F1 2020 BRAZIL SETUP HOW TO
F1 2020 BRAZIL SETUP PRO

You want to start with changing the number of plates to control how quickly the differential builds up locking force.

However, here’s a starting point when you think about each diff setting:

F1 2020 BRAZIL SETUP HOW TO

As always, it’s important to experiment with each setting to gain experience with the car and to develop an instinct for how to approach differential setup. You can achieve identical handling with completely different diff builds/configurations. For example, here are the differential settings for the McLaren MP-30: For instance 50/80, where 50 stands for the locking during deceleration into corners, and 80 for acceleration out of corners.Įach car in iRacing has a different differential settings available, under different names and configuration values. The Ramp angle: this can be used to tune the amount of locking under deceleration/acceleration.The heavier the preload spring, the easier your differential will lock. With small enough (or negative) preload, you can open up your differential. Preload spring: defines the base amount of force that is applied on these friction and clutch plates.Number and/or type of of friction & clutch plates: the more friction and clutch plates, the more locking happens through all corner phases.By optimizing the diff setup, you can improve your car handling through a corner.Ī limited slip differential might have any (or none) of the following adjustments available, but here’s what they do:

And you can tune it to apply a certain amount of “lock” between the left and right tires. You can tune the differential to behave as an open differential in certain conditions. Most race cars thus use a limited slip differential, which offers the best of both worlds. A popular locking differential is the Detroit Locker, used in NASCAR.Īs we saw, both a spool and an open diff have their issues, especially in racing conditions. The locker mechanism unlocks the wheels during corner entry and mid-corner and locks them on corner exit, when on the power.

F1 2020 BRAZIL SETUP PRO

On iRacing, the Pro Mazda, Skip Barber and Spec Racer Ford are open diff cars.Ī locking differential can behave both as an open differential and as a spool. In addition, the balance changes suddenly through the corner, which is not desirable for a race car, as you are giving up traction.

The open diff presents challenges in low traction conditions. Excessive spin on the drive axle cause that axle to lose grip causing sudden oversteer (on RWD cars) or understeer (on FWD cars). Most open diff cars are underpowered, however, high-powered open diff cars (or cars with open limited slip differential), may spin the inside wheel on corner exit. In terms of handling, an open diff gives you oversteer at the entry of a corner, and will understeer at the exit. Consequently, there may not be enough torque going to the tire on the grippy surface, so acceleration would suffer. This is quite unfavorable when one tire is on a slippery surface like mud, grass, ice or wet track markings, as the tire on the slippery surface will end up spinning, consuming most of the available engine torque. The open diff also allows more torque to be transferred towards the less loaded tire. Notable road car examples on iRacing are the V8 Supercars.Ī completely open differential allows the left and right tires to rotate entirely independently.

Spools are typically used in karts, drag racecars, some oval race cars and some road race cars. In terms of handling, this causes understeer when decelerating, and oversteer when accelerating. This causes stress (wear) on both tires and the drive train. So, the inside is forced to rotate faster than it needs for the turn radius and hence spins. When going around a corner, the outside tire has to travel a longer distance. A spool ensures both left and right tires rotate at exactly the same speed.Ī spool gives you good traction accelerating on a straight line, but the handling of the car is compromised during turning. Some people weld their differential fixed, for instance to allow easier drifting. The spool is essentially a solid axle connection between the left and right wheels, or a fixed differential.

Locked differential (also known as a spool) If you’re interested in the mechanical workings of a differential, we recommend you check out the following videos: ‘ How a Differential Works?’, ‘ Understanding Limited Slip Differential’, and ‘ Working of Limited Slip Differential’. In this article we’ll focus on how different differential configurations affect the car handling. Its configuration determines how much of the torque coming off the engine is transferred to each wheel. The differential (or diff, for short) allows the left and right wheels to rotate independently, which helps balance the car through corners.

F1 2020 brazil setup