of the run

 

[viperbeatsvette]

You seen my DC5 at the end of the run

should see my srt4

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Just open the tire load indicator at Indy. All 4 corners will jiggle around a ton. Rear toe out + weight shift = tail wants to move.