Sweet Spot

RCK · 02-16-2012, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guard Dad

Almost all of the cars that I've owned have had a top pivot gas pedal. I found the bottom pivot pedal of the Z a bit of a problem at first. With a bottom pivot pedal you may need to reposition your foot a bit (compared to a top pivot pedal) to allow smoother operation of the pedal. Try putting the bottom of your heel on the floor at the pedal pivot point and position the ball of your foot on the center line of the pedal (the ball of your foot should now be centered somewhere on the upper half of the pedal) and operate the pedal with with a rocking motion pivoting on your heel. Only after I made this minor change did I realize that I had been operating the pedal by sort of laying my foot on the floor and placing my toe at the very bottom of the pedal (this allowed me to easily swing my foot between the brake and the gas without lifting my foot from the floor which is kind of nice in heavy traffic), which works fine on a top pivot pedal but sucks for a bottom pivot pedal and makes it difficult to smoothly modulate the pedal.

Just a thought.

Guard Dad has it absolutely right. The unusual bottom pivot on the accelerator does pose problems unless you reposition your foot just like he says, so the ball of the foot is at or near the top. That way, take off is much, much smoother, no jumpy delays.

I have an '07 Infiniti G that poses exactly the same problem. Bought my son a 370Z; lucky for him he learned to drive, a stick no less, on my G.

alcheng · 02-16-2012, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImportConvert

Is it harder or easier to heel-toe in the 370Z because of the gas-pedal design?

I too wear certain shoes for driving. Piloti for me.

The 350z gas pedal is not floor-mount, BMW is floor-mount and so does the 370z.

I use the forefoot to do heel-toe(left part on brake and right part on gas) on all those three cars, I found the condition is the distance between the gas&brake pedal, and the level or the two.

Again, it's a matter of taking time to get used to it.

ImportConvert · 02-16-2012, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alcheng

The 350z gas pedal is not floor-mount, BMW is floor-mount and so does the 370z.

I use the forefoot to do heel-toe(left part on brake and right part on gas) on all those three cars, I found the condition is the distance between the gas&brake pedal, and the level or the two.

Again, it's a matter of taking time to get used to it.

Only experience here is in a 'vette. I did not try to heel-toe the 370Z I test-drove. Wonder how they compare.

here is similar to how I heel-toe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sduMmQL1OVs

I lift my heel/pivot more than this guy, though. That is how I "begin" the maneuver, by fully taking my heel off the mat. That is the technique we were taught at Spring Mountain, so I stuck with it.

alcheng · 02-16-2012, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImportConvert

Only experience here is in a 'vette. I did not try to heel-toe the 370Z I test-drove. Wonder how they compare.

Looks like the gas-pedal on the vette is top-mount.

What I've heard, if you do use your toe on brake and heel on gas, then the floor mount gas pedal is better suitable.

I tried both myself when I first learn the concept and I chose using my forefoot to heel-toe eventually, that was when I was driving the BMW which is a floor mount gas pedal, I found it's easier than using my heel.

BTW, do you use your heel on the gas pedal when heel-toe??

ImportConvert · 02-16-2012, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alcheng

Looks like the gas-pedal on the vette is top-mount. BTW, do you use your heel on the gas pedal when heel-toe??

Sorry, I quick-edited on you.

1/2 my shoe stays on the brake, the heel comes up off the floorboard, I angle the foot at about 40-45*, and roll my ankle, blipping the accelerator with the "pad" on my Piloti driving shoe. This is how I was taught at Spring Mountain, and the shoes look like they were designed with it in mind.

We were taught we get a maximum of 3 blips before needing to re-position as the foot tends to slide off the brake. Side-pressure against the brake can help alleviate this.

I am sure there are many different ways to accomplish the same thing, but this is how I was taught.

alcheng · 02-16-2012, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImportConvert

Sorry, I quick-edited on you.

1/2 my shoe stays on the brake, the heel comes up off the floorboard, I angle the foot at about 40-45*, and roll my ankle, blipping the accelerator with the "pad" on my Piloti driving shoe. This is how I was taught at Spring Mountain, and the shoes look like they were designed with it in mind.

We were taught we get a maximum of 3 blips before needing to re-position as the foot tends to slide off the brake. Side-pressure against the brake can help alleviate this.

I am sure there are many different ways to accomplish the same thing, but this is how I was taught.

Text book style: Toe on Brake and Heel on Gas

I believe both ways can handle both types of pedal.

I don't know all, but 99% of the race car driver are using the method that you learn.

ImportConvert · 02-16-2012, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alcheng

Text book style

I had the benefit of being CLUELESS about driving on a track until I went to Spring Mountain. No crappy habits to un-learn.

DrEvil · 02-16-2012, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glokwork

If you want to take care of that delay and make the car much responsive and alive feeling......UPREV!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was going to say the same thing

MrZ · 02-16-2012, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alcheng

Were you wearing this when you say you cannot feel the gas pedal:

How did you know lol

MrZ · 02-16-2012, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guard Dad

Almost all of the cars that I've owned have had a top pivot gas pedal. I found the bottom pivot pedal of the Z a bit of a problem at first. With a bottom pivot pedal you may need to reposition your foot a bit (compared to a top pivot pedal) to allow smoother operation of the pedal. Try putting the bottom of your heel on the floor at the pedal pivot point and position the ball of your foot on the center line of the pedal (the ball of your foot should now be centered somewhere on the upper half of the pedal) and operate the pedal with with a rocking motion pivoting on your heel. Only after I made this minor change did I realize that I had been operating the pedal by sort of laying my foot on the floor and placing my toe at the very bottom of the pedal (this allowed me to easily swing my foot between the brake and the gas without lifting my foot from the floor which is kind of nice in heavy traffic), which works fine on a top pivot pedal but sucks for a bottom pivot pedal and makes it difficult to smoothly modulate the pedal.

Just a thought.

Thanks Gaurd Dad tried out your method this morning on a short trip to the grocery store. And to make sure it actually worked i used a thicker sole shoe and it worked like a charm.

I tip my hat to you sir

MrZ · 02-16-2012, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrEvil

I was going to say the same thing

How much would an uprev tune cost? I have a few more parts I want to add, but when it is all finished, I want to get it tuned so they all work together properly.

kenchan · 02-16-2012, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImportConvert

Is it harder or easier to heel-toe in the 370Z because of the gas-pedal design?

I too wear certain shoes for driving. Piloti for me.

i do the side of foot blip on these 'organ' pedals as i call it. im use to this type since i had a MINI in the past. but in my Z i dont really need to since it can blip for me.

but even in my G with traditional pedals i use the side of foot to blip since im not going that fast on street in traffic anyways and just needs 4k or so of blip under normal braking. it's clumsy to swing your heel around under light braking.

Mt Tam I am · 02-16-2012, 11:23 AM

OP: You said This car being the first with a floor mounted gas peddle though.

Have you had hand controls prior to this? My Brother in law is in a wheel chair and drove his AT 300ZX for years this way.

If this is the case, you just might need practice, while gaining sensitivity.

kenchan · 02-16-2012, 11:27 AM

mt tam- i think he's talking about the pivot point...

Mt Tam I am · 02-16-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

mt tam- i think he's talking about the pivot point...

Thank you.

02-16-2012, 11:23 AM	#28 (permalink)
Mt Tam I am A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: California Posts: 10,709 Drives: 370Z T/S/N 6MT & XKE Rep Power: 3843	OP: You said This car being the first with a floor mounted gas peddle though. Have you had hand controls prior to this? My Brother in law is in a wheel chair and drove his AT 300ZX for years this way. If this is the case, you just might need practice, while gaining sensitivity. __________________ "Does the carpet match the drapes? NO!!! I don't date bald women." Nissan Motorsports 34R Oil Cooler. Stillen CBE. Hotchkis Sport Sway Bars. KW Variant 3 Coilover System. Stillen Gen3 CAI. Michelin Pilot Super Sport. Stillen Brake Ducts. Carbotech™ XP10/XP8 Pads. Z1 Front Rotors. Z1 Stainless Brake Lines. Two degrees of camber

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02-16-2012, 11:27 AM	#29 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	mt tam- i think he's talking about the pivot point...