Professional Race Setup Guide
Chassis Setup

Select your current chassis settings. Values auto-populate into any new Setup Sheet you save. Reference ranges shown alongside each field.

Live data entry: Selections here are held as your current working setup and automatically fill the Chassis Geometry section when you open a new Setup Sheet. Only saved setup sheets are permanent records.
Caster
Camber
Toe
Seat & Driver
Axle Width
↗ Current Caster Setting
Caster Angle (°) — Overall
Standard: +3° to +5° dry
Left Side (°)
Should match right unless asymmetric
Right Side (°)
Symmetric circuits — match left
Kingpin / Eccentric Position
Note your chassis-specific setting
📐 Reference Values
Standard dry
+3° to +5°
Tight / slow track
+2° to +3°
Fast / flowing track
+4° to +6°
Wet conditions
Reduce 1°–2°
More caster →
More front grip + rear lift
Less caster →
Lighter steering, less jacking
Caster explained: Positive caster causes the front wheel to gain negative camber as you steer, increasing mid-corner grip. It also lifts the inside rear wheel — freeing the rear axle to rotate around tight corners. This is the primary tuning tool for rear grip on a kart. Adjust both sides equally unless deliberately setting asymmetry for oval circuits.
↔ Current Camber Setting
Front Camber (°) — Overall
Typical: 0° to −0.5° standard
Left Front (°)
Measured on flat surface, driver aboard
Right Front (°)
Match left for symmetric handling
📐 Reference Values
Standard starting point
0° to −0.5°
High grip / warm
−0.5° to −1°
Low grip / cold
0° to +0.5°
Wet conditions
0° (neutral)
Negative camber →
More mid-corner grip
Positive camber →
More straight stability
Camber explained: Unlike cars, karts use very little camber. The chassis flex and rear-wheel lifting provide the primary cornering mechanism. Aggressive negative camber reduces contact patch on straights and often hurts lap time overall. Start conservative and make small 0.25° changes.
↦↤ Current Toe Setting
Total Front Toe
Standard: 0 to +1mm toe-out
Left Side from Centre (mm)
Half of total toe — measure from centre
Right Side from Centre (mm)
Must match left — asymmetry causes pull
Measurement Method
📐 Reference Values
Standard starting point
0 to +1mm toe-out
Fast / flowing track
0mm (parallel)
Tight technical track
+1mm to +2mm out
Wet conditions
0mm to +0.5mm
Toe-out →
Sharper turn-in
Toe-in →
More straight stability
Asymmetry warning: Always measure toe from the centre of the kart outward to each wheel. If total toe is correct but asymmetric side-to-side, the kart will pull in a straight line. This is one of the most common setup errors at club level.
🪑 Current Seat Position
Fore / Aft Position
Forward = more oversteer tendency
Height
Higher = more chassis flex influence
Lateral (Left / Right)
Affects left/right weight balance
Strut Angle — Rear
Affects chassis flex stiffness
📐 Reference Values
Seat forward
More oversteer
Seat rearward
More understeer
Seat high
Higher CG, more flex
Seat low
Lower CG, stiffer feel
Front weight target
42–45%
Left/right balance
48–52% each side
Seat strut safety: All four seat struts must be checked before every session. Cracks at weld points are common — inspect carefully. A broken strut mid-session causes sudden and violent handling changes and serious injury risk.
⟷ Current Track Width
Rear Axle Width
Max → Min in ⅛" increments
Front Track Width
Max → Min in ⅛" increments
Axle Grade / Stiffness
Softer = more flex, more rear grip
Hub Spacer Configuration
Record both inner and outer spacers
📐 Reference Values
Rear narrow
Less rear grip
Rear wide
More rear stability
Typical narrow adj.
−25mm each side
Typical wide adj.
+25mm each side
Wet — rear
Narrow setting
Wet — front
Narrow setting
Track width & chassis flex: Wider rear track increases rear stability and grip, but reduces the ability to free the inside rear in tight corners. In slow corners, go narrower. On high-speed flowing tracks, go wider for stability. Axle stiffness has a similar effect — softer axles flex more and generate more rear grip on low-grip surfaces.
⟷ Axle Width Measurement Reference
Enter your kart's physical minimum and maximum axle widths. The app will calculate your usable adjustment range and show where your current setting sits within it.
Rear Axle — Minimum Width
mm / in
Narrowest legal or physical setting
Rear Axle — Maximum Width
mm / in
Widest legal or physical setting
Front Track — Minimum Width
mm / in
Narrowest front setting
Front Track — Maximum Width
mm / in
Widest front setting
Rear total adjustment range
Front total adjustment range
Rear midpoint (neutral)
Front midpoint (neutral)
Tire Setup

Tire selection and pressure are the single biggest influence on lap time and handling balance. Select your brand and compound for specific recommendations.

Pro Tip: Always measure tire pressure cold — before the session, in the shade, at ambient temperature. Hot pressure readings are unreliable for setup purposes. A 1 PSI error in cold pressure becomes a 3–4 PSI error at operating temperature.
Tire Brand & Compound
Brand
Model / Compound
Front cold pressure — recommended
Front cold pressure — actual
PSI
Rear cold pressure — recommended
Rear cold pressure — actual
PSI
Front hot pressure — actual
PSI
Rear hot pressure — actual
PSI
Hot target (approx.)
Compound type
🌡
Pressure vs Temperature
Cold ambient (under 10°C)
Add 1–2 PSI
Cool ambient (10–20°C)
Standard cold setting
Warm ambient (20–30°C)
Reduce 0.5–1 PSI
Hot ambient (30°C+)
Reduce 1–2 PSI
Wet / rain compound
Reduce 2–3 PSI vs dry
🔧
Pressure Effect on Handling
Higher pressure front
Reduces front grip
Lower pressure front
More front grip/turn-in
Higher pressure rear
Reduces rear grip
Lower pressure rear
More rear stability
Equal front/rear change
Overall grip change
Tire warm-up: All kart tires require warm-up laps to reach operating temperature. Cold tires have significantly less grip — pushing hard on lap 1 causes slides, understeer, and lap time loss. Weave gently under braking and accelerating on the out-lap. Most compounds reach operating temperature by lap 2–3 in dry conditions.
Tire wear warning: A kart tire that is worn flat across the full tread width has been overworked. This is usually caused by too much weight, incorrect camber, or driving on the limit too early in the session. Investigate the root cause — simply fitting new tires without fixing the cause will repeat the wear pattern immediately.
Gearing & Sprockets

Correct gearing allows the engine to operate in its power band for the maximum proportion of each lap. Use the calculator below to find your ideal ratio.

Gear Ratio Calculator
Driver Sprocket (teeth)
Rear Sprocket (teeth)
Max RPM (engine redline)
Tire Circumference (mm)
Gear ratio (Rear ÷ Driver)
Top speed at redline (approx.)
Speed per 1000 RPM
Taller Gearing (smaller rear)
Effect
Higher top speed
Effect
Slower acceleration
Use for
Long straights, fast tracks
RPM at end of straight
Near or at redline
Shorter Gearing (larger rear)
Effect
Better acceleration
Effect
Lower top speed
Use for
Tight, technical circuits
RPM at end of straight
Below redline
Gearing principle: The ideal gearing hits your engine's redline just before the braking point at the end of the longest straight. If you run out of revs early, go taller (fewer rear teeth). If you never reach redline, go shorter (more rear teeth). Change in 2–3 tooth increments and re-test.
Class-specific starting ratios: Kid Kart ~10:72 | Cadet IAME ~11:80 | Junior Rotax ~11:78–82 | Senior Rotax ~11:80–86 | KZ (varies by circuit) ~13:85–100 | LO206 ~12:72–80. These are starting points — always fine-tune to your specific circuit.
Engine Setup

Engine-specific settings, jetting, and fuel configuration. Tailored to your selected engine — .

Pro Tip: Engine jetting is highly sensitive to ambient temperature, altitude, and humidity. Always note the conditions when a jetting change is made so you can reference it next time you race in similar conditions.
Jetting
Fuel & Oil
Ignition
Cooling
⚙ Current Jetting
Main Jet Size
Larger jet = richer mixture
Needle Clip Position
Lower clip = richer mid-range
Pilot / Slow Jet
Controls idle / low throttle mixture
Air Screw (turns out)
More turns out = richer at idle
📐 Jetting Guide
Rich symptoms
Black smoke, wet plug, sluggish
Lean symptoms
Overheating, white plug, flat power
Hot weather
Lean down 1–2 jet sizes
Cold weather
Richen up 1–2 jet sizes
High altitude
Lean down — less air density
Plug colour (ideal)
Light tan / grey-brown
⛽ Fuel & Oil Configuration
Fuel Type
Verify with current class regulations
Premix Oil Brand
2-stroke engines only
Premix Ratio
Check series rules — never guess
4-Stroke Engine Oil Grade
LO206 / Honda / TKM 4-stroke engines
📐 Fuel Reference
Rotax Max
Pump unleaded, no premix
IAME X30
Premix 50:1 (check series)
LO206
Pump unleaded, 10W-30 oil
TKM BT82
Premix — check class ratio
KZ class
Premix — team-specified
Superkart DEA
Racing fuel — class spec
⚡ Ignition Settings
Spark Plug Type
Colder plug = more heat resistance
Plug Gap
Check engine manual for spec
Ignition Timing
Advance = more power, more heat risk
Plug Condition (last check)
Read plug after a full-throttle session
📐 Ignition Reference
Ideal plug colour
Light tan / grey-brown
White electrode
Too lean — jet up
Black / sooty
Too rich — jet down
Replace interval
Every 2–3 hours run time
Check gap
Every session minimum
Torque
18–22 Nm (do not over-tighten)
🌡 Cooling System
Coolant Type
Check class rules — some ban antifreeze
Coolant Level
Check before every session
Water Pump Condition
Inspect impeller every 10 hours
Operating Temperature
Target 55–65°C for most water-cooled engines
📐 Cooling Reference
Rotax ideal temp
55–65°C / 131–149°F
IAME X30 ideal
55–70°C / 131–158°F
KZ ideal temp
50–60°C / 122–140°F
Overheating sign
Power loss, detonation
Coolant change
Every season minimum
Hose inspection
Every race day
Brake Setup & Bias

Correctly set brakes are a safety requirement and a significant performance factor. A well-set brake system provides consistent, powerful, and progressive retardation.

Safety first: Never race with any doubt about brake performance. A spongy pedal, inconsistent bite, or brake disc crack must be resolved before the kart goes on track. There are no emergency measures at racing speed.
Brake Pedal Setup
Pedal free play
2–3mm max
Bite point position
First 30% of travel
Full pedal travel (firm)
No more than 40mm
Pedal feel (correct)
Firm, progressive
Spongy pedal cause
Air in system / worn pads
🔧
Pad & Disc Specification
Pad minimum thickness
3mm friction material
Disc minimum thickness
Per manufacturer spec
Disc run-out (max)
0.15mm
Caliper piston clearance
0.1–0.2mm per side
Brake fluid
DOT 4 or 5.1 only
🌡
Brake Fluid & Heat
DOT 4 dry boiling point
230°C minimum
DOT 5.1 dry boiling point
260°C minimum
Fluid change interval
Every season minimum
Signs of boiling fluid
Spongy hot pedal
Solution
Flush and bleed fully
Brake Bias (dual-caliper)
Starting point
60% rear / 40% front
More front bias
Sharper initial feel
More rear bias
More rear stability
Wet — bias adjustment
More front (rear locks)
Applies to
Superkart / KZ only
Bleeding procedure: Bleed from the caliper furthest from the master cylinder first. Use a vacuum bleeder or two-person method. Fluid should run clear with no bubbles. Top up reservoir after each bleeder screw is closed — never allow the reservoir to run dry during bleeding or air will enter the system.
Corner Weights & Scaling

Corner weighting allows precise measurement of weight distribution. Enter your scale readings below to calculate balance percentages and cross-weight.

Equipment required: Four corner scales (or a single portable scale used with a flat reference surface). The kart must be on a flat, level surface with the driver seated in full race gear. Tire pressures at race setting. Take three readings and average them.
Corner Weight Calculator
Front Left
kg
Front Right
kg
Rear Left
kg
Rear Right
kg
Total Weight
— kg / — lbs
Class Minimum ()
Front axle weight
Rear axle weight
Front weight %
Left side weight %
Cross weight (LF+RR)
Cross weight %
🎯
Target Weight Distribution
Front axle target
42–45%
Rear axle target
55–58%
Left/right balance
48–52% each side
Cross weight target
50% (symmetric track)
Oval / one-direction
Adjust per track bias
🔧
Adjustment Methods
More front weight
Seat forward / ballast fwd
More rear weight
Seat rearward / ballast rr
Left/right balance
Seat lateral, ballast position
Ballast location
Seat sides, floor pan
Min ballast bolt size
M8 minimum, self-locking
Minimum weight compliance: Your selected class minimum weight is shown in the header. Always weigh after qualifying and the final — fuel burns off during the race. Many drivers add ballast conservatively and run 1–2 kg over minimum to provide a safety margin against fuel loss and technical inspection variations.
Current setup: Class minimum weight shown in header based on your welcome screen selection. Always verify against your series' current sporting regulations as weights can change season to season.
Track Condition Adjustments

Select current track conditions to receive specific setup adjustments. These are starting point recommendations — always adapt to the specific behaviour of your kart and driver.

☀️
Dry Hot
25°C+
🌤
Dry Mild
15–25°C
🥶
Dry Cold
Under 15°C
🌦
Damp / Drying
Wet patches
Full Wet
Rain tires req.
Setup Sheets

Save complete setup configurations per track and session. Load any saved setup to compare side-by-side with another.

No setup sheets saved yet. Tap New Setup Sheet to record your first setup.
New Setup Sheet
Session Info
Setup Name
Track / Circuit
Date
Session Type
Conditions
Best Lap Time
Chassis Geometry
Caster (°)
Camber (°)
Toe (mm)
Front Track Width
Rear Axle Width
Axle Grade
Tires
Tire Brand
Compound / Model
Front Cold PSI
Rear Cold PSI
Front Hot PSI
Rear Hot PSI
Gearing
Front Sprocket (teeth)
Rear Sprocket (teeth)
Gear Ratio
Corner Weights
Front Left (kg)
Front Right (kg)
Rear Left (kg)
Rear Right (kg)
Brake Settings
Pad Compound
Fluid Type
Pedal Bite Point
Engine Notes
Jet Size (main jet)
Needle Clip Position
Air Filter Condition
Session Notes
Side-by-Side Comparison
Setup A
VS
Setup B