About this video

• Video Title: Forza Horizon 5 RWD Tuning Guide in 2025 | Upgrade & Setup
• Channel: Johnson Racing
• Speakers: Your favorite German potato (host)
• Duration: 19:10

Overview

This video provides a comprehensive guide to upgrading and tuning a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) car in Forza Horizon 5, specifically focusing on an all-around handling build for A-class. The host explains the process step-by-step, covering engine swaps, aspiration, tires, aerodynamics, drivetrain, suspension, alignment, and differential settings, aiming to help viewers achieve a perfectly tuned car.

Key takeaways

• Understanding PI System: The game's Performance Index (PI) system can sometimes misinterpret engine swaps, making certain choices appear more valuable than they truly are.
• Engine Swap Choice: For A-class RWD builds focused on handling, the BMW i6 engine swap is recommended for its superior power-to-weight ratio, while the V8 is better suited for S1 class.
• Tire Selection: Rally or drift tires are recommended for A-class all-round builds, offering better cornering speed than stock tires. Rear tire width is always beneficial for traction and stability.
• Aerodynamics: Front and rear wings are crucial for a competitive all-round build. The Rocket Bunny rear wing is lighter than the Forza option, offering a slight performance advantage.
• Suspension Tuning: Off-road springs and dampers are surprisingly beneficial for the NSX, allowing for increased ride height and softer spring settings, which improves overall rotation. Stiffer rear springs are recommended due to the car's weight distribution.
• Differential Setup: The rally differential is generally the best choice for RWD cars, providing a smoother transition between grip and oversteer.
• Alignment and Damping: Camber settings are important for cornering grip, with a general rule of more front camber than rear. Damper settings should complement spring stiffness, with conservative rebound and slightly increased bump settings often being effective.
• Final Drive Tuning: The final drive should be tuned to keep the engine within its optimal power band, especially when accelerating out of corners.
• Adjustable Tune: The host provides his specific tune for download but encourages viewers to adjust it to their own driving style.

This video is a deep dive into tuning a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) car in Forza Horizon 5, aiming for a competitive A-class, all-around handling build. The host, "Your favorite German potato," emphasizes that while tuning can seem intimidating with its many menus and sliders, it becomes manageable with a few general rules and tricks.

The video specifically uses the 1992 Honda NSX as a case study, tuned in collaboration with a top Forza Horizon 5 player, Led. The goal is to achieve perfection in the car's setup by the end of the tutorial.

Key Stages of Tuning Explained:

1. Conversions Tab (Engine and Drivetrain Swaps):

   • Importance: Always check this first, as engine and drivetrain swaps drastically alter upgrade paths and PI (Performance Index).
   • PI System Nuance: The game's PI system doesn't always accurately reflect an engine's true performance. Some swaps might gain PI disproportionately due to how the game calculates power bands and optimal shift points.
   • NSX Specifics:
     • BMW i6: Offers more horsepower and reduces weight, ideal for A-class due to the best power-to-weight ratio for an all-around build.
     • LS3 V8: Provides more horsepower but adds weight. This is a good option for S1 class builds, especially with a centrifugal supercharger.
     • Turbo Rally: Offers the least horsepower, so it's not chosen for this build.
     • AWD Swap: Generally not recommended for this RWD focus, but it's noted as the meta for pure handling A-class NSXs if that's the goal.

2. Aspiration Upgrades:

   • General Rule: Installing aspiration upgrades (like turbos) is usually beneficial as they are better than stock and open up more engine options.
   • Best Aspirations Ranking:
     1. Centrifugal Supercharger (often the best overall)
     2. Twin Turbo / Single Turbo (car-dependent)
     3. Supercharger (rear-mounted)
   • NSX Specifics: The single turbo is chosen for the NSX build.

3. Body Kits:

   • Purpose: Primarily for aesthetics or extreme handling builds.
   • Impact: Can add significant grip and drag. Generally avoided for all-around builds unless the car specifically needs it to counter understeer or for a dedicated handling build. The NSX doesn't require it for this build.

4. Tires and Rims (Mechanical Grip):

   • Compound: For A-class all-rounders like the NSX, rally or drift tires are recommended. Stock NSX tires are inferior.
     • Rally Tires: Good corner speed, slightly better traction.
     • Drift Tires: Similar corner speed, slightly less low-speed traction.
   • PI Consideration: The choice between rally and drift can depend on PI cost. If drift tires are cheaper in PI, it allows more points for other upgrades.
   • Slicks: Offer the best grip but consume too much PI for an A-class build.
   • Front Tire Width: Generally skipped for RWD builds focused on handling as it costs PI without significant benefit.
   • Rear Tire Width: Always recommended. It costs minimal PI and significantly improves traction and stability.
   • Rim Size: Can be adjusted (especially rear) to lower PI, but often at the cost of weight and without improving drivability. Used here mainly for PI management.

5. Aero and Appearance:

   • Performance Impact: Front and rear wings are essential for competitive builds.
   • NSX Specifics:
     • Forza Aero: Standard option.
     • Rocket Bunny Rear Wing: Offers the same downforce as Forza Aero but is lighter (2kg). Performance-wise, it's preferred, but the host opts for the standard Forza wing due to aesthetics.

6. Drivetrain (Differential):

   • Upgrading: Always install the upgrade as it allows fine-tuning. It costs no PI.
   • Diff Types: Race, Drift, or Off-road.
   • Recommendation: The Rally Diff is often the best for RWD due to its smooth transition from grip to oversteer. Race diffs can be too abrupt, and drift diffs are more specialized.

7. Platform and Handling (Suspension & Chassis):

   • Anti-Roll Bars: Essential for fine-tuning. Install them as they cost minimal PI.
   • Springs and Dampers: Necessary for adjusting ride height, rebound/bump stiffness, and alignment.
   • NSX Specifics:
     • Off-road Springs/Dampers: Recommended. Despite sounding counterintuitive, they allow for greater ride height adjustment and slightly softer springs than race variants. This improves rotation on the stiff NSX chassis. Drift springs/dampers are generally ignored.
     • Stiffness: Softer settings are generally preferred for better rotation and grip. The rear springs are made stiffer than the front due to the NSX's rear weight bias (45% front).
     • Ride Height: Highest front value for responsiveness, highest rear value for stability. Lowering rear ride height can improve top speed and rotation but might sacrifice stability.
     • Dampers: Rebounds are kept mid-range. Bump settings are increased (higher rear bump for rotation and acceleration stability). Generally, conservative damping values are advised.

8. Weight Reduction:

   • Race Weight Reduction: Always install if possible. It's PI-efficient, improves acceleration, and aids handling.

9. Engine Upgrades (Balancing Power and PI):

   • General Order of Power Gains: Exhaust > Aspiration (specific) > Fuel System > Intake Manifold / Camshaft.
   • Intercooler: Install last, only if needed, as it adds weight and can affect weight distribution.
   • Flywheel: Typically a low priority upgrade.
   • NSX Specifics: The chosen single turbo and sport intake provide a modest power boost without exceeding the PI limit. The exhaust couldn't be fitted due to PI constraints.

10. Transmission:

    • Street/Sport vs. Race: Street or sport transmissions are often sufficient and cost less PI than race versions. Race transmissions can consume too much PI and limit gear tuning.
    • Final Drive: Crucial for tuning gear ratios. Lowering the final drive increases top speed but reduces acceleration. The goal is to have gears as short as needed to stay in the power band. For the NSX, the final drive was slightly lowered for more top speed.

11. Alignment:

    • Camber: More front camber than rear is generally beneficial for cornering grip, as the front wheels do the steering. The NSX uses -0.5 front and -0.3 rear for improved low-speed grip.
    • Toe: A last resort for fine-tuning understeer/oversteer. Front toe-in can aid turn-in, while rear toe-out can increase stability. The NSX needed no toe adjustments.
    • Caster: Affects straight-line stability and steering return. A value around 6.5-7.0 is typical. 7.0 was used for the NSX.

12. Aerodynamics (Fine-tuning):

    • Downforce: Maximum front downforce is recommended for high-speed cornering. Rear downforce needs to balance stability; too little causes oversteer, too much causes understeer.
    • NSX Specifics: The lowest possible rear aero setting was used, with a note that increasing it might be necessary for stability in faster cars or certain RWD setups.

13. Brakes:

    • Necessity: Often not required for pure handling builds as they consume significant PI. The differential aids tire rotation, making brakes less critical.

14. Differential Tuning (Final Adjustments):

    • Acceleration Sensitivity: Higher values make the car more aggressive with throttle input. Maxing it out (100%) is common for RWD, but the host tuned it down to 90 for smoother, more manageable power delivery.
    • Deceleration Sensitivity: Lower values increase rotation when lifting off or braking. Starting at zero and adjusting is key. A small value (5) was used to prevent excessive snap oversteer.

The video concludes with the host sharing the completed tune file for download, emphasizing that viewers should still adjust it to match their personal driving style. He also directs viewers to his previous tutorial on tuning a Ferrari FXX.