What's the best way to find a base/starting setup for a new RC Car?

Finding Your Base Setup: Why It Matters in RC Racing

In RC racing, a term often heard around the pits is "base setup" — but what does it actually mean?

A base setup is a safe, reliable starting point for your car that should work well on a specific type of track. It’s not designed to be the absolute fastest, but it should suit a wide range of racing styles and offer plenty of flexibility for future improvements.

When you build a racing kit, the manual usually suggests one or two setups, often aimed at indoor carpet or outdoor tracks. These are commonly known as "kit setups."
Sometimes, racers might ask team drivers to share their setup for a particular track. Although some call this a "base setup," many would argue it’s really a racer preference setup, tailored to the driver’s own style.

Why Base Setups Are Important

Everyone drives differently — that’s why RC cars offer so many adjustment options. If you want to improve your lap times, fine-tuning your car’s setup to match both the track and your driving style is key. A good base setup gives you the solid foundation you need to start making smart adjustments.

A common pitfall for new racers is not tracking their setup changes. Some newcomers believe copying a top racer's setup will instantly make them faster. However, as many quickly discover, "top racers' setups are fast for a reason" — they require a lot of skill and experience to handle. When the pro setup doesn’t suit them, they try to tweak it blindly, often ending up with a confusing "Frankenstein" setup that’s even harder to drive.

Starting with a well-rounded base setup, and slowly building on it, not only helps you find the right balance for your car but also teaches you how different changes affect handling. If a part ever fails and the car feels strange, you’ll spot the issue much faster because you’ll know what a properly working setup feels like.

How do Our Followers Find the Right Base Setup?

We asked our followers this very question. While the number of responses wasn’t huge, the advice we received was pure gold — practical, honest, and based on real racing experience.

Most people agree that the best place to start is with the factory or kit setup that comes with the car. As RC89 said, "manufacturers' base setup is the best place to start" because it gives you a neutral setup that works for most tracks.

Testing it first at your local track is important. miklos_rc suggested to "try it at your local track and see how it feels, then change bits to suit your driving style and track."

Once you've tried the basic setup, you should only change one thing at a time to see how it affects the car. ghostingtomjoad69 explained, "run your car around the track a few times, and only change one variable at a time."

For extra help, you can find setup sheets online. xdrift0rx recommended PetitRC saying it has "setup sheets for all cars basically." However, some people like Subietoy78 found it full of ads and suggested using the SoDialed app instead, saying it’s "really good at tracking your own setups."

Experienced racers like friger_heleneto also use team chats or look at pro setups, but warned that "most pro setups are way too aggressive for an average racer" and sometimes "leave out or lie about crucial information."

For those who just bash around rather than race, like vaurapung, basic setup is more about getting the steering straight and keeping things simple.

Finally, keeping track of your changes is important. As friger_heleneto said, "I use SoDialed on my phone to write down what I did to the car," but a simple sheet of paper works fine too.

Our 4 Top Tips for Finding a Base Setup for Your RC Car

So, what’s our suggestion for finding your own base setup? Honestly, there isn’t one perfect answer — every racer is different, every track is different, and every car is different. It's hard for manufacturers to create a setup that works for everyone, but starting with their suggested kit setup is usually a very good idea.

To help you get started, here’s our 4 top tips for building your own reliable base setup:

1. Check What Tyres and Additives Other Racers Are Using

Top racers often say, "tyres are the key to success" — and they’re absolutely right. At their level, with finely tuned setups, the tyres become the final piece of the puzzle.
But even for casual racers or beginners, picking the right tyre is crucial, especially when trying to build a strong base setup. Choosing the wrong tyre can make your car feel awful, no matter how good the rest of the setup is.

Tip: Be brave and ask other racers what tyres and additives they are using. Most racers are more than happy to help — if you meet the rare one who isn’t, just smile and know who to avoid next time! Starting your setup journey on the right tyres will make the whole process far easier.

2. Research and Compare Setups for Similar Conditions

While I usually begin with the suggested kit setup, I also spend time researching other available setups. What I look for are common trends — if lots of setups suggest the same change compared to the kit setup, it often means racers have found a real improvement or problem with the base setup. If you notice the same adjustment being made across multiple setup sheets, it’s probably worth trying on your own car.

Bonus tip: Don’t be afraid to look at setups from modified class racers, even if you race stock. Modified drivers often look for stability because they have too much power, while stock drivers push their setups harder to make up for less speed.

3. Use Balanced Springs at First

This one might be a little controversial, but it’s something I personally believe in. When building an initial base setup, try running the same spring rates front and rear.

Modern RC cars are much more balanced these days — older cars used to be rear-heavy, needing stiffer front springs to deal with the weight shift under braking. Today’s cars are closer to a 50/50 weight balance, meaning equal springs can give you a better feel for how the car reacts to acceleration and braking.

Pick a spring rate that gives you room to go harder or softer as needed. Once you find a good spring balance, you can then fine-tune the rest of the setup.

4. Keep Copies of Your Setups

When you’re building a base setup, it’s really important to track your changes carefully. Only change one thing at a time, and don't be afraid to put something back to how it was if it doesn’t improve the car.

I recommend keeping a log of your early setups, with simple notes on how the car handled after each change. You can use a blank setup sheet from Petit RC or SoDialed — whatever is easiest for you. Over time, this log will become a valuable tool for improving your car — and a lifesaver when you visit different tracks with tricky conditions.

We hope this article has helped you understand what a base setup is, why it’s important, and how you can start building one that works for you. Remember, there’s no magic setup that suits everyone — but by starting with a good foundation, making careful changes, and keeping track of what you do, you’ll be well on your way to improving both your car and your racing. Thanks for reading, and good luck out there on the track!

Next weeks Hot Topic will be: 

What's the Best RC Car to Take on Holiday? 

Summer’s nearly here and we want to know — what’s your go-to RC car for a getaway? 
We’re on the hunt for the perfect travel-friendly RC — small enough to pack in a suitcase, but still loads of fun wherever the adventure takes you.

We want to hear from you!  Drop your thoughts in the comments on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rcclubhub. 

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