Steering angle, tire temp, and friction questions....

I’ve been playing Forza 4 for close to a couple of years now and really enjoy the game.

I’m having trouble understanding something I’ve seen several times online, but am not sure what to make of it. I’ll describe it then ask my questions.

I do use a controller and when I steer at high speeds, the angle of the steering wheel telemetry never goes past 45*. When I get below 20mph, the steering wheel angle does go to a full 90*. No problems with that, I just figured it’s a controller thing. Several people online can pull the wheel 90*, at will, during high speeds. What is even more puzzling is that the front tires scream when they do this, the tire temps go to 300*, and the friction circles go to 600%+.

How can you pull the wheel to 90* at high speeds?
Any idea how these people are keeping these cars from pushing right off the track with such insane tire temps and friction numbers?

It’s just a glitch in the replay. There are others too, like the clutch showing damage when there was none.

They could be using sim steering, or more likely, they are using a wheel. Wheel’s don’t use the same steering aids as the controllers, so you actually can turn the wheels farther. I’ve been able to slide the front tires in turns from oversteering.

The numbers in the telemetry screens can be a bit misleading. As good as the physics are in the game, they are not always true to life. I’ve seen many set ups and telemetry readings over the years that seem to defy logic and probably would never work on a real car. I watched a replay of a league race at Motegi once to see how the leader was so fast. His telemetry showed exactly what you described, front tires screaming and smoking on every corner, temps up to 300, friction well into the red, yet he beat us all by a full 2 seconds.

Tire temps past 300 degrees? I’ve watched many, many replays of both series races and leaderboard times, and I’ve never seen tires go past 250.

Exactly where did I say “past 300 degrees”?

You said you watched a replay on Motegi, where the tires went to 300 degrees.

I appreciate the feedback.

That is about how much I’m down a lap compared to the faster people. I’ve managed to hit mid to high 11’s on Road America with a good clean lap(my best is a 2:11.456), However the fastest people are in the 09’s and even 08’s.

I’m just not sure how I’m going to pick up 2 seconds given that I give up so much grip when building out the hp levels to hit ~180 down the two main straights. That is where they are beating the pants off me. I started out with full automatic and abs. Now that I’m no ABS and manual(auto clutch), I went from running 16’s at RA, to the times above. That’s a good pickup for my “grip” builds, but to get the other two seconds maybe I just need to work on getting into the corners better with those low grip cars.

Some guys use drag tires on certain cars. Might be worth a try if you are looking to move up the leaderboards.

The only place I have seen it is in a few pub lobby replays. I’ve never seen it on any leaderboard replays.

Yes, up to, not past.

If you want to be a picky nuisance about it, then yes, you didn’t say UP TO. Sorry, overlord. You ignored the fact that tires don’t get nearly that hot in the game. You don’t really seem to know what you’re talking about, especially when your own teammate points out your mistake.

Did you look at my picture? They certainly can peak over 300*.

I’m not so sure it’s a replay glitch as I’ve seen it in “live” races as well. Never in all my replays have I ever seen my inputs do such. I’ve watched a few leaderboard replays and can’t recall seeing this(as in just two or three), but I see this in the public lobbies.

Picture from a recent replay…tire temps through the roof, with full 90* steering wheel lock. Yet, the car holds the line. The friction numbers were ~630% /~750% for L/R wheel respectively…


I’ve never driven with a wheel, so I don’t know if this is a wheel only thing, but I’ve seen this happen with players who say they are using a controller. If they are or not, I’m not sure.

This is very interesting as is the Drag tire statement.
I am going to try the drag tires and see what happens. I will post my findings.

1986 Alfa Spyder … F167 10 laps on Maple Valley Reverse…best lap 52.061 with drag tires.
…F145…control…best lap 53.571 stock tires.
…F195 with race tires…best lap 50.808.
…F176 with sport tires…best lap 52.246.
…F168 with street tires…best lap 52.799.

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When you use drag tires, use them on tracks that suit their purpose: launch and acceleration. Maple Valley is a handling track, so they won’t get you very far there. Try them on acceleration-dependent tracks like Sebring or Motegi.

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You may just have to accept the fact that some guys are better at the game than you. I race regularly at VM and Tora. I have always been 2-3 seconds behind the fast guys. It’s just my skill level and I accept that. I’m actually happy to be that competitive!

As for the wheel, no, using a wheel does not always make you faster. Many find that there is a rather steep learning curve when switching to a wheel. I personally was instantly faster when I got my MS wireless wheel. It’s just more intuitive as I drive a car with a wheel, not a controller. I now use a Fanatec GT2 with the clubsport pedals and I wouldn’t race any other way! It’s one of the reasons I haven’t moved to FM5. I refuse to race with a controller and I won’t buy another wheel.

Lastly, drag tires. I have raced numerous series using drag tires, most notably several Nascar series. In every one, the lap times have been a bit lower than when using race tires. You can get a distinct advantage when using them to drop a car into a lower class, but in a cars native class I don’t think it really gives any advantage.

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I’ve never raced seriously in leagues with this game I’m about to name, but I do have NASCAR Racing 2003. If I’m not mistaken, it’s regarded as pretty much the end all and be all of NASCAR sims. I can say that a steering wheel in that will make you much faster than trying to pulse width modulate the input with say a keyboard or joystick. You can be smooth on the steering and that is one of the keys to speed.

To try and help Gerry, I’ve found it better to use normal steering than sim for the controller. The car is so twichy with sim that in the wrong hands it can make you slower.

If you are using ABS, automatic shifting, stability control or assist, those are killers of speed too. They are great when first learning though. I got good with ABS and automatic shifting(never used stability control), then dropped them off one at a time. I picked up an easy 1.5 - 2 seconds after going with non-abs and manual shifting(auto clutch).

A good feeling car to your driving style helps as well.

Sticking with one car you like helps too. Bouncing around from car to car can keep you from finding the max limits of that car.

I use the full racing/braking line as well, but do know with some cars you may be able to go a little deeper into the corner than the line shows.

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Apparently he didn’t feel the need to because we don’t know what we’re talking about…

No, I don’t feel the need to, because I know just about every single person who can set a #1 time on this game, and not ONE of them has a lap where their tire temperatures reach anywhere near 300 degrees. I’m sure blowing you out of the water and mine sit nicely between 195-210.

That’s obviously a glitch in the replay… How you didn’t figure that out is beyond me. If you think a RWD car with over 700 HP is going to have front tires 130 degrees hotter than the rear tires, than you just need to acquire a bit of common sense.

Are you as arrogant in real life as you are here on the forums?

I don’t really care who you know as it’s not relevant to this topic. Obviously, anyone who can set a #1 time knows how to tune and their tire temps would never get that high. My tires also sit around 200. No where did I indicate otherwise.

I merely responded to the OP by stating that I had seen what he described ONCE, in ONE replay. I never even remotely suggested that it was normal, common, an every day occurrence, or anything of that nature. A picture was provided that clearly shows temps in excess of 300. Yes, it could be a replay glitch, OR, it could be someone who doesn’t know how to set their alignment and is pushing the tires through the turn. I don’t know, and despite your claims to the contrary, neither do you.

Exactly how are you “blowing me out of the water”? I wasn’t aware we were involved in any sort of competition. If your referring to your precious LB’s, I DON’T GIVE A CRAP! I have never cared about the leaderboards. I didn’t back in FM2, and I don’t now. Any and all times I have there are solely from racing either in game or online. I have never even tried to set a top time. I play this game strictly to race, nothing else. You are undoubtedly far ahead of me on the LB’s. Congratulations and hurray for you! Go get yourself a little gold star and brag to all your friends how your better than an average racer who has never even attempted to set an LB time.

You have made it abundantly clear many times on these forums your opinion that anyone who doesn’t have a time in the top 100 can’t possibly know what they’re talking about or have any real skill in the game. Do us all a favor and get over yourself already! The vast majority of us here have nothing to prove to anyone. We just enjoy the game.

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