The Ford GT 2017 Setup iRacing process is all about maintaining the car’s “aero platform.” Because the Ford GT produces so much of its grip from the floor and the rear diffuser, the car is extremely sensitive to ride height. Tuning this car is a game of millimeters; if the car is too high, it loses downforce; if it’s too low, the floor “stalls” or hits the ground, causing unpredictable handling. This guide covers the essential adjustments needed to turn the Ford GT into a precision endurance weapon.
The Rake Equation: Finding the Sweet Spot
In the Ford GT 2017 Setup iRacing workflow, “rake” is the most important setting. Rake is the difference between the front and rear ride height. For high-downforce tracks, you want a “nose-down” attitude (around 8mm to 12mm of rake). This keeps the front splitter close to the tarmac while allowing the rear wing and diffuser to operate in clean air. However, the Ford is prone to “bottoming out” over bumps. You must use the “High-Speed Compression” damping to ensure the car stays level over curbs without the splitter hitting the asphalt. If you hear a “scraping” sound mid-corner, your car is too low and you are losing grip.
Dampers and Mechanical Grip
Because the Ford GT 2017 iRacing is so stiff, it can be tricky to drive on bumpy tracks like Sebring. To find mechanical grip, you should look at your Multimatic DSSV dampers. Softening the “Low-Speed Rebound” at the rear can help the car find traction on exit by allowing the weight to transfer more smoothly to the rear tires. Conversely, stiffening the front “Low-Speed Compression” will give you a more direct steering feel on entry. Setup mastery in the Ford GT is about creating a car that is stable enough for an endurance stint but aggressive enough to exploit its massive aero advantage. Tune for the aero, but don’t ignore the bumps.
- Brake Bias: Typically runs best between 53% and 55%. Moving it forward provides stability at the cost of rotation.
- Rear Wing: Very efficient. Lower wing settings (3-5) are often faster even on technical tracks due to the car’s floor downforce.
- Anti-Roll Bars (ARB): Stiffer ARBs help maintain the aero platform by reducing body roll, but can make the car skittish over curbs.
