V2 Handling Update:
The vehicles in DiRT Rally now respond far more dramatically to tuning changes. My reccomendations have changed slightly. The only major change is that I really, really reccomend becoming comfortable with how the default camber and toe settings work to create the car's handling before massively changing them.

This is an overview of tuning a vehicle in DiRT Rally. The majority of this document describes how the different settings affect the vehicle’s handling, as well as how the settings interact.
This document will discuss tuning in terms of difference from the default settings.

This is organized roughly in the order vehicle systems should be tuned. This is based on the author’s experience and opinion. Generally, proper gearing makes the largest difference and requires the least fine tuning. Differentials usually take more time to perfect.

Each section will begin with a short overview and some recommended settings (as told by a number of marks to the left/right from the default setting for the vehicle). Next, it will cover the basics of what the setting does, and some information about how it interacts with other systems of the vehicle.

This assumes some basic knowledge of how to drive in a rally situation and how racing on paved surfaces differs from racing on loose surfaces. This also assumes the driver understands AWD, RWD, and FWD require slightly different inputs, although it will discuss how tuning differs for them.

This guide emphasizes consistent, predictable results. This is not a document aimed towards achieving the fastest time in a single event, although it is a common effect. This is not a document aimed at any particular driving style. It will tell how to adjust each setting to achieve particular results.

**”A small amount” in this guide refers to 1 to 2 marks or clicks in the tuning screen. The numbers are not nearly as important as the reference to the vehicle’s default. **

**Oversteer is when the vehicle is turning too sharply. The vehicle’s rear wants to swing out, or completely spin. **

**Understeer is when vehicle is not turning enough. The vehicle’s front continues to go in a direction (usually straight) other than the direction the front wheels are pointed. The vehicle’s rear does NOT swing out, or spin around. **

**Engine Braking is using the vehicle’s gearbox and engine resistance to slow down. This is done by leaving it in gear, touching neither the gas nor the brake pedal.**

**ARB is a abbreviation for "anti-roll bar"**

As stated in the introduction, the gearing is the first place any tuning should begin. This section is written for driving with a manual gearbox of some kind. Automatic has some advantages, but the manual allows for a driver to limit speed based on gear, and drift far more predictably than the automatic gearboxes in DiRT Rally allow.

A driver should tune their gearbox for each individual stage if they want the best results, although a slightly longer than default (2-5 marks towards long) will be satisfactory for most situations. A slightly shorter gearing (2-4 marks towards short) is a great idea for low powered vehicles upward-focused stages in.

For Pike’s Peak, set the gearing to as long as possible on the general tuning screen. The course is open enough to hit top speed on almost every stage of the ascent.



The long and short

“Longer” gears means the car will stay in a single gear through a larger range of speeds. This can slow acceleration because the engine takes longer to rev up to the point where both power and turbo fully engage. This also means the vehicle is easier to control via throttle, as the engine will not ‘rev up’ as quickly while in gear. In other words, long gears make for higher top speed in each individual gear.

For courses with numerous hairpins, shorter gears are useful because they allow for faster acceleration from lower speeds. With short gears, the driver can almost always find a gear where the car is in the power band (or revving high), which also encourages faster acceleration. This can also cause more wheel spin in most vehicles.

1st Gear should almost always be individually set longer than default by 2-3 marks regardless of how the rest of the gears are set. This will make starting from a stop without excessively spinning wheels easier. If there are many hairpins, consider 3-5 marks towards longer to exaggerate these effects.


A driver wants a top speed just below the absolute maximum possible speed for the given stage. A driver needs a gearing ratio where they can remain in one or two gears for almost the entire race. This allows the driver to steer with the brake and throttle more reliably for two reasons.

First, any two footed techniques affect the engine’s RPMs less dramatically (which makes its balance and stance more consistent). Secondly, the driver shifts less, which allows for more consistent application of power and fewer unnecessary weight shifts.



Top Gear

These concepts remain the same regardless of how many gears a vehicle has. The final gear is equally useless on most vehicles outside of Pike’s Peak, Finland, and Germany.

In the 1960s cars, you will always use the final gear, and it will be the most often used gear for many stages. Consider this when tuning.

Keep in mind, gearing for higher top speeds only helps if the driver can consistently stay near it. Otherwise, the driver is better served by greater acceleration (and a lower top speed they may actually use).

In Wales, a long top gear is useless; most of the turns and sections will not allow for top speed. In this case, acceleration is key.

In Monte Carlo, a bias towards acceleration helps immensely with haripins and uphill stages. Longer gearing may make the vehicle's throttle/power balance more easy to control in snow/ice sections, but there are few opportunities to make use of an incredibly high top speed.

A perfect run in Greece requires the driver to tune for uphill vs. downhill. If the driver can handle the speed, a longer-than-default ratio can increase the overall speed for some sections, but the fastest sections in Greece are often the easiest to crash on. A bias toward short gears (or acceleration) helps immensely when climbing the steep cliffsides; too long a gear ratio means most vehicles struggle to accelerate, even in the powerband.

In Germany, a driver should gear for the highest possible speed in the highest possible gear on the straight sections, although acceleration is a huge help for the many tight-angle turns.

In Finland, there is no reason for a shorter gear ratio. On almost every section of every stage, a driver can use the top gear (or top two gears, for some sections) without ever dropping to 1, 2, or 3. A higher top speed is ideal, but a driver must take care not to overdrive their own abilities.

In almost every situation, a driver benefits from finding a comfortable gearing ratio that is longer than the default ratio.

Brakes are used in rally for two different tasks; slowing the vehicle, and shifting its weight. There a few major considerations when changing brake settings.

For paved surfaces, 0-1 marks towards front bias keeps the car from any large changes in handling while braking. A slight front bias decreases stopping distance (or in other words, makes the brakes slightly more effective).

For low traction situations, 0-1 marks towards rear bias keeps handling predictable. Any rear bias in the brakes assists the back end in swinging outward while left foot braking. FWD vehicles generally benefit from higher rear bias. (Some exceptions apply; the F2 Kit Cars default settings include strong rear brake bias.)

Using more than 1-2 marks towards the front from default settings tends to lock one end of the car far more quickly than the other. This could be beneficial if desired, but usually causes unpredictable handling or slower times.

Brakes should only be adjusted with performance under braking considered. If the vehicle handles undesirably while braking and while engine braking, then do NOT adjust the brakes. The braking differential or torque preload is the most likely issue.



Front and Rear Bias

Front biased brakes tend to cause understeer while used. This is often because the wheels do not have enough traction to both redirect momentum while simultaneously slowing.

Front biased brakes also shift weight more quickly to the front, which allows for extra traction (and, therefore, braking ability) up front.

If the front wheels lock, all effects are exaggerated.

Rear biased brakes tend to cause oversteer while braking. Most vehicles will oversteer and slide if brakes are applied while turning. In FWD vehicles, this is a desirable, predictable, and consistent loose surface and hairpin turn technique.

Both AWD and FWD vehicles can make great use of a slight rear brake bias. It allows for a consistent rotation without any throttle input. This can be especially useful when it is paired with a strong differential and a straight-line stability-focused suspension setup because it allows the driver to spin the car while braking, and then accelerate into a predictable, self-straightening slide.

Rear biased brakes and RWD vehicles do not generally combine for predictable handling.



Troubleshooting Brakes

If the vehicle’s back end slides out too much while braking with and without throttle, move the brake bias forward (1 mark).

If the vehicle’s front end understeers while braking heavily, BUT turns an appropriate amount while using only engine braking, then move the brake bias rearward slightly (1 mark).

If the vehicle’s front end understeers while braking heavily, AND understeers while engine braking, then the driver has a choice. If the driver moves the brake bias rear 1 mark, if will become easier to slide around corners and rotate while braking more quickly.

Another option is to adjust the all braking differentials 1 mark toward loose without touching the brakes. This allows the inside wheel to spin slower than the outside wheel during a turn. This second option lets the car turn and brake more efficiently without affecting anything about how the vehicle transfers weight.

The vehicle’s springs (or struts) and dampers intertwine with the ride height and anti-roll bars. Adjusting any of these usually leads to some tweaking in at least one other place.

The spring firmness should be adjusted if there are other problems due to excessive front-back body roll (on throttle or braking) The spring settings also affect side-to-side weight transfer, but if that is the only situation in which the vehicle has excessive weight transfer, then the anti-roll bars should be adjusted first.

The spring settings should also be adjusted if other changes are made to the vehicle’s center of gravity or general handling. As a quick guideline, a lowered vehicle needs equally stiffer springs and stiffer dampers to retain some turning ability. Besides that, spring firmness is very much up to driver preference.

Soft spring settings induce more front-to-rear body roll in the softened side. In other words, soft springs increase weight transfer as the result of braking and acceleration. This causes more drastic changes in traction as the vehicle leans forward and backward.

Firm springs reduce body roll and weight transfer. Stiffening the springs may reduce braking ability by reducing weight shift, so be ready to slightly increase the pressure (or hit the brakes harder). Reducing body roll may also alter grip levels under throttle and breaking; expect some very noticeable handling changes. Firm springs also resist more of the front-rear balance changes on inclines.

Firm springs can create a more stable and predictable driving platform, but if the ride height is also high, it can cause the vehicle to “snap” upright after weight transfers. “Too high” and “too firm” is entirely vehicle dependent. Setting up a predictable, consistent, stiff suspension vehicle requires some experimentation.

The optimal ride height depends greatly on race surface and vehicle drivetrain.

Ride height is the most important factor lowering the vehicle’s center of gravity. A lowered center of gravity allows for larger and quicker changes of directional momentum than a higher one. It also creates a more favorable aerodynamic profile, but as of Version .5, it is unclear what (if any) aerodynamic forces are modeled in DiRT Rally.

The main disadvantage of a low ride height is the risk of “bottoming out,” or scraping the underside of the vehicle against the ground. This happens when the combination of ride height and damper strength is not enough to hold the car above the bumps (or jump landings) on the road. This is most noticeable once the ride height is set more than 3-4 marks lower than the default setup.


How Low?

Many times, it is best to leave the ride height untouched for loose surfaces, and only tweak it slightly for paved surfaces. This preserves the original “feel” of the vehicle and allows for the weight of the vehicle to be most easily thrown around when needed.

Be mindful of adjusting this much. Even 1-2 marks of change from the default settings can require tweaking the damper and spring settings to ensure the car doesn’t become overly twitchy or unresponsive. Even 1 mark towards a lower ride height can greatly alter its turning ability.

On loose surfaces, the front and rear ride height should lower 0-2 marks lower than default, depending on vehicle and surface. For most vehicles in most situations, the default ride height (or 1 mark lower) preserves the ability to easily and gradually shift the vehicle’s weight for reliable, predictable maneuvers. It also keeps the vehicle’s underside comfortably safe through the biggest jumps.

On paved surfaces, the number of marks lowered is the same (0-2), although vehicles have a much lower base height than on loose surfaces. Ideally, it should be adjusted as low as possible without bottoming out over the bumpiest sections of the track, given near full throttle. This is very track dependent. Germany has many bumpy sections, while the other paved roads (as of Version .50) are fairly flat, with large elevation changes.

The dampers dampen the effects that bumps, jumps, and landings have on the steering. This system requires very little adjustment on most vehicles. DiRT Rally provides serviceable and predictable default settings for vehicles. As long as the vehicle is using the correct default setup (paved or loose), the damper settings rarely need adjusted.

If the vehicle feels difficult to control over bumpy sections, adjust the dampers 1 mark softer. If the bumps only greatly affected control after lowering the ride height, the driver should first soften the dampers. If this does not solve the issue, the ride height may need to be raised to prevent loss of control.

On paved surfaces, if the ride height is lowered, then the springs should be firmed and the dampers firmed alongside. This helps prevent bottoming out. Keep in mind it will make the vehicle more twitchy in bumpy sections.

Of course these all ignore the most obvious and common solution; let off the throttle. Bumps are most common in Germany and Greece. Soft dampers can greatly increase the feeling of control without altering the vehicle’s handling otherwise.

As of DiRT Rally version .50, jumps are not a large concern outside of one jump in Germany and a few in Wales. A softer fast bump setting can alleviate the loss of control. A firmer fast bump setting (or higher ride height) may be needed to prevent bottoming out in low vehicles.

image from http://www.torontotyrepower.com

Camber is the measure of how much the vehicle’s wheels lean in or out. The ever road camber of an average rally stage changes dramatically over time, and even from side to side of the road. For this reason camber is best adjusted to assist in controlling the vehicle reliably and precisely, rather than maximizing grip over time or in particular situations.

This is one system more easily discussed in terms of exact numbers than difference from default settings.

Almost every vehicle should be tuned to start with -.5 to -2.0 camber angle on both front and rear wheels, usually beginning around -1.3.

I highly recommend becoming comfortable with the vehicle's default settings first. Any changes to camber or toe will cause dramatic changes in how the car handles during turns.

If the vehicle has different camber settings on the front and rear by default, there are two choices. One, make the front and rears symmetrical; this equalizes the base grip for front and rear. Two, preserve the original ratios while adjusting the camber; this keeps more of the original handling feel intact.


Negative and positive

Negative camber increases cornering traction and slightly decreases straight line traction. This allows for sharper turns without traction loss, which is most noticeable on paved surfaces. It has a second, more useful effect as well. The increased traction creates a more gradual transition from grip to slide/drift. This effect is noticeable on any surface, though it is most obvious on gravel and dirt. A gradual slide is more controllable and predictable than an instantaneous one.

Positive camber increases straight line traction. This means the vehicle will have less available traction while turning, requiring the driver to slow down more dramatically, or slide. The increased straight line traction also allows the car to more effectively “push” or “claw” itself towards the direction the wheels are pointed while drifting or sliding. The downside is that the vehicle slides more suddenly and at lower speeds.

Negative toe angle points the front of the tires towards each other. Positive toe angle points the fronts of the tires away from each other. This setting is where much of a vehicle’s tendency to slide on full throttle is created and destroyed.

Generally, if a driver is serious about tuning a vehicle to their driving preferences, a predictable, neutral handling base is desired.

I highly recommend becoming comfortable with the vehicle's default settings first. Any changes to camber or toe will cause dramatic changes in how the car handles during turns. Positive rear toe can cause on-throttle oversteer, but it also allows for sharper turning angles.

I previously suggested a starting point of 0.0 for both front and rear. Since the October 2015 update to DiRT Rally, vehicles respond more dramatically to tuning changes than before.


All adjustments should be made in tenths (-0.1, -0.2, -0.3). This is an extremely sensitive part of the vehicle. Small changes equate to large differences in control.


Toe-in or Toe-out

Toe-in (or negative toe angle) causes the vehicle to resist turning or changing directions. In all vehicles, negative front toe causes the front end to “lock in” to a somewhat straight line under heavy throttle.

Negative rear toe (or negative toe angle) causes the rear end to slightly resist spinning or sliding. This can cause the rear to stick to the road more effectively as the throttle increases. This is often desirable for paved surfaces.

Front toe-out (or positive toe angle) causes the front end of the vehicle to respond quickly to steering input and changing directions. It also allows for sharper turning angles, although there is no guarantee the vehicle can handle the sharper turning radius without losing traction.

Rear toe-out (or positive toe angle) causes the back end of the vehicle to swing or slide out more quickly while accelerating or braking. Even +0.2 degrees of toe out can change a tame RWD or AWD vehicle into a drift machine.

All negative and positive toe angle effects are dramatically increased when the drive wheels are angled.


Some Examples

The 60s Mini is notorious for its understeer. Just a small amount of positive front and rear toe make it a different experience to drive. The 60s Lancia Fulvia with 0.0 rear toe is a much more planted vehicle than its default setup.

The Lancia Stratos requires less precise throttle control with 0.0 rear toe and -0.1 front toe angles. Its short wheelbase and ability to oversteer on throttle still allow it to turn respectably.

The Group A Lancia Integrale has +0.6 rear toe by default. This is why it drifts at the slightest touch of the throttle. It has the same general behavior, but with less rotation, with only +0.3. At 0.0, it becomes a very stable racer, excelling on pavement.

The F2 Kit Cars both have positive rear toe angles by default, which gives them their slippery rear feeling. If the front and rear toe angles are changed to 0.0 to begin with, they become more planted.

The anti-roll bars (also known as “sway bars”) link the passenger and driver side wheels of the vehicle. They transmit bumps from one wheel to the other. They also reduce body sway (and restrict the ability to transfer weight). Any changes here greatly alter the overall “feel” of a vehicle.

The ARBs should be adjusted to reduce bump transfer on extremely bumpy stages, or to add/reduce body sway. Generally, these do not need to be altered.

(Body sway is only one aspect of weight transfer. The maximum amount of body roll ARBs allow is directly linked to the maximum amount of weight transfer possible. The spring rate and ride height also effectively reduce the amount of weight that can move from side to side.)


Front to rear ratio

The relationship between the stiffness of the front and rear ARBs greatly affects the vehicle’s overall handling.

A stiffer front and softer rear allows for greater weight transfer in the back than the front. This encourages the front end to grip and encourages the back wheels to slide. This is how most FWD vehicles are adjusted by default.

A softer front and stiffer rear restricts weight transfer in the rear and while allowing the front to turn further in than the front before losing traction. This also encourages the front end to grip, but it discourages the back wheels from sliding. It can introduce a “floaty” feeling (for lack of a better term) in the front end only. This kind of adjustment is common on RWD vehicles, though not everyone has this ratio by default.


ARB changes

Stiffer bars increase the amount of bump transfer, which can cause some instability in bumpy sections of the road. They also greatly reduce body sway (and restrict the ability to transfer weight). Extremely stiff roll bars can cause the inside wheel to lift or lose traction extremely sharp turns.

Softer bars decrease the amount of bump transfer and may allow the inner wheel to get more traction than possible with a stiffer setting. They also increase body sway. Extremely stiff roll bars can cause the inside wheel to lift or lose traction extremely sharp turns.


Why adjust the ARBs?

For AWD and RWD vehicles, softening the front ARB can increase the vehicle’s ability to turn in sharply, quickly, and without losing traction. The downside is this may change the overall balance of the vehicle slightly, making it slightly difficult to control in low/no traction situations until the new handling is learned or the tuning adjusted elsewhere.

For RWD vehicles, softening the rear ARB can make the rear end turn in more sharply and respond more quickly in turns. This also makes the vehicle more susceptible to sliding via slalom and flick maneuvers. This is a common adjustment to make on the 60s Mini Cooper. The F2 Kit Cars are tuned for a softer rear ARB by default.

If the anti-roll bars are softened or stiffened more than single mark, the spring settings for the same part of the car (front or rear) will likely need adjusted as well. Firm springs can counteract the increased body roll from soft anti-roll bars. Soft springs can re-introduce some body roll into a vehicle with stiff roll-bars, if desired.

This part of a motor vehicle is often ignored while tuning for a variety of reasons. The differential limits the speed difference between whatever wheels it is connected to. Its effect on handling is complex. Differential adjustments can cause and/or solve traction issues in almost every situation: starting, stopping, changing directions, sliding.

Adjusting the differential requires more than understanding how to adjust its settings. It requires the driver/tuner to understand exactly what the issue is while driving. Differential settings are generally adjusted to fine tune performance in particular situations, or to correct problems that only arise in particular situations.

These adjustments can be very different between drivetrains, although the general theory remains the same.


How a differential works

As stated previously, the differential limits the speed difference between whatever wheels it is connected to.

A loose differential allows for a greater difference in rotation speed between the two wheels. Generally, a loose differential allows for a vehicle to turn at greater angles without losing traction, although it does not provide much assistance in straightening the vehicle’s steering nor momentum.

A strong differential allows for less difference in rotation speed between the two wheels. This helps the wheels both travel straight, relative to where the wheels are currently pointed. A tight differential also encourages a vehicle to push its momentum towards wherever the wheels are pointed, because both wheels want to spin close to the same speed. This same effect causes the inner wheel to lose traction extremely quickly in sharp turns. This can be desirable for drift-heavy driving styles.

A loose (or lower percentage than default) braking percentage increases the vehicle’s ability to turn without losing traction. Lowering the braking percentage can make the car feel as though it has more stability or traction available while braking or engine braking and turning at the same time.

A strong (or high percentage) braking differential encourages the car to stop rotation and slow wheel speed. This means the driver can use the brakes to create understeer, or to more easily stop accidental slides.

In this section, “strong” and “loose” are comparative to the default settings. 1-2 marks creates a noticeable difference in behavior while braking or accelerating (depending on what is adjusted)

FWD adjustment

FWD vehicles tend to understeer at full throttle with strong acceleration differentials. If the differential is strong, the driver can easily pull use on-throttle understeer to power the car through a slide predictably.

A weaker acceleration differential allows for more throttle and acceleration in turns without losing traction, though the driver must rely entirely on counter steering through slides. This creates an easier to drive vehicle for many drivers than the alternative.

A stronger differential than default allows for on-throttle understeer and more straight-line stability. The on-throttle oversteer helps pull out of slides in a reliable manner. A default or slightly lower braking percentage combined with a lowered torque preload can negate this disadvantage entirely. These adjustments allow the vehicle to pull through slides, and steer sharply by letting off the throttle.


RWD adjustment

RWD vehicles tend to spin wheels and lose traction with strong acceleration differentials on loose surfaces. This does not mean it induces oversteer; this simply means the vehicle more likely to slide at extreme angles. If the differential is strong, the driver can accelerate in whatever direction the wheels are going more quickly than if it were weak. This means it may create a faster drift, but it also exacerbates any suspension issues currently causing unwanted oversteer.

A weaker acceleration differential allows for more traction while turning. In a RWD vehicle, this dampens any effects of imprecise throttle control. This does make the vehicle slightly more likely to rotate instead of “pushing” straight of the corner. This creates an easier to drive vehicle for many drivers than the alternative. Sometimes, a slightly negative rear toe can regain some stability.

If a driver has issues with the vehicle rear “snapping” back and forth, or generally acting unpredictably whenever throttle is released, tweaking the torque preload can alleviate the problem. A higher torque preload may cause some understeer on lift-off of throttle or braking, but it also makes the vehicle much less likely to spin in those conditions.


AWD adjustment

AWD vehicles have both front and rear differentials. Any adjustments made to acceleration or braking percentages should be made equally to both front and rear axles. If only one is adjusted, or if one percentage is adjusted without the other, the on-throttle or on-braking balance will change. Ultimately, tuning an AWD’s differentials is about creating handling behavior the driver can use most reliably and effectively.

A high acceleration percent and a low braking percent encourages the vehicle to push straight ahead on throttle, while allowing sharp, gripping turn-in while braking and engine braking. This also causes left foot braking maneuvers to rotate the vehicle more sharply with less steering input.

This particular setup encourages a driver to brake into and power out of turns. This kind of setup may also require more negative camber to make full use of the sharper turn-in radius.

A low acceleration percent and high braking percent allows sharp, gripping turn-in while on the throttle, but causes understeer while braking or engine braking. This behavior lets the driver regain grip in low traction situations by releasing the throttle. This adjustment also allows a driver to slow or stop rotation by using the brakes.

This encourages a driver to power through turns, using brakes to shift weight and/or slow/stop rotation as needed.


The viscous differential

The viscous differential works exactly like the front and rear differentials, except this one limit the difference between the front and back wheels. This adjustment mostly affects two things; how sharp an angle the car can turn into before the rear slides, and how the vehicle responds to throttle control during a slide. It does affect other parts of the handling, but in relatively minor ways.

This is best adjusted last, after other parts of the vehicle are satisfactory. Generally, the overall effects are similar to the other two differentials.

A strong one increases tendency to travel straight, reduces the angle at which it can turn without sliding, and increases available traction in those straight lines.

A loose viscous differential causes the opposite.


Torque bias

Torque bias depends on the driver preferences. The effects are obvious. An AWD vehicle will generally mimic whatever bias it is set towards. Most AWD vehicles in DiRT Rally are biased towards the rear (with the notable, likely bugged exception of the 1995 Subaru Impreza as of DiRT Rally version .50). This guide recommends keeping AWD vehicles biased towards the rear, at least 40/60%. Anything more than that is entirely preference.

More rear power makes the car more likely to oversteer. As the torque bias approaches 50/50, many vehicles become extremely stable. This could be desirable for some drivers.

Changes here can drastically alter the entire feel of a vehicle. If the torque bias is adjusted, expect to change differentials and suspension settings to compensate for the changed behavior. Changing a vehicle’s torque bias more than 1-2 marks often requires numerous shakedowns or runs to account for the differences, but it can be an extremely rewarding change.

Some vehicles dramatically benefit from torque bias adjustments. The hill climb Peugeot 405 is an AWD vehicle, though its default settings have all the power going to the rear. This vehicle is a completely different machine with a 40/60 or 30/70 front/rear bias. The 1995 Subaru Impreza is a 90/10 by default; it makes much more sense as a 10/90. Many group B vehicles are far less intimidating as the bias moves towards 50/50; it makes them feel less “twitchy” while accelerating.

The default setups in DiRT Rally nearly creates predictable, reliable platforms. Tuning is often a matter of adjusting the default setups to account for driver preferences and style. It is no coincidence that the suggested adjustments in this guide are small, not large. This is not easy by any means. The key is an understanding of how each system interacts to create particular handling effects.

This document focuses on tuning for DiRT Rally, but the general concept, theory, and car handling in reaction to adjustments could apply to any racing simulation situation. It may, at a later date, include individualized tuning suggestions per vehicle and/or stage.

9 July 2015: "DiRT Rally Tuning Compendium" first published to Steam Community.