Do You Heel and Toe

[ENSMR2]

well the way i understand it is when you are turning in of the brakes or off the throttle the weight of the car is either at the front or the rear of the car and the idea of bliping the throttle is to properly match the revs with the chosen gear to try and get the weight of the car central immediately before turn in, thus balancing the car and hopefully less under/oversteer.
please feel free to jump in anyone if i'm completely wrong

I guess I need a ride with someone so I can feel it for myself really. Otherwise I'll never know if I've done it right lol.

Like I said, I think I might have got it right once today. No jerking launching or engine breaking. Just felt good, not sure how to describe it really.

[aaronjb]

It should feel like you didn't change gear at all.. I guess that's the best way to describe it

[ENSMR2]

It should feel like you didn't change gear at all.. I guess that's the best way to describe it

Think thats what I was trying to describe. Should have made a mental note of the revs

Nice one.

[ducatichick]

i heel and toe-have done since i learnt to drive-got a tad more involved with it in the '2 though

I got the grasp of left foot braking too

[RichardPON]

Never really used to on track in my old RWD Cossie, until approaching the hairpin at Croft, I lumped it into 2nd, the back locked, engine stalled, and I span off in spectacular fashion.

Now I wouldn't do without it!

[mr2nut123]

i use the side of my foot rather than my heel as my steering wheels in lazy position at the bottom so cant lift leg high enough for the heal. works just the same and got it down to a t pretty much now

[blue2]

Ive tried it a few times but think I need more practise. Great article though!

[EarL]

Learned to do it when I was racing Mini's about 20 years ago. Been doing it ever since.

[jonb-]

In theory, the perfect heel toe could be done without a clutch as you'd match the revs so well it wouldn't need one. Tested that theory more than once in rentals

Not good for the box when you get it wrong though.

[Leon.]

i heel and toe-have done since i learnt to drive-got a tad more involved with it in the '2 though

I got the grasp of left foot braking too

How does does that help? Do you mean operating the clutch and brake with your left foot?

I've tried it once or twice just to see what its like and you don't half brake quicker with the left foot

Please help my ignorance

[jonb-]

i heel and toe-have done since i learnt to drive-got a tad more involved with it in the '2 though

I got the grasp of left foot braking too

How does does that help? Do you mean operating the clutch and brake with your left foot?

I've tried it once or twice just to see what its like and you don't half brake quicker with the left foot

Please help my ignorance

Left foot is used to pushing down without care and feathering up, not quite what you want for the brakes. You get used to it eventually but for the road in a clutched car there's no real point in learning it.

If you were an utter god (we're talking schumacher) you could use left foot braking while applying throttle around corners to change the balance of the car but i think it's beyond most of us, and our little 2s to give enough feedback / brake control to make this possible.

[Leon.]

Cheers Jon, I'll leave that to Becci then

[jont]

If you were an utter god (we're talking schumacher) you could use left foot braking while applying throttle around corners to change the balance of the car but i think it's beyond most of us, and our little 2s to give enough feedback / brake control to make this possible.

Left foot braking is a more common technique in rallying, so I'd use Gronholm, Solberg etc as examples rather than Schumacher As I understand it, it's very helpful to either balance the car in corners, or deliberately unsettle it for drifting - hence often used on gravel/snow/ice (and other loose surfaces). There was a discussion of the merits in FWD/RWD cars on a rallying forum I use, but I can't find the thread right now.

[ducatichick]

drifting is the main reson why i learned, i have used it to help correct a fast corner "gone wrong" and i'm glad i did. I think had i not left foot braked on more than one of those occasions i'd have two halves of 1 MR2

[Dave Goodhand]

i use the side of my foot rather than my heel as my steering wheels in lazy position at the bottom so cant lift leg high enough for the heal. works just the same and got it down to a t pretty much now

Its not heel and toe anymore as its more sole/sole. In the old days of where you had about 8" of gap between the pedals then you needed to heel and toe.. whereas now you keep your foot flat.

Left foot braking is good for when youre on the track as you tend to brake harder with your left (and if you've come from karting then its like second nature) so you can use it on long sweeping bends to keep the front wheels with some grip.

As ducatichick said its easy to drift using the left foot, as you can just stamp on the brakes to the apex and the rear of the car will step out, the same as if you don't heel and toe but just jam the car into 3rd at 70.

[aaronjb]

drifting is the main reson why i learned, i have used it to help correct a fast corner "gone wrong" and i'm glad i did. I think had i not left foot braked on more than one of those occasions i'd have two halves of 1 MR2

So, to clarify... you drive like a loon?

[ducatichick]

drifting is the main reson why i learned, i have used it to help correct a fast corner "gone wrong" and i'm glad i did. I think had i not left foot braked on more than one of those occasions i'd have two halves of 1 MR2

So, to clarify... you drive like a loon?

erm *cough* not always *cough*

only when the time / place is right

[aaronjb]

*makes mental note never to accept a lift from a strange woman driving a Mk2*

[Leon.]

*makes mental note never to accept a lift from a strange woman driving a Mk2*

Why, cos she'll show you up?

[aaronjb]

Well.. yes.. my fragile male ego couldn't take it



Plus I wouldn't want to leave a stain..

Adrenalin is brown, you know..