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How to Calibrate Pedals in Iracing

Learn how to calibrate pedals in iRacing for accurate brake and throttle control. A calm step-by-step guide for iRacing beginners to get confident, quickly.

If you’ve ever loaded iRacing and felt the pedals behaved like a mystery box, you’re not alone. New setups, jumpy brakes, or zero throttle feel are common. This short guide will show new to iRacing drivers a clear, calm path to accurate pedal input so you can focus on driving, not fiddling.

how to calibrate pedals in iracing — Quick Answer

Calibrating pedals in iRacing means mapping and trimming your throttle, brake, and clutch so their travel matches iRacing’s inputs. In iRacing’s Controls options choose your device, assign axes, use the calibration sliders to set min/max, and save. Proper calibration prevents dead zones and inconsistent braking.

Why this matters for beginners

For iRacing beginners, pedal calibration is the difference between predictable braking and surprise lockups. Many new to iRacing think the car or setup is broken when it’s just uncalibrated hardware. Correct calibration gives consistent lap-to-lap control, makes learning how iRacing works easier, and speeds progress more than chasing advanced setup tweaks.

Simple step-by-step guide

Connect and power your pedals, then open iRacing and go to Options > Controls.
Select your pedals’ device from the dropdown and click “Edit Controls.”
Click each axis (Throttle, Brake, Clutch) and move the pedal fully to register min and max. Use the “Calibrate” sliders to trim the endpoints until full travel reads ~100% and resting reads ~0–1%.
For brake, set a firm stop (don’t force the travel) and adjust the brake pedal’s deadzone to remove tiny unwanted inputs.
Save the profile, test in a slow pace session, and make micro-adjustments (±1–3%) until inputs feel linear and repeatable.

Common mistakes (and quick fixes)

Mistake: Leaving large deadzones. Fix: Reduce deadzone so small inputs register; only keep a tiny deadzone to avoid noise.
Mistake: Overriding device software calibration twice. Fix: Use device software OR iRacing calibrate—prefer iRacing for consistency, disable conflicting profiles.
Mistake: Not testing in a session. Fix: Try a short solo practice run; adjust if braking point or throttle response feels off.

Quick pro tips

Recalibrate after moving or reinstalling pedals — physical changes shift readings.
If brake feels too sensitive, add a small linearity curve in your device software rather than in iRacing.
Record a short video of pedal output (many wheels/software show graphs) to spot spikes or jitter.
Use “Save As” to keep baseline profiles for different cars or setups.
For reliable advice, look up iRacing tips from your wheel manufacturer and user forums.

FAQs

Q: How often should I calibrate pedals?
A: After setup changes, new firmware, or if input feels inconsistent — otherwise monthly is fine for stable hardware.

Q: My brake still clicks to 100% instantly. What now?
A: Check for hardware deadstop or a mis-set deadzone/linearity in device software; set endpoints in iRacing and reduce hardware amplification.

Q: Can I calibrate while driving?
A: No — calibrate in the Controls menu and test in a practice session. Don’t calibrate during live races.

Q: Will calibration fix everything?
A: It fixes input mapping and common jumpiness. It won’t replace bad footwork — practice is still essential.

Final takeaways Calibrating pedals is a small setup step with big rewards: predictable braking, smoother throttle control, and faster learning as an iRacing beginner. Next session: spend 10 minutes calibrating, save the profile, then run three clean laps to feel the difference.