Funnybear
24th April 2006, 09:44
Having noticed a few people struggle to come up with good lap times whilst still using the old patch setups I thought I would jot down what I have done to make me competative. I hope you find it helpful, this does concentrate on the rear wheel drive closed wheelers. As thats what I drive predominatly, but I think some of the general principles will stretch to other race car types. This is just a reaction to some people who seem to be struggling in applying changes to the adapt to the new physics and tyre grip improvements.
Ok. This is what I have done. (These are very specific changes for the FZR and I am a mouser. A few times for you: 58.54 As Club; 1.42.02 As Nat. 2.14.02 Ky Long GP. But like I said, basic principle can probs be applied acroos many of the LFS cars. Except the F1, which I have no idea about and am still learning how to set the thing up, man that thing is fast.)
So.
1 - Lower and stiffen the suspension. As the high nose bug as been lessened if not eliminated and the low speed grip issue remedied then the suspension can be lowered and stiffened to quite some considerable degree. (To the limits given by the race track of course) Having more basic mechanical grip means a stiff suspension setup will not create an uncontrolalble car as before.
2 - Raise the tyre pressures. You can also do this by quite a bit, just raise them untill either the tyre wear becomes an issue or braking becomes a problem. This give you the benefit of greater straight line speed and more direct steering inputs as the contact patch is reduced and the rigidity of the tyre returns to more realistic parameters.
3 - Reduce downforce. Again becasue of more basic grip and the rear end being less likely to trip you out the race the downforce can be brought down considerable. Just keep reducing untill you feel the car slipping on the limits of adhesion and dial some back in if you feel you need too. With less downforce you have more straight line speed.
4 - decrease 1st gear length. With the rear rubber gripping so much more, bogging at the start has become an issue so reduce the length of 1st and increase the locking power of the clutch, more tyre grip, less need to compenstate with low locking power. For fellow mousers you could think about timming back 2nd and possible 3rd from you normal setting. Again this wonderful new rear grip means you can put more power down without the fear of stepping out, lower gear ratios means greater acceleration.
5 - Reduce rear toe in. More toe in, whilst increasing stability can leech away your outright speed. You don't need so much anymore to keep control of that wayward rear so bring the wheels back to the straight and narrow.
6 - Increase your braking power. Even mousers can get nearly 1500 N/m out of the brakes now(depending on tyre pressures and camber settings). I run 1440 on my AS. Nat setup. But that varies and mouse users need to keep the Braking power lower than pedal users . . .
7 - Fuel. I have noticed a decrease (In the FZR) of the amount it drinks. So check out F12 and bring down your fuel assignment to compensate.
8 - Colour. Red. It's proven to be the fastest colour. So change to red and you'll be knocking seconds off your PB in no time.
So. These recommendation are from me and predominatly for the FZR. I am not a 'pro racer' by any stretch. But hopefully it will help those around that seem to be struggling getting the most from the new patch. There are plenty more experianced racers who will give much better guides than this but I hope this is a good basic something to use.
I would seriously reccomend reading the manuals and getting to grips with the setups your selves, With the new patch the cars are handling better than ever and real world sensibilities are really starting to be applicable in LFS.
If anyone has some open wheeler advice, steering wheel user differences and front wheel drive settings that they find useful and effective please add them in. Anything we can do to make people more competative and stopping them from using my bumper as a brake is a good thing . . . .
Ok. This is what I have done. (These are very specific changes for the FZR and I am a mouser. A few times for you: 58.54 As Club; 1.42.02 As Nat. 2.14.02 Ky Long GP. But like I said, basic principle can probs be applied acroos many of the LFS cars. Except the F1, which I have no idea about and am still learning how to set the thing up, man that thing is fast.)
So.
1 - Lower and stiffen the suspension. As the high nose bug as been lessened if not eliminated and the low speed grip issue remedied then the suspension can be lowered and stiffened to quite some considerable degree. (To the limits given by the race track of course) Having more basic mechanical grip means a stiff suspension setup will not create an uncontrolalble car as before.
2 - Raise the tyre pressures. You can also do this by quite a bit, just raise them untill either the tyre wear becomes an issue or braking becomes a problem. This give you the benefit of greater straight line speed and more direct steering inputs as the contact patch is reduced and the rigidity of the tyre returns to more realistic parameters.
3 - Reduce downforce. Again becasue of more basic grip and the rear end being less likely to trip you out the race the downforce can be brought down considerable. Just keep reducing untill you feel the car slipping on the limits of adhesion and dial some back in if you feel you need too. With less downforce you have more straight line speed.
4 - decrease 1st gear length. With the rear rubber gripping so much more, bogging at the start has become an issue so reduce the length of 1st and increase the locking power of the clutch, more tyre grip, less need to compenstate with low locking power. For fellow mousers you could think about timming back 2nd and possible 3rd from you normal setting. Again this wonderful new rear grip means you can put more power down without the fear of stepping out, lower gear ratios means greater acceleration.
5 - Reduce rear toe in. More toe in, whilst increasing stability can leech away your outright speed. You don't need so much anymore to keep control of that wayward rear so bring the wheels back to the straight and narrow.
6 - Increase your braking power. Even mousers can get nearly 1500 N/m out of the brakes now(depending on tyre pressures and camber settings). I run 1440 on my AS. Nat setup. But that varies and mouse users need to keep the Braking power lower than pedal users . . .
7 - Fuel. I have noticed a decrease (In the FZR) of the amount it drinks. So check out F12 and bring down your fuel assignment to compensate.
8 - Colour. Red. It's proven to be the fastest colour. So change to red and you'll be knocking seconds off your PB in no time.
So. These recommendation are from me and predominatly for the FZR. I am not a 'pro racer' by any stretch. But hopefully it will help those around that seem to be struggling getting the most from the new patch. There are plenty more experianced racers who will give much better guides than this but I hope this is a good basic something to use.
I would seriously reccomend reading the manuals and getting to grips with the setups your selves, With the new patch the cars are handling better than ever and real world sensibilities are really starting to be applicable in LFS.
If anyone has some open wheeler advice, steering wheel user differences and front wheel drive settings that they find useful and effective please add them in. Anything we can do to make people more competative and stopping them from using my bumper as a brake is a good thing . . . .