A Driving Related Question

christian370z

I have been working hard to acclimate myself to driving a manual transmission car and have got almost everything nailed down at this point except for heal-toe downshifting. I have trouble keeping my brake pressure constant while blipping the throttle which is made worse when the pace picks up.

Do you guys have any tips on your techniques and thoughts on heal-toe? I know it just takes practice but I don't want to be practicing the wrong way and figured I would make a noob thread to ask.

Thanks!

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kenchan

Yah for these organ pedals use the side of your foot to blip instead of the actual heel unless you need full brake power.

onzedge

Good advice.

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m4a1mustang

Yeah, I agree with ken. With the pedal setup on the Z I found myself mostly using the side of my foot more than my heel to heel-toe. It's almost exactly the same in the 5.0.

Depending on the size of your foot/shoe, you might find that you need a little more pedal area. You can get some nice SRP Racing aluminum pedals for the Z that extend the gas pedal out to the left a few more mm, and of course you have a wide range of freedom on where exactly you want to mount the clutch/brake pedal to fit your needs.

Not to mention the improved pedal feel with a metal pedal instead of the rubber covers we have for the brake/clutch.

Oh and some good driving inspired shoes will help tremendously. Puma Drift Cats, Speed Cats, and Replicats are all great choices.

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SPOHN

+1 But I'm not the greatest at this. I'm still learning. I don't do it when I go spirted driving yet. It is hard to maintain an even amount of brake pressure when doing. I seem to apply more brake at the moment I blip the throttle.

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m4a1mustang

Yeah it takes a bit of practice to learn how to maintain consistent brake pressure while you are blipping the throttle, but you will learn.

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SPOHN

That's good. Now I know I don't completly suck at it then. LOL

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m4a1mustang

Yep, and there really is no "correct" way to do it. Everyone is different so you just have to find the style that works best for you. It's a great feeling once you get it down perfect.

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SPOHN

Then you have to learn how and when to apply it on the track threw the corners. Good timing also.

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ProfessorDave

I agree with ken and steve. The pedals are close enough to place your right foot half on the brake, half on the gas. Since the part of your foot on the brake is the stronger part (ball of your foot), you can learn to keep steady pressure while twisting the outer edge to blip the throttle. Practice on sections of road where precision is not important to get the hang of it.

I learned to toe-heel when I was 17. My Pontiac LeMans had a Rochester 4 barrel that would flood when first started up (needle valve or float problem, but that's not important right now), forcing me to master toe-heel to keep then damn thing running. Sometimes necessity forces change, but it is skill I've used since.

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bleufiend

I personally have just learned how to rotate my right foot, heel planted, left side of my right foot maintains brake pressure while my right side blips the throttle. And yes a proper set of driving shoes helps, I have a set of sparco's that I wear when I go to autocross or just want to go out for a spirited drive. But for the everyday I wear my puma driftcats .

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SPOHN

I've actually been looking at some Pumas. Coolest shoe of all time.

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bleufiend

The driftcats work great for me, driving and fine dining, dont have to change shoes lol.

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SPOHN

I here you pimp daddy!

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LunaZ

In my personal experience and driving style, I've found it to be more ball and side than heel and toe. I brake with the ball of my foot and roll my foot to the side to apply throttle.
Adjusting or modifying the pedals to make this easier helps, as does a proper driving shoe that gives you good "feel".

Pumas are for poseurs. I wear these:

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