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How to Reduce Car Bounce in Iracing

Fix how to reduce car bounce in iRacing fast: step-by-step setup and driving fixes to stop porpoising, soften springs, and correct ride height for stable handling.

If you’re dealing with how to reduce car bounce in iRacing, the short answer is: find whether it’s aerodynamic porpoising or mechanical bounce, then raise ride height a bit, soften springs, and tune dampers and anti-roll bars in small steps. You’re in the right place to fix it fast.

Quick Answer

Most bounce comes from either aero stall (porpoising) or overly stiff mechanical setup. To stop it quickly: raise ride height a few mm, soften springs slightly, and increase rebound damping to control the return. Test after each small change.

What’s Really Going On

There are two common causes:

Aero porpoising: the car’s underbody/aero stalls at low ride height, causing a rapid up-and-down. It feels like the whole car is pumping.
Mechanical bounce: springs, anti-roll bars, or damper settings are too stiff or rebound is wrong, so hitting bumps or kerbs makes the car hop.

In plain terms: porpoising is air causing the car to “buck”; mechanical bounce is the suspension not absorbing impacts. Both reduce grip and are costly in pace and control.

Step-by-Step Fix

Identify the type: if bounce happens at high speed on straights or under braking, it’s likely aero porpoising. If it’s over kerbs or bumps in slow corners, it’s mechanical.
Raise ride height slightly: increase by 1–3 mm (or 1–3 clicks if your setup tool uses clicks). This reduces aero stall and is the fastest fix.
Soften spring rates a touch: lower front and/or rear spring stiffness by a small step. Softer springs absorb impacts better.
Adjust dampers: increase rebound damping a little to slow how quickly the car springs back. If the car bottoms hard, increase compression damping slightly.
Soften anti-roll bars: reduce front or rear ARB stiffness if the car is hopping during weight transfer or over kerbs.
Test and repeat: make one change at a time, run a few laps, and re-evaluate. If porpoising persists, further raise ride height before making large spring or wing changes.

Extra Tips / Checklist

Make tiny changes: 1–3 clicks or 1–3 mm per test so you can see cause and effect.
Check tire pressures: overinflated tires can make the car skittish and amplify bounce.
Avoid aggressive kerb riding: smooth inputs reduce mechanical triggers for bounce.
Use telemetry or replay: watch ride height and vertical G to see where the oscillation starts.
Don’t chase lap time immediately: stable is faster long-term than a setup that breaks down under load.

FAQs

Q: Will increasing wing help porpoising? A: Increasing wing adds downforce and can actually make porpoising worse at low ride heights. Try raising ride height first.

Q: How many mm should I raise ride height? A: Start with 1–3 mm (or one small adjustment in-game). Test, then add more only if needed.

Q: My car only bounces on kerbs — what next? A: That’s usually mechanical. Soften springs, weaken anti-roll bars, and increase rebound to absorb the impact.

Q: Can driving style fix bounce? A: Yes. Avoid harsh kerb attacks, be smoother on throttle and steering, and trail-brake less aggressively over bumps.

Wrap-Up

Fixing bounce is about diagnosing aero vs mechanical, then making small, deliberate setup changes: ride height, springs, dampers, and ARBs. Do one change at a time, test a few laps, and you’ll find a stable balance quickly. Next session: try one small ride-height raise and one softening of springs — you’ll likely see immediate improvement.