"Heel and toeing"

[J4CKO]

I, when I was younger thought I had invented a technique for blipping the throttle to match engine revs and road speed in my Mk1 Golf GTI, made a huge difference, right foot doing the braking and I blipped the throttle with the heel, dont know if that is the official definition but it worked for me, tried it tonight in my Saab as actually moving my foot to the throttle to blip on down-changes is slow, couldn't do it convincingly, couldn't get my foot across at the correct angle and when I did it just over revved or braked too hard.

Is what I was doing so well in the Golf actually heel and toeing and why cant I do it now, is it me being crap or the proximity of the pedals, sure on the Golf they were nearer together, is this possible on every manual car ?

[ewenm]

Depends a lot on pedal spacing left to right and front to back.

[MattOz]

Heel and toe in modern cars, due to pedal spacing, is usually ball of the foot on the brake and roll the foot to the right to blip the throttle. That might work better.

[Dale19]

You've got the idea right. I find in quite a lot of modern stuff the brake pedal is far too sensitive to easily maintain steady braking force on, and I end up having jerky downshifts. Sometimes the throttle is set back too far from the brake and it's near impossible.

My works van is really easy to do it in, fiesta tdci, my starlet had a very good pedal box for it too.

[Sway]

Yes, that is heel/toe.

As for why you can't do it in the Sash, could be a few reasons.

Overservoed brakes making it difficult to modulate the pressure as you rotate your ankle.

Pedal spacing (particularly fore/aft).

Some cars I believe won't allow you to do it, effectively the throttle is disconnected if the brake is depressed.

I've generally found cars from the late Eighties/early Nineties are the easiest to heel/toe. Responsive revvy engines, good pedal spacing, no brakes so heavily assisted that the lightest touch sends heads towards the windscreen (Audi, I will never buy one of your cars because of this)

All MHO of course.

[JonnyFive]

My MX5 it's perfect for it.. Other cars I drive at work (New), no chance.

[twazzock]

Pedal spacing and the right shoes make a lot of difference. Peugeot 205 + Converse all stars = match made in heaven.

[Chris71]

It's all about pedal spacing. I struggle to do it even when I'm trying in most normal cars, but Caterham, Elise and all the competition cars I've driven have been quite easy. In fact often the problem is more the other way round - avoiding the throttle pedal when you're on the brake!

[Piepiepie]

I always see people posting about this, yet i'm never sure of what it does, or how it is done, or what it's purpose is.

Maybe im the only one?

[Major Fallout]

Have you noticed that some cars don't let you have your foot on the brake, and accelerator at the same time.

[twazzock]

Piepiepie said:

I always see people posting about this, yet i'm never sure of what it does, or how it is done, or what it's purpose is.

Maybe im the only one?

It means you can brake and blip the throttle at the same time, so you can slow for a corner and perform a rev-matched downchange at the same time.

[r1ch]

Piepiepie said:

I always see people posting about this, yet i'm never sure of what it does, or how it is done, or what it's purpose is.

Maybe im the only one?

I thought it just kept you in the "power band" whilst cornering? So your rev's don't drop off? I don't know though, should probably learn as my pedals are nice in the 205.

[r1ch]

twazzock said:

It means you can brake and blip the throttle at the same time, so you can slow for a corner and perform a rev-matched downchange at the same time.

Oh i see.

[Tommy Saxondale]

my celica GT-Four pedals are perfectly placed for this, however it has to be said i have very broad feet which i imagine would make it easier!

[JonnyFive]

Piepiepie said:

I always see people posting about this, yet i'm never sure of what it does, or how it is done, or what it's purpose is.

Maybe im the only one?

Next time you're out, and in the higher range of revs.. Change down a gear (Not too far so you over rev the engine, but enough so your revs rise quite abit..) the car will lurch slightly and get unsettled.

Now, try it but rev the throttle at the same time as you clutch in.. So you match where the revs will be in the lower gear?

Very smooth gear change. I even do it when in normal cars, but before I start braking I change down a gear, rev match, then start braking.

[JonnyFive]

r1ch said:

Piepiepie said:

I always see people posting about this, yet i'm never sure of what it does, or how it is done, or what it's purpose is.

Maybe im the only one?

I thought it just kept you in the "power band" whilst cornering? So your rev's don't drop off? I don't know though, should probably learn as my pedals are nice in the 205.

Get into the habit of it and you'll be amazed at why you never done it before

[Simbu]

JonnyFive said:

My MX5 it's perfect for it.. Other cars I drive at work (New), no chance.

Yep, my mk2 MX5 has great pedal positioning for heel-toeing. I just need to learn to maintain a consistent level of braking when i blip the throttle!

[J4CKO]

JonnyFive said:

r1ch said:

Piepiepie said:

I always see people posting about this, yet i'm never sure of what it does, or how it is done, or what it's purpose is.

Maybe im the only one?

I thought it just kept you in the "power band" whilst cornering? So your rev's don't drop off? I don't know though, should probably learn as my pedals are nice in the 205.

Get into the habit of it and you'll be amazed at why you never done it before

Yep, this, I miss not being able to do it, makes you faster and smoother, but not in a Saab

[JonnyFive]

Simbu said:

JonnyFive said:

My MX5 it's perfect for it.. Other cars I drive at work (New), no chance.

Yep, my mk2 MX5 has great pedal positioning for heel-toeing. I just need to learn to maintain a consistent level of braking when i blip the throttle!

Are you trying to rotate your foot to get the heel part.. Or just using the blade of your foot to blip? The throttle in the MX5 is perfectly weighted to be able to give it a little blip with the right of your foot whilst the ball of your foot does the rest of the braking.

Heres a perfect video demonstrating it;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdWSyrqEnE4&fea...

[sebhaque]

I used to love my VX220 for this, the pedals were so well positioned that even my dainty little feet in slim work shoes could use my right foot's big toe to depress the brake pedal, with a quick flick so my little toe would blip the throttle pedal. Sounded lovely on an heel-and-toe downchange, too.

Nowadays the M3 does it for me with the SMG gearbox!