Motion tuning questions

Thanks to many in the community that helped me get my old Frex rig converted. I have basic motion working in iRacing, so very happy at the moment!

I now have some very basic questions regarding tuning, so please forgive my lack of understanding. I have read through the relevant sections of the complete documentation and quick start guides, however still some of the basic concepts are not fully clear to me.

OK, here goes. Thanks in advance for any support or insight -

1. I understand my old Frex actuators are of type SCN5, correct?

2. Then, how many DOF do they have?

3. Given question number 2 above, does this mean that I need to set values for every force available from iRacing? Or, do I only set values for the number of DOF that my actuators support. i.e. if only 2 DOF, then only 2 values such as Roll and Pitch.

4. When I am doing my initial tuning, should I be changing the % values in the Game Engine, or should I be adjusting the sliders in the Profile Editor for the Default profile?

5. What is the basic effect of increasing the % value of a DOF (i.e. Roll) in the Game Engine? i.e. if I increase Roll %, should I expect the in-game roll movement to be higher?

6. What is the basic effect of toggling the orange check-box beside each DOF?

7. How do you know what is the safe maximum setting for Axis Limiting in the Game Engine? I have Axis 1 and Axis 2 at 90%. The Main Level % is 100 in the Profile Editor. Does that mean I am okay to set any DOF (i.e. Surge) up to 100% in Axis Assignments without danger to my actuators?

8. In the Output Testing panel of the Game Engine, when should I use DOF Output vs Axis Output?

9. I have used the Tuning Center as per the documentation and captured values for clean laps from iRacing. There are non-zero Max/Min values now for every column except Extra3. Do I leave those as is, at this point? Or do they play a significant role in basic motion tuning?

Thanks again. And sorry, these questions may make it seem that I have not tried to read the documentation. But I have, honestly. Just trying to get my head around all of this without making too many fundamental mistakes in the beginning.

Thanks noorbeast, your reply adds a lot of clarity. Especially the part about calibrating the forces one at a time. I am going to read each of the links you referenced and have another try at it. Cheers.

Okay it is going well, in terms of getting a realistic motion feel. However, my problem is that I am already at 160 total % for each axis, after setting only Surge, Sway and Pitch (which I am using instead of Heave). Screenshot attached.

I have been experimenting with % values lower than these, i.e. starting at the recommended 20%, but the motion is very little at those values. I cannot replicate the original Frex range of motion until I approach 50% for each of those DOF, above. Even the Pitch, which as I understand should be relatively lower, is not giving any real sensation of elevation change until approx 50%. I am using a test track that I know well in real life, although not expecting the sim to give me the same degree of sensation for elevation changes, for example. But really, as I dip below 40% DOF values, it is as if the motion drops off dramatically.

Any ideas about how to proceed? Thank you.

Having trouble uploading screenshot, but current settings are:

Surge 50%, Sway 60%, Pitch 50%
Main Level 100%
Axis Limiting 90/90

In the Tuning Center, the only Min/Max I have adjusted manually is Surge (1.0,-2.0). The others are set at the same values from my original in-game capture procedure.

Try to reduce the axis assignments to 40% each and set the tuning center value to zero. If you use zero you have the full percentage and speed of your axis accordingly to the assignments.

Okay, to be clear, you mean set the Max and Min values for each DOF to be 0 in the pink section of the Tuning Center, correct?

I'm having some success with lowering the axis assignment values and adjusting the Tuning Center instead. But, still not quite as effective as when I had the higher % axis assignments.

If I could ask for some additional clarification, from FAQ #228:

"Raising the Tuning Center values will soften the motion over a greater axis movement, lowering the value will do the reverse."

Let's say I have a given Min/Max in the Tuning Center for Sway at 5/-5. Regarding the above, if I change that to 10/-10, for example, I should see a larger movement of the actuators, correct? Likewise, if I reduce the values to 1/-1, I should see a smaller, albeit more abrupt, movement of the actuators?

I suppose I am looking for some guidance on what range of values to use in the trial and error tuning approach. Starting from the captured values from the in-game capture doesn't really give much motion. If I have the axis assignment values as low as 20-40%, then I need to know which direction to go (i.e. increasing or decreasing values) in the Tuning Center so that I get significantly more range of movement in Surge, Sway and Pitch.

Thanks yobuddy. I am assuming you mean to say "one DOF at a time", correct?

I will try these settings and process. For iRacing, would you suggest using the Heave, or as some others have suggested, use the Extra2 DOF instead? I have read in other comments that Extra2 is Heave -1 to account for the effect of gravity specific to iRacing.

When I do test Heave (or Extra2), should I expect to feel elevation changes on the track (i.e. going uphill or downhill)? So, far, I have not been able to feel that with either Heave or Extra2. However, when I use Pitch instead (as noorbeast suggested in his first reply, above) I can feel the elevation changes.

p.s. I understand medium car in terms of performance, but what would you consider a medium track? i.e. # of corners, type of corners, or some other characteristic?

OK I am down to 138% total across each axis:

Surge 50%
Sway 50%
Heave 8%
Pitch 30%

If I set Pitch lower, I don't feel any significant tilt of the seat going downhill or uphill.

What do you guys think, is 138% okay or do I have to get that lower?

Also, axis limiting still at 90%. If I inspect my actuators visually, I see from the grease marks that they seem to be stopping approx 1 cm from the top of the piston (if that is what you call it). Does that seem right?

Many thanks. I feel I am very close to a great setup.

Im only new here, but @bsft has been guiding me. Interesting enough he talked about setting profiles as I mentioned that different cars and tracks might give different motion.
He let me play on his rig to get an idea. He got me on Asetto Corsa in a Ferrari on Imola (I think), then he got the same car on to the Monza track. Apparently he uses the Ferarri and Imola to set pitch, roll, sway and surge, but he used Monza to set heave. I could see why. Monza is a bumpy bugger of a track, but Imola and nice and rolly (so to speak).
He also described (from the notes I took down), set each force at 20% as a base, and main profile at 99%, then go out and check if the force feels right, adjust tuning centre (I think) numbers until it more or less feels right. Then turn that force down to 0%, go to next force and do that one as well individually. Something like that. I admit I cannot comment until mine is going......
Once my ride is built, I am sure I will learn more as I go.
Not sure if that helps.

Thanks rattler, that does help as it validates the basic approach I have been taking, with advice of others here.

My main challenge is that, at 20% for Surge and Sway, my actuators are barely moving. No matter what values I put in the Tuning Center, larger or smaller, the motion is minimal and not much different than sitting in a static seat.

yobuddy's suggested values of 50% work quite well, but that is 100% total just between those 2 DOF.

From what bsft has shown me , depending on the game , you can reduce numbers into decimals. Like his Race07 heave is 0.5 and pitch and roll is 0.05. Force is set at 20%. Just what ive seen. Neither of us play or intend to play iracing.
Just what ive been shown

Okay I have ended up with something quite usable at Surge 20%, Sway 60%, Pitch 20% and some fine tuning of Min/Max in the Tuning Center.

Anybody else with a converted Frex rig that is using iRacing, feel free to reach out; I would love to swap notes and see if we can help each other.

Thanks to all, so far. You guys have been very helpful.

Have you tried changing your max min on your sway vs the %?

I have reduced the Max/Min on Sway a bit vs. the in-game capture values. It did seem to help the seat react faster to turn-in. However, if I reduce the 60% setting, I have a hard time getting the seat to simulate a high lateral G corner. Likewise, if I reduce Max/Min too much, I seem to lose some resolution in the medium G corners, i.e. it becomes more 'all or nothing' with the Sway movement. Not sure if that is typical, but that's how it seems to me.