Assetto Corsa Rally (AC Rally) setups

Front tyre pressure. On tarmac the reference is medium-high; on gravel/snow you drop it for more contact patch and traction. NOTE: the EA build has an inverted-PSI bug (more pressure gives more grip in-game, opposite to reality).

If you increase ↑

Sharper response and less rolling resistance (in theory a smaller patch). Due to the current bug, raising pressure is giving more grip.

If you decrease ↓

More patch and heat; softens the car over bumps. Useful on gravel/snow (except for the inverted-PSI bug).

Rear tyre pressure: affects exit traction and rear stability. Same logic and same inverted-PSI bug as the front in the EA build.

If you increase ↑

Twitchier rear, less patch (in theory). Due to the current bug it can give more traction.

If you decrease ↓

More rear patch and heat; improves traction on loose ground, softening the rear over bumps.

Front wheel lean seen from the front. More negative camber maximises lateral grip while loaded (especially on tarmac). On gravel slightly less negative is used to spread load over rough ground.

If you increase ↑

Toward 0 (less negative) improves straight-line braking and traction, lowering loaded lateral grip.

If you decrease ↓

More negative gives more cornering grip (ideal on tarmac), at the cost of straight-line braking and traction.

Rear axle camber: adjusts the rear's lateral grip and cornering balance.

If you increase ↑

Toward 0 improves straight-line traction but the rear grips less laterally.

If you decrease ↓

More negative stabilises the rear when loaded, costing some pure traction.

Where the front wheels point seen from above. AC Rally measures toe as a linear offset in METRES (small values). Toe-out (negative) sharpens entry and counters understeer; toe-in (positive) stabilises straight-line. (Sign convention: confirm in-game.)

If you increase ↑

Toward toe-in (positive) adds straight-line stability but lazier turn-in.

If you decrease ↓

More toe-out (negative) sharpens entry and steering response, with more nervousness and wear.

Rear axle toe (offset in metres). Toe-in (positive) stabilises the rear under power and braking; more toe-in is used on snow for stability. (Sign convention: confirm in-game.)

If you increase ↑

More toe-in stabilises the rear on power and braking, costing a touch of top speed and rotation.

If you decrease ↓

Less toe-in (toward toe-out) frees the rear for more rotation, with less stability on low grip.

Front spring stiffness, in N/m (note: the game shows N/m, not N/mm; 23000 N/m = 23 N/mm). Soft keeps the wheel on the ground on gravel/snow; stiff controls the body and weight transfer on tarmac.

If you increase ↑

Stiffer = a more controlled, precise platform on tarmac, but it skips over bumps and loses grip on loose surfaces.

If you decrease ↓

Softer = the wheel follows rough terrain better (gravel/snow), at the cost of body roll and tarmac precision.

Rear spring stiffness, in N/m. On gravel it's usually set even with or slightly softer than the front for traction and so the rear follows the ground under power.

If you increase ↑

Stiffer rear = more platform stability and response on tarmac, but less traction over bumps and a twitchier rear on loose ground.

If you decrease ↓

Softer rear = the rear follows the terrain and gains traction on gravel/snow, losing some body control.

The 'adjustment ring' sets front ride height (spring-platform position), in metres. Higher on gravel/snow to avoid bottoming and give travel; lower on tarmac to drop the centre of gravity.

If you increase ↑

Raising (higher value) gives travel and avoids bottoming on rough terrain, costing agility and a little tarmac grip.

If you decrease ↓

Lowering (lower value) reduces the centre of gravity and improves tarmac response, but risks bottoming out on bumps or jumps.

Rear ride height via the adjustment ring, in metres. With the front it sets the car's attitude: a slightly lower rear than the front (like the Balanced preset) stabilises; raising it gives gravel travel.

If you increase ↑

Raising the rear gives travel and a bit more rotation, but lifts the rear centre of gravity.

If you decrease ↓

Lowering the rear stabilises the car at high speed/on tarmac, costing some rotation and bump travel.

How much the front axle resists roll, in N/m. Soft allows independent wheel movement (gravel); stiff gives platform stability on high grip (tarmac). On the i20 it's set VERY soft at the front (2500) vs the rear to aid rotation.

If you increase ↑

Stiffer front = more understeer (front slides first); stable platform on tarmac.

If you decrease ↓

Softer front = less understeer and better compliance over rough terrain.

Rear axle roll resistance, in N/m. Inverse logic to the front: stiffening the rear increases rotation; softening it stabilises the rear. The i20 Balanced preset runs the rear much stiffer (14500) than the front.

If you increase ↑

Stiffer rear = more rotation/oversteer; helps understeer but loosens the rear.

If you decrease ↓

Softer rear = more traction and rear stability; fixes oversteer.

Front low-speed COMPRESSION damping (sustained weight transfer: braking, cornering loads). High = controlled transfer and tarmac precision; medium on gravel.

If you increase ↑

Firmer = more controlled weight transfer and precise response on tarmac; too much and the car gets harsh and pushes in loaded corners.

If you decrease ↓

Softer = smoother transitions and better grip on loose ground, at the cost of braking and cornering precision.

Front low-speed EXTENSION damping (how fast the body recovers when releasing the brake or unloading after a corner). Controls attitude in long transitions.

If you increase ↑

Firmer = the body recovers more slowly; stability on tarmac but less terrain compliance.

If you decrease ↓

Softer = quick front recovery; better on gravel/snow, more wallowy on tarmac.

Front high-speed COMPRESSION (sharp impacts: bumps, rocks, kerbs). Soft lets the wheel move up quickly on gravel; medium manages impacts on tarmac.

If you increase ↑

Firmer = better control of sharp impacts on tarmac, but on gravel the wheel can't react in time and skips.

If you decrease ↓

Softer = the wheel absorbs bumps and rocks without upsetting the car; ideal on gravel/snow.

Front high-speed EXTENSION (how fast it returns to the ground after a bump/jump). Too high and the wheel stays 'hung' after the hit and loses grip.

If you increase ↑

Firmer = the wheel returns to the ground more slowly; it can stay hung after big bumps (packing).

If you decrease ↓

Softer = the wheel regains contact quickly after a bump, keeping grip on rough terrain.

Rear low-speed compression. Manages rear weight transfer under power and in corners; key for traction and rear stability.

If you increase ↑

Firmer rear = a more controlled rear platform on tarmac, but less traction over bumps.

If you decrease ↓

Softer rear = more grip and traction on loose ground, with a bit more rear roll.

Rear low-speed extension. Controls how fast the rear recovers when lifting off the throttle/brake; affects lift-off oversteer.

If you increase ↑

Firmer = the rear recovers more slowly; stability but it can 'pack' the rear over successive bumps.

If you decrease ↓

Softer = quick rear recovery; better compliance on gravel, a touch twitchier on tarmac.

Rear high-speed compression (sharp rear impacts). Soft lets the rear absorb bumps and keep traction on gravel.

If you increase ↑

Firmer = more impact control on tarmac, but the rear skips on gravel.

If you decrease ↓

Softer = the rear absorbs bumps and rocks while keeping traction; ideal on loose ground.

Rear high-speed extension. Set too high, the rear stays in the air after a bump/jump and loses traction on landing.

If you increase ↑

Firmer = the rear returns to the ground more slowly after a hit; risk of packing over successive bumps.

If you decrease ↓

Softer = the rear regains contact quickly after bumps/jumps, keeping traction.

Fraction of braking sent to the front axle (0-1; 0.500 = 50% front). More forward (higher value) lets you brake harder on tarmac; neutral/rearward (lower value) avoids locking on gravel/snow and helps brake-rotation.

If you increase ↑

More forward = more stable, powerful braking on tarmac, but more risk of locking the fronts and understeering.

If you decrease ↓

More rearward helps brake-rotation and avoids locking on gravel/snow, with risk of the rear stepping out.

Front master-cylinder diameter (mm). With the rear it sets the real braking force and split: a smaller front cylinder lowers front force (shifts balance rearward). A 'hard' tweak usually left stock except for fine tuning.

If you increase ↑

Larger front cylinder = more front braking force (effective balance forward).

If you decrease ↓

Smaller front cylinder = less front force (effective balance rearward), less front locking.

Rear master-cylinder diameter (mm). A larger rear cylinder raises rear force (shifts balance rearward). Combines with the front cylinder and front balance for the final split.

If you increase ↑

Larger rear cylinder = more rear braking force (more brake-rotation, risk of rear locking).

If you decrease ↓

Smaller rear cylinder = less rear force (a more stable rear under braking).

Pad/shoe compound: 1 = Low, 2 = Medium, 3 = High. Higher bites harder and takes more heat (tarmac/hard braking); lower is more progressive and locks less on low grip (gravel/snow/ice).

If you increase ↑

Higher compound = more bite and heat tolerance; ideal on tarmac, but easier to lock on loose ground.

If you decrease ↓

Lower compound = more progressive braking and less locking on gravel/snow, with less peak bite.

How much force the handbrake applies (0-1). On 4WD the handbrake usually decouples the drivetrain; more force locks the rear more easily to swing the car in hairpins; less force gives a more measured rotation.

If you increase ↑

More force = the rear locks more easily with the handbrake (tight turns, hairpins).

If you decrease ↓

Less force = a softer, more modulable handbrake, less risk of over-rotating.

Acceleration-ramp angle of the FRONT LSD (4WD/FWD only). Lower angle = more lock on power = more front traction but more exit understeer; higher angle = less lock, freer front to turn.

If you increase ↑

Raising the angle = less front lock on power; freer front to rotate, less torque steer.

If you decrease ↓

Lowering the angle = more front lock; more exit traction but the front pushes (understeers).

Coast-ramp angle (off-throttle/braking) of the FRONT LSD. Lower angle = more lock under engine braking = more entry stability but more lift-off understeer.

If you increase ↑

Raising the angle = less lock on lift-off; freer front to rotate on entry, less stable.

If you decrease ↓

Lowering the angle = more lock on lift-off; more stable entry, a bit more understeer.

Baseline lock of the front LSD under gentle throttle changes. More preload = the front behaves more like a locked axle (stable but understeery); less = more rotation and throttle response.

If you increase ↑

More front preload stabilises the front in transitions, but adds understeer.

If you decrease ↓

Less preload frees the front to turn, with more (and twitchier) throttle reaction.

Clutch plate count of the front LSD: more plates = more locking capacity (the ramp acts more strongly). A fine/advanced tweak; usually left stock unless you want to change the lock character.

If you increase ↑

More plates = stronger, more progressive front lock.

If you decrease ↓

Fewer plates = weaker, softer front lock.

Acceleration-ramp angle of the REAR LSD. Lower angle = more lock on power = more exit traction and stability, but tends to understeer on throttle; higher angle = more exit rotation.

If you increase ↑

Raising the angle = less rear lock on power; more exit rotation, less traction.

If you decrease ↓

Lowering the angle = more rear lock; more exit traction and stability, some throttle understeer.

Coast-ramp angle of the REAR LSD. Lower angle = more lock on lift-off/braking = a more stable rear on entry (prevents lift-off oversteer, key on snow); higher angle = more entry rotation.

If you increase ↑

Raising the angle = less lock on lift-off; freer rear to rotate on entry, less stable.

If you decrease ↓

Lowering the angle = more lock on lift-off; more stable entry, stops the rear stepping out.

Baseline lock of the rear LSD. More preload = a more stable rear under throttle changes and more baseline traction, but some entry understeer; less = more rotation and a livelier rear.

If you increase ↑

More rear preload stabilises the rear and gives baseline traction, adding some entry understeer.

If you decrease ↓

Less preload frees rotation, with a livelier (and twitchier) rear in transitions.

Clutch plate count of the rear LSD: more plates = more locking capacity. A fine/advanced tweak; normally left stock.

If you increase ↑

More plates = stronger, more progressive rear lock.

If you decrease ↓

Fewer plates = weaker, softer rear lock.

AC Rally doesn't let you edit gear by gear: it offers preset 'gear sets' (short or long ratios as a block). A shorter set gives more acceleration for slow/technical stages; a longer one gives more top speed for fast stages.

If you increase ↑

Higher sets are usually longer ratios: more top speed, less response out of slow corners.

If you decrease ↓

Lower sets are usually shorter ratios: more acceleration and engine braking on technical stages, less top speed.

ABS map (modern cars like the Rally2 only; adjustable in-game). The i20 Balanced preset is on 1. Higher maps prevent locking more (useful on low grip) at the cost of some braking; turning it fully off is done in the Assists menu.

If you increase ↑

Higher map = safer braking and fewer flat-spots on gravel/snow/ice; slightly longer braking.

If you decrease ↓

Lower map = shorter, more tactile braking, but more risk of locking on low grip.

Traction-control map (modern cars only; adjustable in-game). The i20 Balanced preset is on 1. Higher maps limit wheelspin more on throttle (safe in the wet/snow), but cut raw acceleration.

If you increase ↑

Higher map = safer in the wet/snow or low grip, but limits acceleration.

If you decrease ↓

Lower map = more acceleration if you can modulate; more risk of wheelspin and the rear stepping out.