Race car setup
Faster, safer, more reliable — in that order. Corner weights, alignment, dampers, aero balance.
Most cars are slow because they're set up badly
Before you spend money on power, spend it on the car doing what you ask. A car that turns in predictably, puts power down on exit and doesn't eat its front-left is worth more lap time than another twenty horsepower — and it costs less.
Setup work
- Corner weights and cross-weight
- Alignment — camber, caster, toe, bump steer
- Damper settings and spring rates for your circuit
- Anti-roll bar balance
- Brake bias and pedal feel
- Aero balance and ride heights
- Tire pressure and temperature strategy
- Safety systems — belts, seat, cage, extinguisher, fuel
Safety is not an upsell. If your seat mounting, belts or fire system aren't right, we'll tell you before we talk about lap time.
How a setup job runs
We start with the problem, not the car. What is it actually doing? Understeer on turn-in, snap oversteer on lift, eating the front-left over a stint, unstable under braking — each of those points at different adjustments. Vague briefs get vague results, so tell us what you feel and where.
Then we measure. Corner weights and cross-weight on the scales, full alignment check, ride heights, damper settings recorded as they are. You'd be surprised how many cars arrive with alignment nowhere near where the owner believes it is.
Then we change one thing at a time. Setup work goes wrong when four adjustments are made at once and nobody knows which one helped. We work through it in order of what's costing you most.
You leave with a sheet. Every number recorded, so next time there's a baseline to work from rather than starting over.
Who this is for
- Track day drivers whose car has never been properly set up — usually the biggest single gain available
- Club racers chasing consistency over a stint rather than one hot lap
- Anyone who's just bought a used race car and has no idea what the previous owner did to it
- Drivers changing circuits — a setup that works at Sebring isn't the one you want at Homestead
What it costs
Setup work is quoted per car, because a corner-weight and alignment session is a very different job from a full development programme across a season. The variables are: what the car is, what's already been done to it, how much adjustment it actually has, and whether you want a one-off baseline or ongoing support through a race calendar.
Send us the car and the circuit you're running and we'll give you a straight number. Call (561) 633-6855.
Race car setup — questions
What does a setup session include?
Corner weights and cross-weight on the scales, a full alignment check (camber, caster, toe, bump steer), ride heights, damper and anti-roll bar settings, brake bias, and tire pressure strategy. You leave with every number recorded so there's a baseline for next time.
How much does it cost?
Quoted per car. A corner-weight and alignment session is a different job from a full development programme across a season. It depends what the car is, what's already been done to it, and how much adjustment it actually has. Call (561) 633-6855 with the car and the circuit.
My car has never been set up. Is it worth it?
That's usually where the biggest single gain is available. A car that turns in predictably and puts power down on exit is worth more lap time than twenty extra horsepower, and it costs a lot less.
Do I need a different setup for different tracks?
For most drivers, yes. A setup that works at Sebring isn't the one you want at Homestead - different surface, different corner speeds, different tire loading. We'll tell you honestly whether the change is worth it for how you're running.
What about safety equipment?
We check it as part of the job - seat mounting, belts, cage, extinguisher, fuel system. If something isn't right you'll hear about it before we discuss lap time. Safety is not an upsell.
Can you help me develop the car over a season?
Yes. Ongoing setup support through a race calendar, with changes made on data rather than guesswork. That works best combined with trackside support so we're seeing the car run.
Send us the car and the circuit.
We'll tell you what's actually costing you time.