Getting Started in Screw Drivers

Screw Drivers is a physics-based vehicle building game where every part you place affects how your car performs. This guide walks you through the entire process of creating your first working vehicle, from opening the build editor to crossing the finish line in your first career race.

Opening the build editor

When you launch the game and select a save slot, you will land in the main hub. Walk up to the build bench and interact with it to open the build editor. This is where you spend most of your time in Screw Drivers, so take a moment to familiarize yourself with the layout. The left side shows your available parts organized by category. The center is the 3D workspace where you assemble your vehicle. The right side displays the stats panel — press X at any time to toggle the car stats overlay, which shows mass, horsepower, top speed, and your current vehicle class rating.

The controls inside the editor are mouse-driven. Left-click to select a part from the palette, then click in the workspace to place it. Right-click to rotate the camera. Scroll to zoom. If you need to remove a part, select it and press R. Press Q to deselect the current part and return to the camera mode. These controls are covered in more detail on the Keyboard Controls page.

Late 2025 Screw Drivers playthrough (MachHaven)

Placing the chassis

Every vehicle starts with a chassis. Select the chassis from the structural parts category and place it in the center of the workspace. The chassis acts as the foundation — all other parts must attach to it either directly or through connected components. For your first build, use the default rectangular chassis. It has plenty of mounting points and is easy to work with.

Size matters in Screw Drivers. A longer chassis gives you more room to place parts but increases total mass. A shorter chassis is lighter and more agile but limits your options. For beginners, stick with the default size until you understand how mass affects performance.

Adding an engine

Next, open the Engines category and pick the Electrix-180. This starter engine is reliable, lightweight, and produces enough power for early career races. Place it on the chassis, ideally near the center or slightly toward the rear to improve traction on the driven wheels.

Engine placement affects weight distribution. If the engine sits too far forward, the front wheels bear more load, which can make the rear end light and unstable at high speeds. If it sits too far back, steering becomes sluggish. Aim for a balanced position and check the stats panel after placing it.

Connecting axles and gears

With the engine mounted, you need to transfer power to the wheels. This is where axles and gears come in. Place an axle coming out of the engine output shaft. Then attach a gear to that axle. The gear connects to another axle that leads to your wheels.

For your first car, a simple single-gear setup is fine. Place one gear between the engine and the rear wheels. The gear ratio determines how engine rotation translates to wheel speed. A higher ratio means more torque but lower top speed. A lower ratio means less torque but higher top speed. You can experiment with different ratios later — for now, the default gear works well enough.

Understanding how gears interact is essential for building faster cars later. The Gear Transmissions guide covers multi-speed gearboxes, 2-step and 3-step shifts, and planetary gears in depth.

Attaching wheels and suspension

Now open the suspension category. Suspension is critical because it determines ride height, wheel travel, and — importantly — steering. Place suspension units at each corner of the chassis where you want wheels to go. Make sure all four suspension points are properly connected to the chassis.

After placing suspension, attach wheels to each suspension unit. The wheel type affects grip, weight, and visual appearance. For your first build, use the standard wheels. They offer a good balance of grip and weight.

Enabling steering

This is where many new players get stuck. Steering is not configured on the wheel — it is a property of the suspension. Select the front suspension units and look for the steering toggle in the configuration panel. Enable steering on both front suspension pieces. Without this step, your car will only move in a straight line.

If you want rear-wheel steering instead, enable the steering toggle on the rear suspension. Most builds use front-wheel steering for stability, but some specialized vehicles benefit from rear or four-wheel steering. The How to Steer guide has a full explanation of steering mechanics and when to use each configuration.

Testing your vehicle

Before entering a race, test your build. Press the test button to drop your vehicle into a test arena. Drive around using WASD to accelerate and brake. Pay attention to how the car handles: does it accelerate smoothly? Does it steer responsively? Does it tip over in corners?

If something feels wrong, return to the editor and adjust. Common first-build issues include the car not moving (axles not connected), the car veering to one side (uneven wheel placement), or the car flipping over (center of gravity too high). The Troubleshooting guide covers these problems and their fixes.

Your first career race

Once your car drives reliably, head to the career mode. Your first opponent is the Prince of Gears, the easiest of the five Monarchs. His vehicle is slow and poorly built, so even a basic car should beat him as long as you drive cleanly.

Career races test both your building skills and your driving. Take corners smoothly, avoid hitting obstacles, and use the full width of the track. If you lose, do not worry — go back to the editor, tweak your build, and try again. Each race rewards you with currency to unlock new parts.

What to unlock first in the tech tree

The tech tree gates access to better engines, gears, suspension, and wheels. Early on, prioritize unlocking improved engines and better suspension. A stronger engine gives you more horsepower, which directly increases your top speed and acceleration. Better suspension improves handling and allows you to run stiffer setups without losing grip.

Gears and wheels are important too, but the stock options are serviceable for the first few races. Focus on engine and suspension upgrades, then branch out as you progress deeper into the career. Keep in mind that the tech tree is known to have buggy descriptions — some unlock conditions display incorrectly. If a part seems locked when it should not be, try completing a few more races to trigger the unlock.

Summary

Your first Screw Drivers build comes down to five steps: place the chassis, mount an engine, connect gears and axles, add suspension and wheels, and enable steering. Test the car before racing, and use early career wins to fund tech tree unlocks. As you get comfortable with the editor, experiment with different engines, gear ratios, and suspension setups to build faster and more competitive vehicles. Visit the Builds hub for ready-made beginner designs you can copy and modify.