Heel and toe
Originally posted by cloud9
if I am understanding you right a racing instructor would tell you to unlearn that, are you saying your using the heel of your foot on the brake? If so the reason you would be told to change that is because with your technique in order to aply certain amounts of brake pressure in different situations you have to modulate your entire leg as opossed to just your foot
if I am understanding you right a racing instructor would tell you to unlearn that, are you saying your using the heel of your foot on the brake? If so the reason you would be told to change that is because with your technique in order to aply certain amounts of brake pressure in different situations you have to modulate your entire leg as opossed to just your foot
I guess it's time to start practicing the other way. Worst case, I'll be 'ambidexterous'.
Dave
man you all should quit complaining about being 6 feet tall....i am 5 foot 7 and i can barely see over the damn stering wheel ....its a sad sight to see my little *** heel toe shifting and not seeing half the road.....oh well......peace
PV = nRT
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: New Zealand (was California)
Originally posted by dgeesaman
I didn't have instruction when I learned to heel/toe and so I do it with the instep on the brake and my toe rotated around to blip the gas. It keeps my knee toward the console, and with my instep on the brake I can press pretty hard on the brake and still point my toe to do the blip.
Not sure yet if a racing instructor is going to have to unlearn me of it tho.
Dave
I didn't have instruction when I learned to heel/toe and so I do it with the instep on the brake and my toe rotated around to blip the gas. It keeps my knee toward the console, and with my instep on the brake I can press pretty hard on the brake and still point my toe to do the blip.
Not sure yet if a racing instructor is going to have to unlearn me of it tho.
Dave
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: hawaii
i'm about 5'10" ~ 5'11", I can't heal n toe (the traditional way) in any car that I've driven, I do it with the side of my foot like some of you guys mentioned above. i find this hard when i have to brake heavily...
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7
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From: hawaii
Originally posted by kangi
Sounds complicated
.
I wanna drive a manual!
Sounds complicated
.I wanna drive a manual!
Originally posted by clayne
Very dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Originally posted by clayne
Very dangerous.
Very dangerous.
I'm not recommending it, so whatever.
'heal n toe' is actually a term that came from another motion of actually using the heal and toe of your foot, the term is often missused (and widly accepted) to really mean using the ball of your foot (ball of your big toe) to push on teh brake and then roll your ankle so that the side of your foot (pinky toe side) depresses the gas, bliping the throttle enough to match revs when shifting.
I tracked my car for an entire season not knowing how to heal-toe, I was intimidated by it, ...but once I practiced it enough to be consitent on the brake pressure and rev amount, I do it all the time now, street or track. I still need to work on making it smooth :-)
I tracked my car for an entire season not knowing how to heal-toe, I was intimidated by it, ...but once I practiced it enough to be consitent on the brake pressure and rev amount, I do it all the time now, street or track. I still need to work on making it smooth :-)
Rotary Freak
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: nyc+li, ny
I learned how to heel-toe before I learned how to drive 
I would start my friend's 198* 5 speed Mazda GLC and practice in the driveway when I was 16. He had a steep driveway and I would practice getting up the hill smoothly and heel-toeing with the parking brake on so I could get used to the foot movement. Can you tell I was into racing at a really young age
By the time I had my own VW and starting hitting Bridgehampton Race track in 1987 or so, I could NOT drive w/o heel-toeing every downshift.
Damian hit the definition on the nose.
I would start my friend's 198* 5 speed Mazda GLC and practice in the driveway when I was 16. He had a steep driveway and I would practice getting up the hill smoothly and heel-toeing with the parking brake on so I could get used to the foot movement. Can you tell I was into racing at a really young age
By the time I had my own VW and starting hitting Bridgehampton Race track in 1987 or so, I could NOT drive w/o heel-toeing every downshift.
Damian hit the definition on the nose.
Rotary Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 934
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From: STL Area
Originally posted by NukeGenius
Well if you are only six inches tall, I would suggest growing a bit so that your feet actually touch the pedals. I'm sure that was just a typo though.
Well if you are only six inches tall, I would suggest growing a bit so that your feet actually touch the pedals. I'm sure that was just a typo though.
Rotary Freak
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,522
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From: Slovenia, Europe
Originally posted by cloud9
The idea is to match engine speed with wheel speed for certain gears, so there is less stress on the drivetrain/clutch when you downshift (short version)
The idea is to match engine speed with wheel speed for certain gears, so there is less stress on the drivetrain/clutch when you downshift (short version)
It's more useful on the track, but using it on the street is good for the drivetrain as cloud9 said. An it becomes a habit over time.
Xirius: you might look into a racing-style seat, they are usually a lower seat height than stock. This will give you some more clearance.
Another thing you might check out, the steering column isn't adjustable, but if you remove a few plastic pieces in the lower dash, you'll see that the steering column could be modified to sit a little higher or lower. I'm short, so I put mine lower by adding a couple washers in there; you might be able to raise the steering wheel by removing a bit of material (this would be a lot tougher to do, though).
Another thing you might check out, the steering column isn't adjustable, but if you remove a few plastic pieces in the lower dash, you'll see that the steering column could be modified to sit a little higher or lower. I'm short, so I put mine lower by adding a couple washers in there; you might be able to raise the steering wheel by removing a bit of material (this would be a lot tougher to do, though).
Originally posted by Fatman0203
While were on the subject what is double clutching?
This one I dont know.
While were on the subject what is double clutching?
This one I dont know.
Just like using the forum search function, it's easily learned with a little practice.
Dave
Last edited by dgeesaman; Mar 31, 2004 at 11:25 AM.
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,639
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From: MIA
Originally posted by dgeesaman
Briefly putting the car in neutral in between shifting gears. Not necessary on synchromeshed transmissions like ours, only on racing-style dog-boxes. Also done on big trucks.
Just like using the forum search function, it's easily learned with a little practice.
Dave
Briefly putting the car in neutral in between shifting gears. Not necessary on synchromeshed transmissions like ours, only on racing-style dog-boxes. Also done on big trucks.
Just like using the forum search function, it's easily learned with a little practice.
Dave
Originally posted by Fatman0203
While were on the subject what is double clutching?
This one I dont know.
While were on the subject what is double clutching?
This one I dont know.
Originally posted by cruiser
Additionally, if you take your car to the track and you trail brake (brake and steer into the corner) for the corner while downshifting and if you dont match the revs in lower gear, you will get sideways as rears WILL loose grip or you would need to slip the clutch for a long time until the revs are matched.
It's more useful on the track, but using it on the street is good for the drivetrain as cloud9 said. An it becomes a habit over time.
Additionally, if you take your car to the track and you trail brake (brake and steer into the corner) for the corner while downshifting and if you dont match the revs in lower gear, you will get sideways as rears WILL loose grip or you would need to slip the clutch for a long time until the revs are matched.
It's more useful on the track, but using it on the street is good for the drivetrain as cloud9 said. An it becomes a habit over time.
definately a habit for me
haha I do it on the street all the time
I had to learn when I had my TII that wouldn't idle for a week or two b/c vac leak
you get great control and the hardest is stop lights. Slowing down at a set speed and try'n to make your car idle at ~ 1000rpm when it didn't want to anyway. My foot never left the gas for 2-3 seconds for hundres of miles
I angled my gas pedal and the sparcos I have are larger at the base to help too. Doing it on stock pedals are a bit more difficult.
For drifting it's amlost manditory. I couldnt' imagine being below 5k on a corner. No torque so you have to be in high rpms if you want to kick those tires out.
you get great control and the hardest is stop lights. Slowing down at a set speed and try'n to make your car idle at ~ 1000rpm when it didn't want to anyway. My foot never left the gas for 2-3 seconds for hundres of miles
I angled my gas pedal and the sparcos I have are larger at the base to help too. Doing it on stock pedals are a bit more difficult.
For drifting it's amlost manditory. I couldnt' imagine being below 5k on a corner. No torque so you have to be in high rpms if you want to kick those tires out
.