Technique tips

[WutApex]

I’m posting in the open track forum to hopefully keep the self-proclaimed experts from responding and get the true racers to provide input - -

I'm having problems learning to properly Heel & Toe. I have small feet which I believe exacerbates the issue. I’m looking for any tips that I can practice on the street before I get on the track next spring/summer.

I know using the heel to press the brake and the toe to blip the throttle is the preferred method but I find I don’t have the touch with the brakes yet as I tend to use more leg with the heel (vs. ankle movement/toes). Should I get in the habit of braking with my heel to get the feeling?

I’ve tried “goofy foot” with using the toes to hit the brake as I’m used to (smoother application) and trying to use the heel near the floor to blip the throttle.

Seems either method will require a lot of practice but it seems as if the distance between pedals is not helping. Is my foot placement incorrect or it it more of an ergonomic issue with where Ford placed the pedals?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[MGC]

Have you changed the pedal position at all? I had a hard time learning as well, then I did the "gas pedal mod" and it helped alot, placement of the pedals makes a huge difference.
Mustangworld - 99 - 00 Gas Pedal Adjustment tip

Another tip, practice on the street and whenever you are driving, you don't want to go to a track day and try to learn heel/toe (seems like you have the right idea.)
Lastly, just practice, it will become easier as you do it, like second nature. FWIW I use the ball of my foot on the brake and blip the throttle with my pinky toes.

 

[ac427cobra]

It's called "Heel-Toe" because years ago gas pedals used to be attached to the floor. You'd kick at that gas pedal with your heel while your toe was on the brake.

Now with suspended pedals it's similar but different. Your toe is still on the brake but you're kicking at the gas pedal with the outside of your foot or the outside of your heel.

Mustangs have a history for notorious pedal positions. Bending your gas pedal over closer to your brake pedal has helped many people.

I found practicing on the street difficult for several reasons. You don't brake as hard and things don't happen as fast as when you're on the track.

FWIW

:thumbsup::coolman::beer:

 

[WutApex]

Thanks for the replies -

MCG provided a link for vertical adjustment. What's the method for bending? heat it up? Big hammer?

or something like pedel extentions?

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

Thanks for the replies -

MCG provided a link for vertical adjustment. What's the method for bending? heat it up? Big hammer?

or something like pedel extentions?

I use the Ultimate Pedals extension on my gas pedal (both the Mustang and Corvette) - works great! :coolman:

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

You can get pedal covers that will help too.

I don't heel toe, but find it more comfortable to keep my foot positioned in a normal manner, but half on the brake pedal and blip the throttle by rolling my foot over onto the gas pedal (same method MGC uses). As with any other style, pedal placement is still key for this. I have found with my Cobra, that the brake and gas pedal heights are good for this style of driving. I have lowered my clutch pedal and that resulted in much more comfort while driving.

I have found practicing on the street helps to a degree. It will help you get the motions down, and be comfortable with the footwork, but it will be harder to be smooth on the street. On the track, it smooths out because you are on the brakes harder, and your foot will be planted better. It will also be easier and quicker to rev match at higher RPM.

 

[wheelhopper]

I use my toes to brake and the outer portion of my heel to hit the throttle. It just feels more natural and easy to manuver. For my '03 I simply pulled the pedal toward the brake and pulled it up to better position it. The stamped steel that the throttle lever is made of bends easy. My '90 is actually positioned pretty good from the start. I do need to raise the gas pedal a little cause I have a hard time getting the rpms as high as they need to be.

I simply started doing it on the track. It actually came to me pretty easy. I watched a few videos on YouTube and then started to do it when I had some space on the track. I started with some of the easier corners first and now I do it without thinking about it.

 

[gcassidy]

I don't heel toe, but find it more comfortable to keep my foot positioned in a normal manner, but half on the brake pedal and blip the throttle by rolling my foot over onto the gas pedal (same method MGC uses).

Same way I do it-with stock pedals. I think everyone develops a method that works best for them. Probably based on pedal placement, foot and shoe size, seating position, etc. I found it easier once I got a set of Piloti shoes with the rubber sole wrapping up the side.

 

[CobraRed01]

Guess I'm one of those self-proclaimed experts without a lot of O/T experience, but maybe what I do will help. Despite the difference in heights of pedals in my '01 Cobra I find if I use the instep of my right foot on the brake I can rotate the top of my foot to the gas pedal quite easily. The opposite of standard heel-toe, but it works well for me on regular back-roads bashing and the few times I've had the privilege to O/T and autocross. I've never been on the larger fast tracks so I can't speak from that perspective. I've gotten pretty good at confidently hard braking and concurrently downshifting with a modicum of judicious trail-braking...so the technique works. The rub...I'm a size 10 1/2 not sure it will work with bigger feet.

 

[gmsux]

I found setting the gas pedal height very important. I used the body of a small pocket screwdriver as a great spacer, no clamps needed. Just remove the screwdriver blade, cut out a length, slit it, slide over the cable and the compressed retainer snaps into the hole in the center of the body. Played around with the length so the pedals are level under hard braking and heel/toe (ball of foot/pinky toe) is much easier. the offset gas pedal looks great though, may try that too.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

I probably shouldn't even post in this thread since I have never used this technique. But here are my thoughts on it.
I have found with the 03/04 Cobra that there is practically no engine braking available due to the low compression small displacement engine. In the beginning I was actually startled by the lack of engine braking.

I have since then just down shifted while braking without bothering to blip and double clutch. I have yet to "GACK" a syncro. The T56 does not seem to care and I am not sure if I am giving up any time not heel toeing or not. I am able to bring the lower gear into play smoothly without upsetting my very softly sprung HEAVY car mid corner and smoothly apply the power fairly early so I have not even tried this yet.

I have read different opinions on this yet I see videos of race drivers still using this technique quite a bit.

Back in the top loader and T10 days I guess it was pretty necessary. On my T56 I have not seen or felt a problem.

So am I leaving a bunch of time on the table?:shrug:
Can you describe what exactly is being gained by taking these steps?
It seems quicker to me to just stuff it into gear and go. I use my brakes for braking since my engine just laughs at me when I down shift earlier. 8.5 to one compression and a 281 cube engine in a 3900 pound SLUG doesn't result in any deceleration that is worth bothering with.

I am open to learn though.

 

[Ryan]

I use my toes to brake and the outer portion of my heel to hit the throttle. It just feels more natural and easy to manuver. For my '03 I simply pulled the pedal toward the brake and pulled it up to better position it. The stamped steel that the throttle lever is made of bends easy. My '90 is actually positioned pretty good from the start. I do need to raise the gas pedal a little cause I have a hard time getting the rpms as high as they need to be.

Doug you may look at just putting an automatic brake pedal pad to help you a bit. I believe that's part of the difference in the SVOs.

 

[gcassidy]

I probably shouldn't even post in this thread since I have never used this technique. But here are my thoughts on it.
I have found with the 03/04 Cobra that there is practically no engine braking available due to the low compression small displacement engine. In the beginning I was actually startled by the lack of engine braking.

I have since then just down shifted while braking without bothering to blip and double clutch. I have yet to "GACK" a syncro. The T56 does not seem to care and I am not sure if I am giving up any time not heel toeing or not. I am able to bring the lower gear into play smoothly without upsetting my very softly sprung HEAVY car mid corner and smoothly apply the power fairly early so I have not even tried this yet.

I have read different opinions on this yet I see videos of race drivers still using this technique quite a bit.

Back in the top loader and T10 days I guess it was pretty necessary. On my T56 I have not seen or felt a problem.

So am I leaving a bunch of time on the table?:shrug:
Can you describe what exactly is being gained by taking these steps?
It seems quicker to me to just stuff it into gear and go. I use my brakes for braking since my engine just laughs at me when I down shift earlier. 8.5 to one compression and a 281 cube engine in a 3900 pound SLUG doesn't result in any deceleration that is worth bothering with.

I am open to learn though.

Jimmy, others can probably do this more eloquently than I, but here's what I learned in my 4 years of classroom with "Unk" at NASA....compressed as my muddled brain tends to do.

On the track, in transitions such as braking, the overall idea is to not upset the car, and control your weight transfer. And you're right,the brakes are for slowing, and the motor for going. So the only goal involving your transmission during braking is to get you into the right gear to exit the turn. Besides working on matching revs (ignores the whole "what part of the foot do I use"), we would also be learning about skipping gears (at VIR braking for T-14, I pull it out of 5th and put it right in 3rd) for cornering and exit throttle; and working on depressing the clutch when starting to hit the brakes. This last tool in you toolbox is worth trying. I found it helped me with my threshold braking. With the clutch in, the engine is taken out of the braking equation, and once I'm ready for throttle application, I move the gear selector into the proper gear (all except that one time...), blip the throttle with the side of my foot and release the clutch. That matches the revs to what the selected gear needs, and it's (usually) a very smooth transition.

And has nothing to do with the over-run you hear from hot street cars when they are downshifting for a turn or stoplight. ;-)

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

.....we would also be learning about skipping gears (at VIR braking for T-14, I pull it out of 5th and put it right in 3rd) for cornering and exit throttle; and working on depressing the clutch when starting to hit the brakes. With the clutch in, the engine is taken out of the braking equation, and once I'm ready for throttle application, I move the gear selector into the proper gear (all except that one time...), blip the throttle with the side of my foot and release the clutch. That matches the revs to what the selected gear needs, and it's (usually) a very smooth transition....

+1 This is exactly what I do. Dan Unkefer (NASA Mid Atlantic Senior Instructor) drilled this into my brain as well. :beer:

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

I'll have to try this a few more times, the only few times I have tried something like this is when I had a very long braking zone and the engine had been at idle for kind of a long time so near the end of braking, while it was in neutral I blipped it with the clutch out just to make sure it went into second OK and also so it wouldn't decelerate at all and upset my very soft car. I have tried it both ways and figured out a way to not decel the car with out blipping by just being on the juice a little earlier as I engaged the clutch.

I will have to try it a few more times since it is probably easier on the clutch the way you guys are describing. Though I can't be heating it too bad since it's still the original with a good bit more than stock power.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Jimmy, others can probably do this more eloquently than I, but here's what I learned in my 4 years of classroom with "Unk" at NASA....compressed as my muddled brain tends to do.

On the track, in transitions such as braking, the overall idea is to not upset the car, and control your weight transfer. And you're right,the brakes are for slowing, and the motor for going. So the only goal involving your transmission during braking is to get you into the right gear to exit the turn. Besides working on matching revs (ignores the whole "what part of the foot do I use"), we would also be learning about skipping gears (at VIR braking for T-14, I pull it out of 5th and put it right in 3rd) for cornering and exit throttle; and working on depressing the clutch when starting to hit the brakes. This last tool in you toolbox is worth trying. I found it helped me with my threshold braking. With the clutch in, the engine is taken out of the braking equation, and once I'm ready for throttle application, I move the gear selector into the proper gear (all except that one time...), blip the throttle with the side of my foot and release the clutch. That matches the revs to what the selected gear needs, and it's (usually) a very smooth transition.

And has nothing to do with the over-run you hear from hot street cars when they are downshifting for a turn or stoplight. ;-)

I did this in my Cobra, but have gotten much better at it in my RX7 out of necessity.

Jimmy,

You are giving up much less in your car because the powerband is so broad in the Cobra. In a slower car or one with a more peaky powerband, you would be leaving a noticeable amount on the table .

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

I did this in my Cobra, but have gotten much better at it in my RX7 out of necessity.

Jimmy,

You are giving up much less in your car because the powerband is so broad in the Cobra. In a slower car or one with a more peaky powerband, you would be leaving a noticeable amount on the table .

That makes sense, I can't just mat the gas in slow corners or I will break the rear end loose, 3rd gear corners though with the old 710 slicks it stays hooked nice. Except for the over heating, having too much power is a lot of fun! LOL!:-D

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

That makes sense, I can't just mat the gas in slow corners or I will break the rear end loose, 3rd gear corners though with the old 710 slicks it stays hooked nice. Except for the over heating, having too much power is a lot of fun! LOL!:-D

What gears are you running? Try the 3.55s if you haven't installed them yet. You'll be able to accelerate earlier in the turn and not break the rear loose as easily - instead you'll be planting the power to the ground and moving out!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

What gears are you running? Try the 3.55s if you haven't installed them yet. You'll be able to accelerate earlier in the turn and not break the rear loose as easily - instead you'll be planting the power to the ground and moving out!

That is what he is running. It is the 500 ft lbs of torque from 2000 to redline that is causing the wheel spin.

 

[Gray Ghost GT]

That is what he is running. It is the 500 ft lbs of torque from 2000 to redline that is causing the wheel spin.

Throttle modulation is the key. I tell students to imagine a baloon under the gas pedal and that you want to feather the throttle like a rheostat (Dimmer Switch) not an On/Off switch - my rwhp/rwtq on my C5 is similar - wheel spin will be gone as you gain a better feel the car, tires and track to reach the edge of the envelope of traction - to squeeze the baloon without popping it.