Page Note:
This FAQ is written by and published with permissions of the Nitto Mod Tig

PROBLEM:
I got gear ratios but I still can't hit the top times?
The ratios you got may be able to hit low 8.2's all day long but that's not all you need.
Theres more to going fast than just ratios...

Everyone's computer is different

Keep in mind someone elses ratios might not work as good on your computer as they do on the other persons computer.   If someone is running good on a set of ratios, it's because the ratios match thier computer.   Everyones connection speed, CPU speed and graphics capability are different so it's always better to make your own ratios or at least take a set you run pretty good with and adjust or tweak them to your personal needs.   Also practice makes perfect.   Sometimes you have to get used to the shift points to hit them perfectly.   So before you say "Those ratios wont run 8.2" give them some practice and if you're still not hitting it, try another set.

Maximum Horsepower

Almost every set of ratios you see are made to run on Head to Head racing not Bracket.   H2H racing means the fastest that car can posibly go.   In order to do this you will need to be fully modified to hit the times you are expecting.   Fully modified means maximum horsepower, not close to it.   If you are 50 horsepower short of being fully modified the those 8.2 ratios aren't going to run 8.2!   These are the maximum DYNO horsepower numbers for every car.   This on on the DYNO not what you see when you look a car up. Civic = 525 HP SRT-4 Neon = 635 HP RSX = 656 HP Lancer Evolution = 722 HP Mustang Cobra = 880 HP RX-8 = 898 HP Supra = 810 HP Challenger = 839 HP Charger = 859 HP Ram = 1648 HP Skyline = 805 HP NSX = 980 HP Viper = 1648 HP The Mopar Drag Car and all Premiums come fully modified except for a gearbox, so no need to post the horsepower.

Parts List

Almost every car in this game can be fully modded using the exact same parts list with one exception... Turbo or Supercharger.   As a general rule, use a supercharger on every car you can.   Superchargers may have less horsepower in some cases, but will ALWAYS be faster than a turbo.   There are only 4 cars in this game that you need Turbo on.   SRT-4 Neon, Lancer Evolution, Supra and Skyline On any other car, use a supercharger. Here is the parts list. Bold refers to special exceptions for Turbo cars. DRIVETRAIN: All 3 parts. clutch, flywheel, gearbox ELECTRONICS: DFI system, plugs and wires. (boost controler for turbo cars) ENGINE INTERNALS: All 9 parts. Get the low compression pistons to use with nitrous and forced induction. EXHAUST: Buy all 3 parts for supercharged cars. (You can't use the headers on turbo cars) FORCED INDUCTION: For ANY car that will allow you to, ALWAYS use a supercharger and the BLUE PULLEY.   (For the factory Turbo cars you need all 7 parts under the turbos and accessories tab.   Again the only cars you need to run Turbo on are SRT-4 Neon, Evolution, Supra and Skyline.   Only buy turbo for those 4 cars.) INTAKE: cold air induction. NITROUS OXIDE: 200 shot nitrous. All those parts are needed to get to maximum horsepower.   There are other parts that don't affect your dyno numbers, but do make you run faster. 555R Drag Radials = Better traction. Carbon Fiber Hood = Weight reduction. Coilovers = Just looks better lol Wheels = Weight reduction. All rims have a weight rating and some are lighter than others.   Get the -3 pound rims for weight reduction. The -3 pound rims are... LE28N P1 Members get 2 more to choose from. RPO2J TE37 Guages: Some will argue with me here but most will agree.   Aftermarket guages penalize you if you over shift.   I honestly believe that the coding for the shift light is set more sensitive to over-reving than stock guages.   If I use stock guages I seem to average better times than I do when using aftermarket ones.   This is purely opinion so use whatever guages you feel comfortable with. I'll stick to stock.

Human Error ~ Now your car is ready, are you?

Heres where it all breaks down and falls apart.   If you've followed all thes steps I've laid out so far you're in good shape.   Now all you have to do is learn how to drive! SHIFT POINTS ARE CRITICAL!!!: If you over shift or short shift you loose acceleration.   Gear ratios are designed to accelerate you smoothly through each gear.   In order for you to get the most out of your ratios, you need to run them right in the RMP ranges they were designed for.   Which in most cases means is a small window.   If you short shift not only do you loose the most efficent RPM's on that gear but you go into the next gear too soon and below your peak range.   PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE Learn to hit those shifts.   I have used the same Viper ratios for 2 years and when I first started I couldnt figure out how people were hitting 6.4's.   Finally I sat down one night trying everything I could to get my Viper running right and all of a sudden started nailing it.   All it took was a good looooooong practice session for me to get really in time with my shift points and now I can log in and nail a mid 6.4 anytime I want to, on the same ratios I fought for a year just trying to hit a 6.4 sometimes.   It wasn't a tuning error, or bad ratios, it was me not taking the time to really learn to shift that fast and hit redline every shift.   Keep in mind some ratios and even cars like to be shifted a little early or even a little late so again experiment.   Find out what works and what don't. Engine Damage: :O :( >:-| Shift faster! MY ratios will wreck your motor if you over shift. nuff said. Staging: I won't spend much time here, it's simple. Shallow stage your car.   This means on the first line on the green starting box.   Just as it lights the "Staged" bulbs.   Theory behind this... You get a running start before your wheels trip the lights at the last white line in the starting box.   It makes you faster, dont ask, just DO IT! Clutch Feather: For now, put it all the way up on harsh.   That is the safe zone where you don't break traction.   Later on as your skill level grows, experiment.   Some cars seem to respond a little bit to less clutch feather.   But not a lot so for now go the safe route. Nitrous Oxide: Don't wait until you take off to start spraying, start before you take off.   I start spraying NOS pretty much right after I stage.   When the car position indicator on the left of your screen goes from staging to full track mode.. you know you are about to go.   With a little practice you will learn to start the NOS just before the amber starting lights start to drop. Rev the motor up!: Some people don't do this... I do!   If you rev your engine up and hold a certain RPM when you launch on some cars you get a better run.   NOT ON ALL CARS! Don't try this for premiums or you will just break traction and get massive engine damage.   There's a certain RPM point where you can launch and not break traction.   Go any higher and you spin.   Stay just below that point and you get a little extra power on your launch.   Your ratios also affect this some. Turbo cars react very well to this.   For example I hold the gas way up on an Evo and get a lot better times than I would if I launched at zero throttle.   This technique is tricky and pretty hard to get used too so just experiment.

TIG's Personal Ratio's

Below I am about to list all my personal ratios.   Something a lot of people will not do.   I see it like this, If your legit and doing all you can to better your racing game, then here ya go buddy.   I'd rather get owned by my own ratios that a cheat program.   Some of you will run very good with them and some of you won't.   Keep in mind, no set of ratios is a guarentee and i'm sure there are better ratios out there for all cars, but these are all good ratios and run very competatively.   If you want to see big range of ratios check out NOSS's Ratio Index Challenger: __4.385__2.284__1.484__1.092__.780__.578___4.125 runs (8.15's) Charger: __5.200__2.799__1.789__1.269__.898__.662___3.789 runs (8.38 ~ 8.44) Civic: __4.122__2.288__1.539__1.140__.849__.634___5.080 runs (8.25 ~ 8.3) Evo: __4.638__2.332__1.552__1.154__.900__.647___4.364 F1: __2.900__1.560__1.050__.801__.620__.510___5.330 FUNNY: __2.194__1.309__.950__.737__.616__.5___3.840 runs (4.92 ~ 5.0) MOPAR: __3.515__1.954__1.319__.978__.782__.595___3.203 NSX: __4.248__2.252__1.528__1.095__.863__.677___4.248 runs (7.2's) RAM: __3.78__2.0__1.359__.990__.740__.530___4.11 runs (7.36 ~ 7.40) RSX: __3.892__2.184__1.57__1.150__.880__.649___4.691 runs (7.75 ~ 7.78) RX8: __4.335__2.214__1.457__1.046__.806__.602___5.468 runs (7.52 ~ 7.6) SKY: __4.675__2.220__1.439__1.046__.778__.606___5.143 SRT-4: __4.223__2.152__1.519__1.117__.847__.609___4.003 runs (8.00 ~ 8.08) STANG: __4.548__2.553__1.759__1.359__.998__.727___3.811 runs (7.93 ~ 7.97) SUPRA: __5.297__2.578__1.700__1.194__.878__.656___3.819 TFD: __3.090__1.654__1.185__.888__.683__.568___4.111 runs (4.39 ~ 4.47) VIPER: __3.700__1.789__1.234__.887__.668__.500___3.777 runs (6.41 ~ 6.49) Again, I made all these and they are my personal ratios.(WTF AM I thinking!!)