CooperS
Where I am very curious as to how to determine the "as possible" part.
Regards
CooperS
The as possible part is I think why we are all here. If you are like me, then you came here to learn, as we all probably did, so we must teach each other.
CooperS
So low suspension values is the way to go, but not too low. How do you know if the values are too low? What behavior in a car are you looking for to determine if a car has too soft suspension settings?
This is difficult to quantify but is most easily determined by incremental testing. Which is to say set it soft and run a test lap(s). Bump it a click higher and test again; repeat until lap times stop diminishing and start increasing. The best non-subjective way I have found to learn the ideal suspension values is to "
invoke the lap ghost" detailed in my
Noober Tuner Guide. Granted, my skills have increased since posting the guide, but the information contained can still be helpful. Clearly at some point, as with all adjustable parameters, one can beign to recognize the feedback the game provides to identify the condition of suspension stiffness.
CooperS
I guess the same question here, how can you tell the downforce is too much? What behavior in a car are you looking for?
Downforce is too much if you are driving a limited hp car and you can't race your competition in the straights. As to the matter of excessive DF negatively affecting cars with sufficient hp, the concept (at least being implemented in game physics) is theoretical but is nicely
described in Scaff's excellent thread on brakes. Although the game clearly includes the inherent friction Df generates, I have seen no evidence of traction reduction and usually tune for maximum. The test would be simple, however, if you suspect excessive DF: run a lap, reduce a click, then compare.
rk
The lowest height above "suspension unweighting" terrain irregularities will give the most stable center of gravity, but tractive effects of under chassis downforce far exceed the advantages from a low c.g.
CooperS
This is a little above my technical knowledge
But the message that remains is the ride height as low as possible. But like before: how?
Um, ok, this was a mouthful, let's try breaking it down.
The lowest height will give the most stable center of gravity, I think everyone will agree. It also seems patently obvious that terrain irregularities might interfere with that stability; what isn't so clear is the extent to which they do so. It isn't just a matter of tire wear on the bumpy Mulsanne, Polyphony can't give you that slam to the tailbone that sometimes is the only penalty for a bottomed suspension, so they have your car dart to one side, usually off the track and out of the running. You can easily see this at Nurburgring. Use the tune above (or any you like) but set for minimal ride height and run about 7 turns into the course, onto a bumpy straight that rises to a crest with a right-hand sweeper called Quiddlebacher Hohe (heights). No matter the other settings, if you full throttleup the straight and over that crest you are guaranteed to loose control upon landing, that is bump-stop unweighting. Now re-do the test using default or higher ride height and I guarantee you will see a difference.
Finally, I discovered chassis DF quite by accident, but it completely explains the elaborate fencing that has been showing up under the rear of racing cars. I was reading an article about the CLR that
flipped at La Sarthe in '99. Although I disagree with the autor about the causes, he made
reference to chassis DF: "That small rake angle creates a shallow ground effects tunnel which produces the vast majority of the total downforce generated by the car." See, the fencing exists to maintain this partial vacuum.
Coincidentally, I was having trouble at the time with the smaller sports cars at speed. I couldn't get cars like the Elan to stay on the straights at speeds above 125mph. I had tried everything, stiff, soft, camber, even ballast and it didn't seem right. I had remembered a tuner in GT2 that had made excellent raked tunes, which I finally, grudgingly, emulated; so I decided to apply the effect to the Elan and it worked like a charm.
Now all my tunes start at default and go up in back.
Hope this helps.
