Heel and toe?

[YRRunner]

I've just completed the full day at Silverstone, including the ARDS test. Imagine my initial surprise, delight and excitement when the coach assigned to me for the whole day was no other than Ian Flux, infamous former DTEC racing driver! Anyway, throughout the day Ian was trying to get me to use (and improve) my heel & toe technique, which wasn't exactly easy in an old Megane with a knackered selector!!! Whilst talking about TC cars, Ian stated that they are impossible to handle unless you completely master the H & T technique. Now I know (especially from Friday's experience) that Ian is a pretty gifted driver, but I would question how many current DTEC competitors actually employ the H & T technique all of the time. I understand and appreciate that clutch/engine snatch is always going to be a destabilising characteristic in a light and powerful car, but truthfully, do you all do it? Thanks in advance for your replies, Mark.

Edited by YRRunner on Sunday 21st October 17:18

Edited by YRRunner on Sunday 21st October 18:08

[Keithyboy]

I don't have any option as my brake and throttle pedals are about a centimetre apart . . . & congrats on passing - now you've no excuse not to get out on track!

[Guillotine]

all of us...all of the time.

[tbdgriff500]

ask Billy if he does
only joking mate, point is that with this type of car if you don't match the revs as you change down you WILL lock the diff and spin, practice everyday in your daily drive, once you get the hang of it, you don't even notice your doing it!!

[Graham]

It'll be much easier in the Tuscan as you can set the pedals where you need them, and even bolt bits to them to make it easier.

You do need to learn it or you'll spend half your time facing backwards and the other half replacing gear box, diggs and driveshafts!!

There are lots of different ways to do it with your foot in different positions.

[NTEL]

All the time, even in my road Tuscan. Also had to do it in my old red taz. Billy does it all the time now since Silverstone.......that cost him a few bob for gearboxes

[bill tvr]

Thanks Tim
I learnt the hard way ...did two gearboxes at Silv
Now I always do it ...you can't race a Tuscan without matching ur revs

[NTEL]

Have you found yourself a car yet Mark?

[TVRSH]

I only race a Griff 500 but heal and toe all the time - it's mechanical madness not to!!!

[Graham]

TVRSH said:

I only race a Griff 500 but heal and toe all the time - it's mechanical madness not to!!!

Same engine,same gearbox, same diff, shorter wheelbase so you'd Definetly be pointing backwards if you didn't.

G

[YRRunner]

NTEL said:

Have you found yourself a car yet Mark?

It's been a really frustrating time as you know Dave. Just lost out on another Tuscan (2nd one now), the ex Colin Blower/Hawthorns Motorsport black car in Florida. The by thing was for sale for 4 years with no bites. As soon as I start making enquiries, sort out the customs and VAT implications for repatriating the car back to the UK and confirm travel plans to do the deal, the damn thing gets bought by some Canadian! Mind you, it's got me thinking again about whether I should start small and not get carried away. Silverstone did prove to me that I'm not quite as quick as I was in my twenties, (or maybe I don't have the balls I had back then)! Whichever it is, I know now that it may take a little while to get re-acquainted with driving at speed and on the limit. I may go with Jason Clegg's bright idea of developing the class C contest first, get some experience under my belt and then hopefully move up after a season or two. I really like the idea of having a fuller class C grid with Chims and Griffs as well as the odd Taz. I think it would be really good for the series in general and something great and exciting to be involved in. Anyway, time will tell, and time is something I've got plenty of, between now and when the season starts. Can't wait to mix it up with you all. I promise I'll try not to get in everybody's way!

[7 TVR]

Well as the new boy i can confirm i'm useless at heel and toe and after two races can see just how important it is in these light V8's
My only spin @ Oulton was due to not matching the revs on a downchange from 4 to 3rd going into the double apex right hander[sorry don't know the name] the arse stepped out quicker than i could react and if it was not for the good marshals @ Oulton it would of been race over!
Daily drivers are all Auto so need to put some practice in

[Graham]

hire something cheap and nasty from eurocar or hertz for the day and practice heal and toe and clutchless changes in that. much cheaper than wrecking a tuscan.



G

[kg55]

Graham said:

hire something cheap and nasty from eurocar or hertz for the day and practice heal and toe and clutchless changes in that. much cheaper than wrecking a tuscan.



G

Clutchless changes in a rental car so thats what those arrive and drive hooligans were doing in my fun cup car!!!!!!!

Nice idea though G can i rent barbie for a day?

[YRRunner]

Thanks for the replies chaps, and the honesty in Christian & Billy's case!
How does having a sequential box (ala Martin Crass' no.21 car) make any difference to the driving style and/or use of heel & toe? If at all.

[wadsapple]

I sugest you google sequential gear box and find out about how they work.in essence it means by having one fitted you have enough time to smoke a fag and have a bite to eat before your fellow competitors get into 2nd gear.

Edited by wadsapple on Tuesday 23 October 18:33

[teamHOLDENracing]

YRRunner said:

How does having a sequential box (ala Martin Crass' no.21 car) make any difference to the driving style and/or use of heel & toe? If at all.

Mark, a sequential box makes no difference to downshifts. You still use the clutch and have to match engine and road speed (ie heel & toe). The advantage is on the up shift which with a suitable ECU and sensor can be done without the clutch and without lifting off the throttle (known as flat shifting). It saves a fraction of a second on each shift as 1) the shift itself is slightly quicker and 2) you are off the throttle for much less time to achieve the shift, so accelerate quicker. The other advantage is that it is far more difficult (but not impossible) to miss a gear. The big disadvantage is cost, particularly for a box suitable and reliable for a big torquey V8.

So in summary, it's all in the up shift...

[wadsapple]

Andy Do you not use Auto blip on your set up?

[teamHOLDENracing]

Installed but not configured. Like all these things the hardware is the easy bit, setting it up is the real challenge. We haven't had the test time to get it working satisfactorily.

[Graham]

yeah incorrectly configured flat shift cut and auto blipnare 2 very quick ways to kill a gearbox. ideally you want a closed loop system that reads, engine & gearbox speed plus selector position and matches things automatically.

some open loop systems are a bit crude, just cutting throttle for a period of time on the up shift and hoping for the best...

incedentally you can flat shift on a dog box with the right kit...