Having difficulty heel toe

[#87]

I'll start off by saying I'm definitely no pro. In the past I have been able to heel toe in a focus and civic si though. Even if they weren't the smoothest of shifts I was always able to get the revs up. In the BRZ I am having a hard time, when I twist my foot to hit the throttle it seems I can't hit it very much. The revs hardly rise, I'm so frustrated because it seems in the si I couldn't miss the pedal now I can't seem to find it

[Boosted2.0]

Put your foot on the gas, then pivot your toe over to find the brake. Depress gas. (do this car off). Rinse and repeat a bunch to establish some muscle memory. They drive it like that all the time. I heel toe on every downshift, and I downshift every gear at every stop. You have to build up comfort and familiarity to be able to to it well.

Remember- there is no one correct foot position. You do what is comfortable for you works for the car.

[ultra]

I also find braking with just the big toe works best, especially on modern cars.

I'll often twitch my whole leg just to get enough throttle if I have to.

The big trick is to be able to always fully control and modulate the amount of braking force consistently while heel & toeing. Little lifts On the brake while doing it are no good.

If need be, practice in a safe, empty parking lot until you get the reflex down pat. Every car's a bit different but I'm sure you'll get it real quick if you can find a good place to practice.

[Capt Canuck]

There are loads of examples on Youtube, watch a bunch and try and identify one that works with the pedals of the BRZ and matches how you preferred to roll/move your feet with the Civic and Focus.

If it takes some time, no worries. If you've done it before, you can do it again

If you believe everything you read here (and I am NOT referring to the folks above me, they're completely sensible and helpful) all driving techniques are mastered in 15 mins. Funnily enough that isn't the case.

[ayau]

this would be a good starting vid

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8By2AEsGAhU"]Ayrton Senna's Heel-and-toe - YouTube[/ame]

[Spaceywilly]

Yeah I'm having the same problem, I think it will get better once the brakes pads have worn down some. It's also a lot easier to heel toe on a track since you are always hard on the brakes, on the street when you are barely braking it is tougher.

[dsgerbc]

I found that I need to wear wider slippers to do it in a way that's in the video above (blip throttle by rolling the outside of the foot onto the gas pedal) during street driving. In narrow shoes I can only do it literally with my heel.

[lordtakuban]

I also use the outside portion of my foot rather than an actual heel and a toe. Practice with it is all you need. Just keep working on it.

[NESW20]

just remember that the more important action during this operation is the BRAKING. make darn sure that your foot isn't going to slide off the brake pedal when you rotate to hit the throttle.

[rice_classic]

Between racing cars and teaching others to race I've found that some approach to this technique can also have a lot to do with the car.

Example: In my old street car I used to "roll my foot over". The ball of my foot on the brake and the outside of my shoe (5th metatarcel) would hit the gas. In my race car, since I push down the brake very hard and am slowing the car very fast I need more revs SOONER and thus I hit the gas pedal with my actual heel. And finally.. When I used to own an S2000 I would do both. In street driving, I would never be entering a corner like I would on the race track so I would just generally "roll the foot" but if I tracked the S2000 I would use my heal as I was harder on the brake.

Give it time. Keep at it. I also need to add; during street driving I general don't heal toe, I double clutch to reduce unecessary wear on synchros/clutch.

And just to really make things difficult... my 70 year old father who occassionally co-drives my race car actually does both!!! He heal-toe, double clutches while racing. Boggles the mind! :P

[GenkiElite]

I gave up on heel toe years ago with my big feet and screwed up ankle. I can usually half and half it sometimes for a quick rev match with no problems and that's about it.

[NESW20]

heel toe + double clutch just takes time. i can do it fine, however i'm (obviously) doing quicker downshifts with only heel-toe.

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by NESW20

i'm (obviously) doing quicker downshifts with only heel-toe.

That was sort of my point. I can heel-toe-double-clutch but on a race car that has synchros.... Well, you get the point.

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by ayau

this would be a good starting vid

Senna Vid

My Adidas Adi Racers just bit the dust, and I was looking for a new track shoe. I've always enjoyed driving in my loafers, so if loafers and white socks are good enough for Senna, they're good enough for me!