Oval setups

[Alesi md]

Hi I would like someone with experience in RL setups to explain to me the essence of oval setup for indycar (preferably mid 90s cart) for the low banked ovals such as homestead and gateway.

from the beggining. difference between left and right side. why is right side stiffer, why is left side softer. than camber, caster. In particular caster because I am completely unfammiliar with it. and so on, tyre pressure, anti roll bar etc...

thank you

I need it to set my car up properly in rfactor, but sim racing community is rather weak at explaining. (so please do not move it there)

also the preload in the differential -what does it do?

[flatlander_48]

No expert here, but you want the right side for ovals to be stiffer to minimize roll. The weight transfer to the right side places more loading on that side. With modern aerodynamics, people figured out that it was best to try to keep the relationship of the car to the track the same as much as possible. This applies to cornering, braking and acceleration.

[Alesi md]

No expert here, but you want the right side for ovals to be stiffer to minimize roll. The weight transfer to the right side places more loading on that side. With modern aerodynamics, people figured out that it was best to try to keep the relationship of the car to the track the same as much as possible. This applies to cornering, braking and acceleration.

I can understand that. But I have some manual -that is a bit dodgy, and it says that I need to stiff up left suspension because that way left tyres will heat up at the same rate as right tyres. So he advocates stiff left and soft right - ofcourse the setup is completely undriveable but it does help to heat up left tyres -but overall its useless

[rrrr]

This is a website with setup advice for a NASCAR sim...it may give you some help as it has good detail.

http://www.racelinecentral.com/Racin...e.html#CHASSIS ADJUSTMENTS

Diff preload adjusts the clutches in the differential...it changes how drive power is split between the rear wheels when the car turns. This website explains how a limited slip diff works:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm

When the preload setting is overcome by differential torque in a turn the axles turn independently. A higher preload value keeps the axles locked together and increases understeer in the corner.

Disclaimer: I know nothing about sim racing. Used to be good at Asteroids in the 80's, though.

[flatlander_48]

I can understand that. But I have some manual -that is a bit dodgy, and it says that I need to stiff up left suspension because that way left tyres will heat up at the same rate as right tyres. So he advocates stiff left and soft right - ofcourse the setup is completely undriveable but it does help to heat up left tyres -but overall its useless

That's sort of wierd. To achieve traction, you need 2 things. The tire has to be up to working temperature and the tire has to be loaded. With soft springs on the right, I think the weight transfer would reduce the loading on the left. Biasing static weight to the left side is one way to improve left side loading, but what you read sounds suspect. Sounds more like something you'd do for dirt.

[ptclaus98]

This is a website with setup advice for a NASCAR sim...it may give you some help as it has good detail.

http://www.racelinecentral.com/Racin...e.html#CHASSIS ADJUSTMENTS

Diff preload adjusts the clutches in the differential...it changes how drive power is split between the rear wheels when the car turns. This website explains how a limited slip diff works:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm

When the preload setting is overcome by differential torque in a turn the axles turn independently. A higher preload value keeps the axles locked together and increases understeer in the corner.

Disclaimer: I know nothing about sim racing. Used to be good at Asteroids in the 80's, though.

Just take what you do know from the real world, and everything you've wanted to do, but couldn't because it wasn't feasible for keeping a car on track for the duration of a race, or in one piece for that amount of time, and you're on the right track.