Perfect gearing ratios for Forza games

Making Your Gear Ratios Even Better

Our gear ratio calculator is designed to help you fine-tune your vehicle’s performance for an exhilarating driving experience. By adjusting the gear ratios, you can significantly enhance acceleration in the lower gears (1-3), giving you that quick burst off the line. If your goal is to improve acceleration in higher gears, consider increasing the ratios; conversely, lowering them can favor top speed. It’s crucial to customize these settings for each track to achieve the best possible lap times with your car. Don’t forget to factor in performance metrics like 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h), 0-100 mph (0-161 km/h) times, and top speed. Remember, faster acceleration translates to better cornering speeds, which can be a game-changer on the track.

How to find best final drive ratio?

Take a look at the image above, you'll notice that I initially set all gears to their minimum value of 0.48. After that, I fine-tuned the final drive until my car reached its maximum possible top speed, allowing me to determine the optimal final drive setting for my vehicle. Once you've identified this optimal final drive, you can begin refining the individual gears for better performance. Start by adjusting the first gear, aiming to achieve the quickest 0–97 km/h (or 0–60 mph) acceleration time. Next, move on to the second gear and optimize it in a similar way. Continue this process with each gear to find the settings that provide the best acceleration for your car overall. If further acceleration improvements are needed, you can also make slight adjustments to the final drive setting. However, be aware that increasing it too much may result in wheel spin during launch, so be cautious with this adjustment.

While exploring gear options, I recommend sticking with a six-speed gearbox. Fewer gears may result in less acceleration, while adding more gears can lead to slower shifting times, impacting your overall performance. Six gears strike a balance that works well for most drivers. Personally, I’ve achieved impressive lap times, ranking within the top 10k players from D to S2 class with a six-speed setup. By following these guidelines and using our calculator, you can unlock your car's full potential and enhance your racing experience.

How to Drift with a Manual Transmission

Learning to drift with a manual transmission can be challenging but highly rewarding. Manual control over the gears gives you enhanced precision in cornering and can improve lap times by letting you adjust power delivery for optimal slides. Here’s a step-by-step guide to mastering drifting with manual gears.

Step 1: Start with the Right Gear

When drifting, I typically stay in gears ranging from 3rd to 6th, depending on the length of the drift zone. For shorter zones, a lower gear like 3rd or 4th provides the torque needed to maintain control. For longer zones, shifting up to 5th or 6th can keep momentum through the slide. It's normal to need quick adjustments during a drift—sometimes shifting down to regain torque or up to increase speed.

Step 2: Choose a RWD Drift Car

A rear-wheel-drive (RWD) vehicle is essential for drifting, as it allows for better control and sustained slides through corners. Front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicles don’t handle drifts in the same way and can often rely on handbrake techniques that make drifting easier but less authentic. A properly tuned RWD car will give you a more genuine drifting experience.

Step 3: Disable Driving Assists

To drift effectively, turn off driving assists such as traction control and stability control. These assists can prevent the wheels from sliding freely, which is crucial for sustaining long drifts. If you’re new to disabling assists, don’t worry—practice will improve your control. For more detailed steps on how to adjust these settings, check out the tutorial on my homepage.

Step 4: Enter the Drift Zone Sideways

As you approach the drift zone, position your car sideways, anticipating the first corner. This angle gives you a clear line of sight through the curve, allowing you to plan your path and maintain control as you enter the drift. Aim to keep the car's drift angle consistent, making minor adjustments to speed and angle based on the layout of the zone.

Step 5: Follow the Ideal Drift Line

Once inside the zone, look ahead to plan your line through each corner. The ideal line may vary based on the zone layout, so adjust your speed and angle to maintain a smooth flow through the entire course. A balanced approach to steering and throttle control will help you sustain high speeds and earn better scores throughout different sections.

Step 6: Master RWD for Realistic Drifting

Forza and similar games often have combined leaderboards for AWD, FWD, and RWD vehicles in drift zones, which can be frustrating for players who enjoy realistic drifting with RWD setups. In real-world drift events, RWD vehicles are standard, while AWD and FWD are typically not allowed due to their inherent handling differences. A separate RWD-only leaderboard would offer a fairer competition for those pursuing authentic drift mechanics without relying on easier AWD or FWD setups.

Final Thoughts

Learning to drift with manual gears and a RWD car will take practice but will ultimately give you the most control and satisfaction in drifting. I hope Forza developers recognize the need for a RWD-only leaderboard to level the playing field for enthusiasts striving for realistic drifting techniques.