How iRacing force feedback works
iRacing outputs the actual forces acting on the virtual steering column. No canned effects, no synthesised chassis tricks. That is why it is the bedrock of the competitive scene. The trade-off: it expects you to dial in two settings per base and one setting per car.
Wheel Force (per base) tells iRacing what your hardware can deliver in Nm. Match it exactly to your base's peak output. CSL DD at 8 Nm, ClubSport DD at 12, Podium DD2 at 25, T818 at 10, G PRO at 11, and so on. This is the safety ceiling for crash spikes and the reference iRacing uses to compute Max Force per car.
Max Force (per car) is the value iRacing's on-screen FFB bar measures against. It is the steering-column torque telemetry value at which your base maxes out for that specific car. Higher Max Force = lighter wheel, because you are telling iRacing not to max out the hardware until the telemetry hits that number. The Auto button calibrates Max Force after a clean lap so peak telemetry exactly matches your hardware peak. Map a button to it and use it on every new car. After Auto, a GT3 typically settles around 35-45 Nm regardless of base.
Use Linear Mode is the third key call. CHECKED for direct drive (you want 1:1 raw telemetry). UNCHECKED for sub-8 Nm belt or gear bases (you want the low end boosted so you can actually feel slip on a G29 or T300). iRacing made Linear the default in 2018, which is right for DD but a step backwards for older Logitechs and the T300.
The rest is base-specific. Bookmark the interactive FFB settings finder for the per-sim per-base matrix; this page is the iRacing-specific deep dive.
One 2026 note: iRacing's native 360 Hz FFB output has caught up enough that irFFB (the long-running third-party FFB layer) is no longer mandatory for direct drive bases. It is still useful for belt and gear users who want to add calculated self-aligning torque cues that native iRacing intentionally omits — the irFFB2026 branch is what to look for.
Fanatec settings for iRacing
Fanatec on iRacing is the most documented combo in the sim. Maurice Böschen's Fanalab profiles are the gold standard — he updates them per major iRacing build and the Fanatec official forum thread mirrors the Tuning Menu values. FFS on Peak (rather than Linear) is the call most people miss on the CSL DD and Podium bases. On the ClubSport DD and DD+ the firmware unifies that toggle, so it does not appear in your menu.
Fanalab / Tuning Menu
Covers CSL DD 5 Nm + CSL DD 8 Nm, ClubSport DD 12 Nm, ClubSport DD+ 15 Nm, Podium DD1 20 Nm, Podium DD2 25 Nm.
| Setting | CSL DD (5/8 Nm) | CS DD (12 Nm) | CS DD+ (15 Nm) | Podium DD1 (20 Nm) | Podium DD2 (25 Nm) |
| SEN | Auto | Auto | Auto | Auto | Auto |
| FF | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| FFS | Peak | unified | unified | Peak | Peak |
| NDP | 15-20 | 15-20 | 15-20 | 15-20 | 15-20 |
| NFR | Off | Off | Off | Off | Off |
| NIN | Off | Off | Off | Off | Off |
| INT | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 |
| FEI | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| FUL (FullForce) | n/a | 100 | 100 | n/a | n/a |
In-game iRacing settings (all Fanatec bases)
| Setting | CSL DD 5 | CSL DD 8 | CS DD 12 | CS DD+ 15 | DD1 20 | DD2 25 |
|---|
| Wheel Force (Nm) | 5 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| Damping | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Min Force | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Use Linear Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max Force GT3 (after Auto) | ~25 Nm | ~30 Nm | ~38 Nm | ~40 Nm | ~42 Nm | ~45 Nm |
The single biggest improvement most Fanatec iRacing drivers can make is loading per-car Fanalab profiles rather than running a single global setup. Each car's Auto-calibrated Max Force gets saved to the profile and re-applied automatically.
Sources: Fanatec official forum iRacing recommended settings thread, Maurice Böschen Fanalab car profile packs.
Moza settings for iRacing
Moza's Pit House defaults are too aggressive on Road Sensitivity for iRacing — the iRacing telemetry signal is already detailed, you do not need amplification on top. Pull it to 9-10 and let the in-game Wheel Force do the headline work. Mechanical Damper rises with base torque, which is the right move: a 21 Nm R21 needs more damping to catch crash spikes than a 5.5 Nm R5 ever will.
Pit House
Covers R9 V3, R12 V2, R16 V2, R21, R21 Ultra, and the entry R5 5.5 Nm.
| Setting | R5 | R9 | R12 | R16 | R21 |
|---|
| FFB Intensity | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Max Output Torque | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Road Sensitivity | 9 | 9-10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Mechanical Friction | 5-10 | 10 | 10-15 | 15 | 15 |
| Mechanical Damper | 0-5 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20-25 | 25-30 |
| Speed-Dep Damping | Off | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 |
| FFB EQ | Flat | Flat | Flat | Flat | Flat |
In-game iRacing settings
| Setting | R5 | R9 | R12 | R16 | R21 |
|---|
| Wheel Force (Nm) | 5.5 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 21 |
| Damping | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Min Force | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Use Linear Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max Force GT3 (Auto) | ~25-30 Nm | ~35-40 Nm | ~40-45 Nm | ~45-50 Nm | ~50-55 Nm |
The R5 in iRacing will clip noticeably on a kerb hit at a GT3 pace — that is inherent to a 5.5 Nm base running a 45 Nm telemetry car. Live with it or step up to the R9 V3.
Sources: Random Callsign Moza iRacing setups, Moza Racing Discord setup channels, r/MozaRacing.
Simagic settings for iRacing
The key Simagic difference between iRacing and ACC: Wheel Return Speed stays at 100 for iRacing, not 0. iRacing's caster trail simulation works fine with the assist on; turning it off makes the wheel feel sluggish to centre. The other thing to watch is Smoothness — drop it to 0 on the Alpha U so the 360 Hz telemetry passes through unfiltered.
SimPro Manager
Covers Alpha EVO Sport 9 Nm, Alpha EVO 12 Nm, and the older Alpha Mini/Alpha/Alpha U line. Values below cover the original Alpha line; carry the same logic across to the EVO range.
| Setting | Alpha Mini (10 Nm) | Alpha (15 Nm) | Alpha U (23 Nm) |
|---|
| Total Force | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Smoothness | 2-3 | 1-2 | 0-1 |
| Wheel Return Speed | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Mechanical Friction | 10 | 10-15 | 10-15 |
| Mechanical Damper | 5 | 10 | 10-15 |
| Mechanical Inertia | 0 | 0-5 | 5 |
| Suspension / Road / Effects | 0 | 0 | 0 |
In-game iRacing settings
| Setting | Alpha Mini | Alpha | Alpha U |
|---|
| Wheel Force (Nm) | 10 | 15 | 23 |
| Damping | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Min Force | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Use Linear Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max Force GT3 (Auto) | ~35-40 Nm | ~45-50 Nm | ~50-55 Nm |
Sources: Boosted Media Simagic iRacing setups, r/Simagic community profiles.
Simucube settings for iRacing
Simucube on iRacing is the gold-standard combo at the top of the sim, partly because Daniel Morad and Dan Suzuki publish curated TrueDrive profiles via the Paddock cloud. Overall Strength stays at 100 in TrueDrive, Reconstruction Filter at 3 is the sweet spot (1 for absolute raw, 5 for heavy smoothing on rough kerbs), and the in-game Wheel Force matches your base's peak Nm.
TrueDrive
Covers SC2 Sport 17 Nm, SC2 Pro 25 Nm, SC2 Ultimate 32 Nm, SC3 Sport, SC3 Pro, SC3 Ultimate. SC3 values carry across from SC2 with the new electronics tuning the same shape of curve.
| Setting | SC2 Sport | SC2 Pro | SC2 Ultimate |
|---|
| Overall Strength | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Reconstruction Filter | 1-3 | 3 | 3-5 |
| Damping | 15-20 | 10-15 | 10 |
| Friction | 5-10 | 5 | 5 |
| Inertia | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Slew Rate Limit | Off | Off | Off |
In-game iRacing settings
| Setting | SC2 Sport | SC2 Pro | SC2 Ultimate |
|---|
| Wheel Force (Nm) | 17 | 25 | 32 |
| Damping | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Min Force | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Use Linear Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max Force GT3 (Auto) | ~45 Nm | ~50-55 Nm | ~55-60 Nm |
Sources: Daniel Morad and Dan Suzuki TrueDrive Paddock profiles, r/iRacing Simucube setup threads.
Logitech settings for iRacing
Logitech splits cleanly. The G29, G920 and G923 are gear or belt drive at 2-2.5 Nm peak with a real mechanical deadzone around centre — they need Use Linear Mode UNCHECKED and Min Force at 10-15% (or better, a custom LUT generated via WheelCheck and routed through irFFB). The newer DD G PRO (11 Nm) and RS50 (8 Nm) follow the DD rules: Linear ON, Min Force 0, Wheel Force matches the base Nm.
G HUB / RS software
| Setting | G29 / G920 | G923 | RS50 (8 Nm DD) | G PRO (11 Nm DD) |
|---|
| Operating Range | 900° | 900° | 900° | 900° |
| Sensitivity | 50 | 50 | n/a | n/a |
| Centring Spring | 0 (off) | 0 (off) | n/a | n/a |
| Strength / Torque | n/a | n/a | 8.0 Nm | 11.0 Nm |
| FFB Filter | n/a | n/a | 1 | Auto/1 |
| Dampener | n/a | n/a | 10-15 | 10-15 |
| TrueForce | n/a | 50% | 50-100% | 50-100% |
In-game iRacing settings
| Setting | G29 / G920 | G923 | RS50 | G PRO |
|---|
| Wheel Force (Nm) | 2.1 | 2.5 | 8 | 11 |
| Damping | 5-10% | 5% | 0% | 0% |
| Min Force | 10-15% (0% with LUT) | 5-10% | 0% | 0% |
| Use Linear Mode | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Max Force GT3 (Auto) | ~20-25 Nm | ~22-28 Nm | ~28-35 Nm | ~38-45 Nm |
If you own a G29, G920 or G923, the irFFB + custom LUT route is the upgrade. Run WheelCheck to log your specific unit's mechanical deadzone, feed it into the LUT Generator, and irFFB will spike the voltage exactly when needed to bridge the slack. Min Force can then go back to 0 and the wheel feels honest.
Sources: r/iRacing G PRO/RS50 setup threads, Boosted Media DD reviews, OverTake.gg irFFB + LUT generator guides.
Thrustmaster settings for iRacing
Two completely different setups. The T300 RS belt-drive needs the Overall Strength capped at 75% in the TM Control Panel to avoid thermal fade after 30 minutes of racing — this is the most common T300 complaint and the easiest fix. Force the internal fan to stay on (Mode + Option/Start until the light flashes twice). For iRacing, untick Linear Mode and run a tiny Min Force to bridge the belt's centre slack. The T818 DD is the opposite — all sliders at 100, Linear Mode on, Min Force 0.
TM Control Panel
| Setting | T300 RS (belt) | T818 (10 Nm DD) |
|---|
| Overall Strength | 75% | 100% |
| Constant | 100% | 100% |
| Periodic | 100% | 100% |
| Spring | 0% | 100% |
| Damper | 0% | 0% |
| Mode | Sport | Extreme |
In-game iRacing settings
| Setting | T300 RS | T818 |
|---|
| Wheel Force (Nm) | 3.9 | 10 |
| Damping | 0-5% | 0% |
| Min Force | 1-3% | 0% |
| Use Linear Mode | No | Yes |
| Max Force GT3 (Auto) | ~25-30 Nm | ~38-42 Nm |
Sources: r/iRacing T818 setup threads, Brian Koponen Thrustmaster guides, OverTake.gg TM tuning threads.
Common mistakes in iRacing wheel settings
- Never hitting Auto per new car. The biggest single mistake. Max Force is per-car telemetry, not a global setting. Map a button to Auto, drive two clean laps, hit it. Repeat on every new car.
- Min Force above 0% on a direct drive. DDs have no mechanical centre slack. Any non-zero Min Force causes a robotic rattle on straights. Set it to 0.
- Min Force at 0% on a belt or gear wheel. The opposite trap. G29, G920, G923 and T300 have a real mechanical deadzone. Run 1-15% Min Force or, better, a WheelCheck-generated LUT through irFFB.
- Wheel Force way higher than the base's real Nm peak. Setting Wheel Force to 25 Nm on a 12 Nm CSL DD does not make the wheel stronger. It removes the safety ceiling and risks injury on a crash spike when iRacing demands more torque than the hardware can deliver.
- In-game Damping above 0% when the base software's Damping is already on. The signal double-dips through two filters. Set in-game Damping to 0 and control weight via TrueDrive, Fanalab, SimPro Manager or Pit House only.
- Use Linear Mode the wrong way round. Ticked on a Logitech G29 makes the low-end forces disappear. Unticked on a Simucube Pro adds an artificial high-end ramp that masks tyre slip. Rule: DD = ticked, sub-8 Nm belt/gear = unticked.
For the per-sim per-base settings finder, jump to the interactive FFB settings tool. For the buyer-side companion to this page, the best direct drive wheel guide walks through which base actually fits which iRacing driver.