Shifting techniques
Thread Starter
On The Tree
iTrader: (15)
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 103
Likes: 1
From: Near Seattle, WA
Shifting techniques I couldn't find too much info on this site about different shifting techniques and found this link that discusses the heel and toe and double clutching. Our t56's have synchros so double clutching wouldn't be too useful but seems to help jumping down from 4th to 2nd. Just thought I'd share it with you folks...
Shifting Techniques
Shifting Techniques
TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 828
Likes: 0
From: North Dallas
Yes, you don't have to double-clutch but is helps to rev the engine up when shifting to a much lower(like 5th to 2nd) gear. Heel and Toe downshifting is very useful (on the track) but the placement of our pedals makes is difficult at best, at least for me. I am thinking of getting pedals for making this easier.
Originally Posted by Arctic2002ss
Yes, you don't have to double-clutch but is helps to rev the engine up when shifting to a much lower(like 5th to 2nd) gear. Heel and Toe downshifting is very useful (on the track) but the placement of our pedals makes is difficult at best, at least for me. I am thinking of getting pedals for making this easier.
there was a post about this maybe a year ago. some found an article stating that 'heel-toe' is really a misnomer. you dont use your heel and toe.....at least not with our cars. you brake with the left half of your right foot, and lean the right half off the brake petal and blip the gas. i do it all the time, its not hard and easy once you get the hang of it.
Originally Posted by EchoMirage
there was a post about this maybe a year ago. some found an article stating that 'heel-toe' is really a misnomer. you dont use your heel and toe.....at least not with our cars. you brake with the left half of your right foot, and lean the right half off the brake petal and blip the gas. i do it all the time, its not hard and easy once you get the hang of it.
this is what i do as well with my size 13 foot and stock pedals. a lot if not most do it this way too. however i have talked to a few and know a few who use there full on heel and toe, but they are short and have small feet and are in ful out race cars
I was wondering about this. I've never heel toed in anything but attempted a few times in my 94. I thought the pedals were placed retardedly in this respect, I also wear a 13 sneaker. I'm going to go try to lean half my foot off the pedal. I will also go read the link, maybe they describe stuff in a comprehensible manner.
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I do the "roll" as well, with the left half of my foot on the brake and blip the throttle with the right side (actually it's pretty much right behind my small toe). It's almost second nature now, and pumas are definitly my favorite driving shoe too.
Size 12.5 here
Size 12.5 here
^^ i'm in the same boat. Size 12 here. I tried for a good week, before i just said **** it! I've gotta find another way. Ended up discovering the "roll" method, and it seems to work pretty damned good, for the amount of space we have.
Well after reading that other site that is linked, for the time being I'm trying to get down rev matching, without the whole heel-toe part yet. I had two or three downshifts that felt really good tonight. Kinda strange for me to start trying this stuff now, I've been driving a stick for 6 years. I've felt kinda lately like I'm missing something though.
Perhaps if it starts to get a little more serious I will look into getting a pair of shoes.
Perhaps if it starts to get a little more serious I will look into getting a pair of shoes.
I dhave a pair of racing shoes and i like my vans better. HAHAHA.
I rev match so often now that i forget i'm doing it and my GF thinks i'm always "revving" at other cars trying to incite a race. She doesn't get it when i explain it so why bother.
I rev match so often now that i forget i'm doing it and my GF thinks i'm always "revving" at other cars trying to incite a race. She doesn't get it when i explain it so why bother.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
From: Evansville, IN
I use some bowling shoes to drive a Skip Barber Formula car, so you can laugh but they actually work up to a point. I tried driving the car with tennis shoes, and found my foot getting caught between the dead pedal and steering column (making it impossible to get my foot onto the clutch in a hurry). I bought some bowling shoes that night, and they got me by. However, the soft sole on tends to poke the gas pedal under threshold braking. Back in September, I was lapping at Road America and came into turn 5 with so much brake/gas that I had to dive through the access road between turn 5 and the exit of Billy Mitchell Bend. So much for a cost effective solution. 
Teching In
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: Woodlands
I am a whopping 5'-8 and where a size 8 with the converse chucks (great for driving by the way). I have to heel the the brake and toe the pedal. I have to twist my body and put my knee against the console in a very awkward position. I have tried the "roll" but I think my foot is a little small.
Oh great so it sounds like the way GM put the pedals it screws you completely.
I think I am starting to get this rev matching thing a little bit, my 5-2 downshifts feel smooth, but I understand the whole thing where your chick probably thinks you're revving at everyone, I'm sure my neighbors and other cars on the road are thinking WTF?
Still experimenting though, its still not a natural movement, I have to think about it a lot.
And only rev matching I'm not rolling yet, its brake clutch gas clutch brake, not clutch brake/gas clutch.
I think I am starting to get this rev matching thing a little bit, my 5-2 downshifts feel smooth, but I understand the whole thing where your chick probably thinks you're revving at everyone, I'm sure my neighbors and other cars on the road are thinking WTF?
Still experimenting though, its still not a natural movement, I have to think about it a lot.
And only rev matching I'm not rolling yet, its brake clutch gas clutch brake, not clutch brake/gas clutch.
Yeah I felt really stupid on two occasions yesterday. 1st was a downshift while in traffic, I probably should have went with 3rd gear and went with 2nd instead, I pulled the clutch out after the throttle blip and proceeded to roast the **** out of the tires.
Second was a good rev match taking a right turn, only to stick my right tires onto the shoulder of the road.
Today felt really good though, I guess with time it will come as you have stated. I went out and just cruised around after replacing my starter and some wiring issues I was having and concentrated on rev matching as often as I could. It was a nice night out so I got plenty of stares.
Second was a good rev match taking a right turn, only to stick my right tires onto the shoulder of the road.
Today felt really good though, I guess with time it will come as you have stated. I went out and just cruised around after replacing my starter and some wiring issues I was having and concentrated on rev matching as often as I could. It was a nice night out so I got plenty of stares.
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 73
Likes: 8
ive read about heel&toe shiftig for years. a while back some magazine described the roll method,i tried it but wasnt comfortable with only half my foot on the brake. early last spring my t56 went out and i didnt have the bread to fix it so i bought a ford escort for $200 a real screamer .the clutch pedal took a dookee on me it quit working,pushing it in didnt do much.at stop lights i would have to push in the clutch apply the brakes and use the throttle to keep it from dying using the roll method.after having to do this to drive i got more comfortable with half my foot on the brake,now i do it all the time.my foot size is 10 1/2.my 2000 TA was my only car,driving with work boots on helped also.now i have 99 silveado 4X4 5 speed and i heel & toe in that without any problem,work boots or sneakers. sometimes i get in multiple blips i will blip & when the RPMs are dropping ill pullout of gear,blip again to ease entry to the next gear,and blip again to RPM match. it works and sounds great its very comfortable no twisted feet its second nature its how i drive everywhere. happy blipping!
In their item description they say that it can help with heel-toe, believe it or utter crap?
I also stumbled upon this today, its much like the above link in the first post but something seemed to click when I was reading it, don't know if its any help or not. http://www.powellmotorsport.com/inde...display&pid=11
I'm not very comfortable with the roll method at all yet. Maybe I should just sit out there and try to find a good position, or maybe I won't try to work the brake and throttle at the same time and will just have to blip when off the brake.