Heel & toe downshifting :D

Post by **Donald** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 8:47 pm

Clio Williams... now there's a set of close pedals

Crazy_C · Post by **Crazy_C** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:47 am

Or a Caterham. I was amazed as to just how tiny the pedal box is in a Caterham. Though I did go from driving a Mustang and a Camaro for months into a Caterham, so I can understand why it seemed so small to me

LewisH · Post by **LewisH** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:15 am

I had an F7R megane, and i could NOT do this for the love of god. I even tryed in my friends williams and i couldnt do it.... My friend on the other hand could. Im just not built to twist like that! I phyiscally cant twist me foot / leg to do it lol!

But, it makes one hell of a difference if you can!

Lewis -

Rocky · Post by **Rocky** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:12 am

Crazy_C wrote:Or a Caterham. I was amazed as to just how tiny the pedal box is in a Caterham. Though I did go from driving a Mustang and a Camaro for months into a Caterham, so I can understand why it seemed so small to me

Yeah when I drove one at Palmer sport I had to wear driving shoes.

Supermarine Blues · Post by **Supermarine Blues** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 1:57 pm

macky_6 wrote:Looks like the same as me then with most guys, my heel rotating round about 45 deg

@ Nitin: obviously you don't have to change gear like that. If you are approaching a bend at speed, and change down a gear, you will find that the car lurches, sometimes quite badly. This makes it unstable, and also puts a lot of pressure on the clutch. Blipping the throttle smoothes out this process

I will say that it is quite tricky to learn and only last week I was cursing that I thought I might never get to grips with it. But once I found that the pedals weren't really set up for rolling the foot, and I changed to rotating my heel round, I picked it up pretty well.

Not sure if my size 11 feet were a help or a hindrance?

Double-declutching: I did try this and found it pretty easy, but was concerned that it took a relatively long time to make the gear change. Maybe my technique wasn't quick enough?

What are the advantages/situations that you might use double de-clutching as opposed to heel & toe?

It reduces strain on the scrunchomesh, which is particularly important in cars like the S2000 when bits are revolving between 6-9000 RPM. It does take longer but since you're decelerating anyway, it doesn't matter.

Supermarine Blues · Post by **Supermarine Blues** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 1:59 pm

A1ex wrote:I have no idea how to heel toe, but now I want to find out!

I double de clutch quite a bit tho, not so much when driving hard more when cruising around. Like rolling up to a round about, rather than breaking just drop it a gear and use the engine to slow the car. Slips in nice and smooth when you get it right. Apparently, if you get it perfect you don't need to even use the clutch (don't know how true that is tho and dont wana risk my box trying)

You need a very 'clean' change. I do that in the S2000 in slow traffic quite a bit, but I've never mastered it in FWD (or RWD!) cabley clunkboxes.

Supermarine Blues · Post by **Supermarine Blues** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:02 pm

Merlin wrote:I do want to learn heel & toe but I find the pedals in both my Ludes too far apart to do it properly with my feet. Although, it is a bit easier in my 5th as I have fake Mugen pedal covers fitted, I should get a set for my 4th. I do understand the theory behind high prm downshifting making the car unstable, but in the Lude it is not the case. I regularly downshift at high rpm's at diferent speeds on track and the car does not seem to mind. Yes when I have been a little too eager to change down the nose fo the car does dip, but nothing to make the car break traction (even in the wet).

The real reason I want to learn heal toe is all due to my new clutch I'll be using. At knockhill the first 3rd of the circuit is perfect for left foot breaking if your car has enough grunt

Try it in an S2000 on a greasy road!

Supermarine Blues · Post by **Supermarine Blues** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:08 pm

Rocky wrote:Love that Senna video, heel &toe in loafers

I used to be able to heel toe in the Punto but then if I really wanted to I could press all pedals at once with one foot, they were stupidly close together. Can't do it in the Lude, too far apart

I've ordered a wider throttle pedal cover for the GT86; Karen can't reach it easily.

Here's one they do for the 'Lude:

http://www.srpracing.com/cat_prelude.cfm

Post by **RattyMcClelland** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:39 pm

Supermarine Blues wrote:
Rocky wrote:Love that Senna video, heel &toe in loafers

I used to be able to heel toe in the Punto but then if I really wanted to I could press all pedals at once with one foot, they were stupidly close together. Can't do it in the Lude, too far apart
I've ordered a wider throttle pedal cover for the GT86; Karen can't reach it easily.

Here's one they do for the 'Lude:

http://www.srpracing.com/cat_prelude.cfm

Wow that look nice. I might buy.

A1ex · Post by **A1ex** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:43 pm

That looks posh!

You could always ghetto it and use the automatic brake pedal