Manual Tranny Drivers: Heel & Toe Guide

[GTaudiophile]

Interesting Read...

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

This should be a fun thread.

There are after market replacement pedals to facilitate easier heel/toe driving.
I got into it when driving old Brit sports cars as the transmissions needed all the help they could get

 

[Pliablemoose]

I'll post pics of my wreck when I try this...

Seems like it's be much easier with non-power assisted brakes.

 

[StageLeft]

I find to do it properly is incredibly difficult. Giving a quick burst of throttle and downshifting, then catching up with the brakes isn't quite as good, but a hell of a lot easier! I mean who can - especially without ABS - use their heel to maximize braking while at the same time having adequate throttle control to go in the rpm range you want for a downshift?!

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I find to do it properly is incredibly difficult. Giving a quick burst of throttle and downshifting, then catching up with the brakes isn't quite as good, but a hell of a lot easier! I mean who can - especially without ABS - use their heel to maximize braking while at the same time having adequate throttle control to go in the rpm range you want for a downshift?!

This is somewhat of a repeat of what Galvanizedyankee posted:

You are right , it is rather difficult...however this is an OLD sports/race car driving technique from long before ABS. There are some after market accelerator pedals that are shaped to make the heel and toe technique easier. The only one I can remember by name right now is the "Paddy Hopkirk", but may be made only to fit certain makes / models (e.g. British roadsters from the 50's and 60's).

 

[XZeroII]

I never had a problem with downshifting when I had a manual. I was actually an incredibly smooth shifter, so maybe I had my own style. Either that or I was just burning up the clutch like mad.

 

[Fritzo]

I've never had a problem either, but I've only used a manual in sports cars, so their transmissions were probably a bit higher quality than in, say, your mom's Festiva or something

I read the new RX-8 allows for heel-toe shifting, but never knew what it meant. Thanks! I'm not going to do it, but thanks!

 

[JohhnyQueefer]

It's not that hard if you practice a little. The key is to be smooth on the brake. It's really useful if you want to power out of a turn, especially if your car is turbocharged.

 

[thomsbrain]

out of the manual cars i've been in, the ancient pickup didn't allow for it, the 80's Jetta didn't, and the 80's CRX didn't, although in any of those cars you could if you really had to (like if the engine was stalling out without gas), but you practically had to disclocate your knee to reach. but the S2000 I sat in was set up perfectly for it, almost begging you to do it. not that I'm very smooth at it (i drive an auto most of the time), but I can do it when i have to.

 

[OS]

bah, that's nothing new. Try the wheel in the gutter trick then we'll talk.

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: JohhnyQueefer
It's not that hard if you practice a little. The key is to be smooth on the brake. It's really useful if you want to power out of a turn, especially if your car is turbocharged.

nice name

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I find to do it properly is incredibly difficult. Giving a quick burst of throttle and downshifting, then catching up with the brakes isn't quite as good, but a hell of a lot easier! I mean who can - especially without ABS - use their heel to maximize braking while at the same time having adequate throttle control to go in the rpm range you want for a downshift?!

Years of practice.

 

Since I don't race cars, heel-toeing isnt very important to me.

 

[Aharami]

i would like to do this...but im not gonna try this on my car. im afraid i'll fvuk something up!

 

[xEDIT409]

If anybody's seen the anime Initial D, I believe it show's driver of the the AE86 heel-toeing a lot.

 

[Vic]

Notably, no one admitted to using the heel on one pedal and a toe on the other.

Odd, because that is how I do it. Toe on the brake, heel on the gas.