[Formula WS6]

ok what exactly is heel toe shifting or whatever the proper term is? why would you want to do it and does anybody do that with their fbody? ive always wanted to know and never really found out why. thanks

[bruecksteve]

You would want to do it to match your engine rev's when downshifting and braking as to not upset the balance of the car.

[94bird]

Here's a decent description of 2 types of heel and toe techniques and what it's used for.

http://www.trillium-bmwclub.ca/TrilliumBMW...5256c8600818137

[Formula WS6]

ok thats what i was thinking, both the reasoning and the technique. now how many people can actually do this with their fbody? cause i cant. my foot doesnt fit in there properly. and i really don't see how it could be done in our cars either.

[bruecksteve]

You have to use that third leg!!!!!!!!!!!! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[AllZWay]

I had a difficult time heel/toe until added the LG Motorsports pedals. I also pulled the gas pedal a little closer to the brake pedal.

[TransAm01&73]

Might sound odd but here goes. I've tried repeatedly but just can't seem to get the size 13 to do it properly. Is it easier with a set of racing shoes, would it benifit people like me that have BIG feet (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) ?? Also was looking into bringing the gas pedal up online more with the brake, that might fix it.... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[bruecksteve]

Nah, just get an automatic... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[94bird]

I have no problem at all using my size 10 shoes with the right side of my foot on the gas pedal and the left side on the brakes. Each car I get in I have to slightly adjust my technique though.

Once you get it down it WILL make you faster if you're on a course where you have to shift. With autoxing many times you upshift to 2nd and keep it there. In that case I just left foot brake.

[sgarnett]

It was OK that my MGB was easier to heel-toe. Heck, the pedals were designed for that more than comfort.

It really wasn't OK that my wife's old Toyota pickup was also a lot easier.

While chasing the "throttle body bumpstop mod" with the complication of traction control, I ended up raising the gas pedal and bending it a little toward the brake. It's fairly easy to bend sideways, but don't try to bend it up - something else will bend or break first. I made a spacer to go under the "bullet" at the pedal end of the cable. I didn't raise it all the way to the brake pad level, just close. That helped a LOT.

[Formula WS6]

yeah i basically autox. id like to do some track days but nothing major where i would need to heel toe i think. i was just curious to know if its possible with our cars cause i don't think i can do it. when running the dragon. i messed up a lot of my downshifts and would actually bark the tires coming into turns. i just wished to be smoother. maybe i should switch to 4.10s that way i can pull good in third from a low speed and not have to downshift.

[94bird]

i was just curious to know if its possible with our cars cause i don't think i can do it.

You can do it. I've done it in a '86 GLH Turbo (Omni), '91 Sentra SE-R and now my Formula. Just practice. It doesn't come easy. Do it on the street with light braking whenever you come to a turn where you don't have to stop and progressively move up on how much braking you give the car. Eventually you'll be smooth on a road course even at max braking. If you learn how to do it there are very big advantages to it.

[mjf454]

I have been trying to do this in this car and I have a brake pedal that is lower than the gas pedal. I converted this car from a a4 to a m6. I wonder if the masters are different?

[sgarnett]

Mike mentioned the real key - you have to practice it in your daily driving. You don't want to try heel-toe for the first time at high speed, because you won't have time to think about what you are doing.

The reason it is important is mentioned above. Besides being much easier on the tranny, it's much safer. If the rear tires are barking on the downshifts, that means you're in danger of suddenly losing the tail and spinning. Even if you do manage a smooth downshift without heel-toe, that probably means you had to get on and off the brakes to do it (brake, move right foot to gas and left to clutch, downshift, then brake again) or try to do all your braking very early or very late.

[Formula WS6]

thanks guys. ill see what i can do. although its a little cold to not be wearing boots and its not easy on them to try this stuff out. ill work on it

[94bird]

thanks guys. ill see what i can do. although its a little cold to not be wearing boots and its not easy on them to try this stuff out. ill work on it

Cold, you're in Georgia right? You don't know what cold is. I lived in Memphis almost all my life but here in Detroit I'm afraid my fingers are going to fall off some days. I still don't wear boots most of the time though.