See Chassis Weights and Dimensions, Aerodynamic Drag, Engine Power and Redlines, and Engine Torque and Power Curves for specific data on the various chassis and engines.
Also see my F2 Reference Setups for my latest thinking on F2 setup particulars.
The "What I Do" sections below refer to typical road course setups. For converted CART/ICR2 street and airport circuits which are very flat with little or no vertical G loadings and few or no bumps, ride height can be lower and/or springs a little softer. This, in turn, may allow softer anti-roll bar settings and more rearward brake bias.
Note that all the settings on this page should be regarded as a starting point only! As you develop setups, you may use different settings for each track and chassis. Also, your driving style may demand a different balance or a different "feel".
On most typical road course setups, unless otherwise noted, I use:
Advanced Trainers can usually use setups very similar to GP setups, except that there is less weight transfer due to somewhat less grip from the tires. This means Advanced Trainers can use slightly softer anti-roll bars and slightly more rearward brake bias.
Also the Advanced Trainers have rear tires that are closer in size to their front tires, so they need their anti-roll bars set for more understeer (i.e. stiffer at the front, softer at the rear) than the GP cars.
Basic Trainers seem to need even more understeer than the other cars. My guess is that the rear tires are the same width as the front tires. I have done very few Basic Trainer setups so I don't have specific recommendations.
Characteristics
Very small; light and narrow; long wheelbase relative to its width. CG somewhat high relative to its width, causing the chassis to tend to roll more than most of the others. This can make it more prone to bottoming its suspension. Weight bias more to front than the other cars. Long wheelbase makes it stable and very progressive if set up properly.
Light weight and low aerodynamic drag make it the fastest Advanced and Basic Trainer. Repco Grand Prix engine is down on power to the other cars but has a very broad torque band.
What I Do
Wheel rate 80 front, 110 rear. Dampers 2 bump, 3 rebound front; 3 bump, 3 rebound rear. Sometimes I use 2 on bump at the rear to make the car less "pointy" in response to throttle applications and bumps.
GP: Anti-roll bars around 160 front, 140 rear. Front brake bias 56%. Toe-in .100 to .200 rear. Tall lower gears to take advantage of torque, concentrating use of available power nearer the top speed.
Advanced Trainer: Springs 75 front, 115 rear. Anti-roll bars 180 front, 140 rear. Front brake bias 56%.
Characteristics
Short, wide, and heavy, with very high CG due to upper crankshaft and other engine mass. Short wheelbase and extreme rearward weight bias make it prone to over-rotating on turn-in and under power. Rearward weight bias gives it good traction and good braking. High CG requires lots of roll resistance; weight requires high wheel rates.
GP engine is very peaky, with a very narrow power band, but it is very powerful, which offsets the weight of the car to some extent. The chassis is very draggy, giving an additional disadvantage to the BRM Trainers.
What I Do
Wheel rate 80 front, 140 rear. Ride height 3.5". Dampers 2 bump, 3 rebound front, 3 bump, 3 rebound rear. Steering 17:1.
GP: Anti-roll bars 220 front, 190 rear. Front brake bias 53%. Toe-in .125 rear. Space gears more or less in a straight line to keep the engine in its power band.
Advanced Trainer: TBD
Characteristics
Longest wheelbase of all the cars. Very stable and forgiving; must be driven very hard to go quickly, but forgiving characteristics permit this. Heavier than the four lightweights, with CG fairly far forward.
Engine is down on power but very nice to drive. High aerodynamic drag.
What I Do
Wheel rate 80 front, 120 rear. Ride height 3.5" or 3.75". Dampers 2 bump, 3 rebound, 2 or 3 bump, 3 rebound rear.
GP: Anti-roll bars around 140 front, 120 rear. Front brake bias 56%.
Advanced Trainer: Anti-roll bars around 160 front, 140 rear. Front brake bias 55%.
Characteristics
Long, wide track, fairly light. Weight bias near middle of the range of cars. Stable as long as it's kept off the bump rubbers; seems a bit more prone to bottom than would be expected considering its weight and track.
GP engine is powerful with good torque. Cleanest car aerodynamically next to Brabham.
What I Do
Wheel rate 75 front, 120 rear; 70 front, 110 rear on smoother tracks. Dampers 2 bump, 3 rebound; 3 bump, 3 rebound rear.
GP: Anti-roll bars 170 front, 180 rear. Front brake bias 57%. Rear toe-in .125". Rear camber -0.5 deg.
Advanced Trainer: Anti-roll bars 160 front, 160 rear. Front brake bias 56%. Rear toe-in .100".
Characteristics
Short, wide, almost as light as Brabham and Lotus. Weight bias near middle of the range of cars. Short wheelbase makes it nimble but relatively unstable. The Ferrari is the stable of all the cars (when all of them are running off their bump stops), so I tend to set it up with more understeer.
GP engine fairly powerful but weak bottom end. Relatively high aerodynamic drag is a disadvantage on faster circuits in all classes.
What I Do
Steering 17:1. Wheel rate 75 front, 115 rear. Front brake bias 58%. Rear toe-in .125".
Dampers 2 bump, 3 rebound front; 2 or 3 bump, 2 or 3 rebound rear. If the car is too "pointy" in response to throttle applications, I use 2 on bump at the rear. If it's too unstable on turn-in, I use 2 on rebound at the rear.
GP: Anti-roll bars 170 front, 130 rear.
Advanced Trainer: TBD
Characteristics
Short, wide, moderately draggy. Lightest car (along with the Brabham), with fairly rearward weight bias.
GP engine has plenty of torque and good power. GP car's rear rims are wider than the others, giving it more rear grip than the other GP cars. Trainers' balance is more normal.
What I Do
Wheel rate 70 front, 115 rear. Dampers 2 bump, 3 rebound front; 2 bump, 3 rebound rear. Sometimes I use 3 on bump at the rear to make the car more "pointy" in response to throttle applications, especially on the Trainer. Front brake bias 55%.
GP: Anti-roll bars around 140 front, 190 rear. Tall lower gears to take advantage of torque, concentrating use of available power nearer the top speed.
Advanced Trainer: Anti-roll bars around 160-170 front, 150 rear.
Characteristics
Fairly long and narrow. Heavy with extreme rearward weight bias, but long wheelbase makes it stable as long as yaw rate does not get too high. Rearward weight bias gives good traction, braking. Natural ride height is lower than the other cars, and its stability makes it more tolerant of bottoming the rear suspension, so it can run a little lower ride height than the other cars.
GP engine is the most powerful of all but is soft on the bottom end, making it easy to drive but hurting acceleration. Moderately draggy.
What I Do
Wheel rate 75 front, 135 rear. Ride height 3.25". Dampers 2 bump, 3 rebound front; 2 bump, 3 rebound rear. Rear camber -0.5 deg.
GP: Anti-roll bars 210 front, 190 rear. Front brake balance 54%. Space gears nearly in a straight line to keep the engine in its power band.
Advanced Trainer: TBD