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How to Make Custom Setups in Iracing

New to iRacing? This beginner-friendly guide explains how to make custom setups in iRacing, with clear steps, examples, and tips to build confidence and lap time.

If you’re new to iRacing, the garage screen can feel like cockpit switches on a jet. This guide explains how to make custom setups in iRacing in plain English, with simple steps you can try today. You’ll understand what each change does, avoid common traps, and know exactly where to start.

Quick Answer (Featured Snippet Style)

how to make custom setups in iracing in iRacing means choosing and saving your own car settings—like tire pressure, brake bias, and wings—to match a track and driving style. For beginners, it steadies the car, builds confidence, and adds lap time without risky, confusing, engineer-level changes.

What This Guide Covers

What how to make custom setups in iracing means in iRacing
Why beginners struggle with it
Step-by-step guidance to do it correctly
Common mistakes to avoid
A simple practice drill you can run today
When it helps to ask other iRacing drivers for feedback

What “Custom Setups” Mean in iRacing

Simple definition: A “setup” is the car’s mechanical and aerodynamic settings. A custom setup is one you change and save yourself instead of using the default.
Analogy: Think of it like adjusting a bicycle—seat height (ride height), tire pressure, and handlebar position—to fit your body and a specific trail.
Where it lives in iRacing: In any test, practice, or open-setup session, click Garage to load, tweak, and Save As. Setups are stored in Documents/iRacing/setups/[Car Name].

Important: Many rookie and some official series are “fixed setup,” meaning everyone uses the same setup in the race. You can still practice with custom setups in Test or AI sessions, but you won’t be able to load them in fixed races. Open-setup series allow you to use your custom setup.

Why This Matters for Rookies

Confidence and consistency: A small tweak like lowering brake bias can stop front lock-ups and spins, instantly calming your laps.
Cleaner races, better Safety Rating: Stable, predictable cars reduce off-tracks and incidents. That helps you progress faster.
Save time and frustration: You don’t need engineer-level changes—just a few beginner-friendly iRacing setup tips unlock comfort and pace.
Natural progression: Learning how iRacing works in the garage prepares you for open-setup series when you’re ready.

Common Problems Beginners Face With Setups

Problem 1: “The car spins easily on corner exit.”

Why it happens: Too much throttle for the available rear grip, often paired with cold tires or too-aggressive rear settings.
How to fix it: Start with higher rear tire pressures for stability or slightly soften the rear anti-roll bar (if available). Short-shift on exit. Add a tick of rear wing on high-downforce cars.

Problem 2: “I lock the brakes and slide straight on turn-in.”

Why it happens: Brake bias too far forward, cold fronts, or braking too hard while turning.
How to fix it: Move brake bias rearward 0.5–1.0% at a time. Brake in a straight line, then release pressure as you turn (trail braking). Let tires warm for two laps before pushing.

Problem 3: “The car won’t turn mid-corner.”

Why it happens: Understeer from too little front grip—pressures, roll stiffness, or aero.
How to fix it: Lower front tire pressures slightly (0.5–1.0 PSI), soften the front anti-roll bar one click, and slow your entry a touch. On aero cars, add a click of front wing if available.

Problem 4: “I made ten changes and got slower.”

Why it happens: Big or multiple changes hide which adjustment helped or hurt.
How to fix it: Change one thing at a time, take notes, and do three-lap comparisons. If lost, reload Baseline and start over with small steps.

Step-by-Step Guide: how to make custom setups in iracing

Start a safe test

Open the iRacing UI, create a Test session or AI race with your car and track. No Safety Rating or iRating is affected here.

Load a sensible baseline

Click Garage, Load, and pick Baseline or a “Fixed” setup provided by iRacing. Baselines are usually stable starting points.

Warm the tires, get a feel

Drive 4–5 laps smoothly. Note what the car does on corner entry, mid-corner, and exit. Don’t chase lap time yet—feel the balance.

Adjust tire pressures first

Small changes (0.5–1.0 PSI). Aim for even, stable handling after a few laps. Lower pressure = more grip/feel, higher = snappier response.

Set brake bias for control

Move by 0.5% steps. If you lock the fronts, move bias rearward. If the rear wiggles under braking, move it forward. Save each change and test 2–3 laps.

Tame the car with anti-roll bars (if available)

Softer front ARB = more front grip (reduces understeer). Softer rear ARB = more rear grip (reduces oversteer). One click at a time, then retest.

Aero tweaks for downforce cars

More rear wing = stability, especially in fast corners, but usually costs top speed. Add one click if exits feel floaty; remove one if you’re stable but need straight-line speed.

Fine-tune dampers and springs later

As a beginner, skip deep damper tuning at first. If offered, try small spring changes (5–10 N/mm or similar) only after you’re consistent.

Save early, save often

Click Save As and name clearly: “Track-Car-Date-Balanced” (e.g., “Okayama MX-5 2025-01 neutral”). Build versions: v1, v2, etc.

Compare objectively

Do back-to-back three-lap runs and compare best laps and consistency. If a change gains confidence but is 0.05s slower, keep it—you’ll drive it faster soon.

Prepare for the session type

Fixed race: you can’t load custom setups—still practice to learn car behavior. Open race: load your saved setup from Garage before gridding.

Common mistake to avoid

Don’t chase a “hot lap” setup that’s twitchy. Race pace needs predictability over 10–20 laps, not one hero time.

Optional tip: Record a replay lap and watch from chase cam to see if the car rolls or slides more at the front or rear—that hints where to adjust ARBs or pressures.

Practical Example (Before vs. After)

Before (Typical Rookie)

What they do: Load into practice, change five sliders randomly, go for a hot lap.
What they feel: Car oversteers on exit, locks fronts into hairpins, pace is inconsistent.
Outcome: Spins, off-tracks, frustration, not sure which change caused it.

After (Correct Approach)

What they change: Only tire pressures and brake bias first, one step at a time, saving versions.
What they feel: Predictable braking, stable exits, smoother steering.
Outcome: Fewer mistakes, steady lap times, better racecraft—and they know why the car improved.

Simple Practice Drill (5–10 Minutes)

Load a Test session at Okayama Short with the Global MX-5 Cup.
Warm the tires for two laps.
Do three laps focusing only on braking: straight-line brake, ease off as you turn, no ABS pulses or lock-ups.
If fronts lock, reduce brake bias by 0.5%. Do three more laps. Repeat once.
Save the setup as “Okayama MX5 BrakeBias v1” when it feels calm and controlled.

Ignore lap time—prioritize feeling the car rotate without sliding.

Pro Tips for New iRacing Drivers

If the car snaps on exit, add a click of rear wing (aero cars) or soften the rear ARB one step.
If the steering washes wide mid-corner, lower front pressures 0.5–1.0 PSI before touching springs.
Use Test or AI sessions to experiment without risking Safety Rating.
Change one thing at a time and do short A/B runs; take simple notes in your setup names.
Watch one fast onboard lap and copy braking points and gears before tuning the car.
Re-centre on basics: smoother inputs beat fancy setups when you’re new.

When to Ask for Help (Gentle Community Push)

If setups still feel like alphabet soup, you’re not alone—everyone wrestles with this at first. Many new iRacing drivers hang out in beginner-friendly Discord communities where they can share replays and ask quick questions. A couple of comments on your braking and corner entry can transform your setup direction in minutes.

FAQs About how to make custom setups in iracing in iRacing

Is making custom setups important for beginners?
- Helpful, but not mandatory. In fixed series, focus on driving technique. In open series, a few simple changes (pressures, brake bias, ARBs) can add confidence quickly.
How do I know if my setup is better?
- You should feel more control and make fewer mistakes over a 5–10 lap run. If average pace and consistency improve, keep it—even if a single lap isn’t the absolute fastest.
Do I need special hardware or telemetry tools?
- No. The in-game Garage is enough. Telemetry and third‑party apps help later, but smooth driving and small, methodical changes matter more for iRacing beginners.
Can I practice setups offline or with AI?
- Yes. Test and AI sessions are perfect for learning without pressure. Conditions are repeatable, so your comparisons are cleaner.
How long until I’m comfortable tuning?
- Most new to iRacing drivers feel competent after a few evenings of targeted practice. Start with pressures and brake bias; add ARBs and simple aero once you’re consistent.
Do setups carry across tracks?
- You can reuse them as a starting point, but always recheck pressures and bias. Different corners and weather can require small tweaks.

Final Takeaways

Start simple: tire pressures and brake bias first.
Change one thing at a time, test 3–5 laps, and save versions.
Prioritize stability and consistency over a twitchy “hot lap” setup.
Next session: run the brake-bias drill, save your best-feeling version, and build from there.

You don’t have to master everything tonight. Focus on one priority per session and enjoy how much calmer and cleaner your iRacing races feel.

Optional Next Steps

Next: Fixed vs. Open Setups in iRacing—What’s Best for Beginners
Or read: Essential Control Settings and FFB for New iRacing Drivers