Driving techniques....

[merlin]

Thought maybe it could be helpfull to have some techinques explained in plain english for people not in the know.

Heel & Toe will help you down change gear smoothly, and will avoid frying your clutch and stressing out engine mounts etc.

Ok, heel and toe - as simple as I can explain it :-

Left foot - stays on clutch. End of story.

Right foot :-

Let's imagine you're in 4th gear, coming up to a bend, you need to change down a gear to 3rd.

Come off the gas pedal
Move right foot onto brake and start braking
Press clutch in
Move gear from 4th to 3rd

DONT BRING CLUTCH UP

Instead:-

Keeping your toe on the brake, swivel your right foot so you can tap the gas pedal with the right side of the lower part of your foot - you wont be hitting it with your full heel, just the right side of your heel, and flick the revs up.

Do this - hit the gas and flick the revs up to match the engine speed you are going to get when you bring the clutch up and engage 3rd

Once the revs are up, bring clutch up.

That's a smooth change down - you've been braking all the time, and you've change gear, but because you've flicked the revs up before bring the clutch up - you've got the engine speed and transmission speed the same so the engine has not been lunging and rocking around in the engine bay or the clutch worn unnecessarily.

Feel free to throw in others for us all to digest.

 

[merlin]

I always find it difficult to brake with my left foot, tried once or twice but for some reason I am always heavy footed, but is that because my left foot is used to the clutch? Me no no...

Most people will have that problem. I nearly put myself through the windscreen first time I tried it. Yes, your left leg is used to the clutch.

 

[merlin]

So is your right foot pretty much at a right angle then?

\

^ Your right foot is like that.

 

[merlin]

Saxo pedals are stupid. Designed around girls i reckon

 

[merlin]

I have to blip the gas in neutral before i hit the clutch and change down a gear otherwise it crunchs due to the engine spinning too fast, is that right?

See corner
neutral
brake
blip + clutch down
gear in
Clutch up

Not really sure what you're asking tbh Sp00n. But that description is dreadfull driving. Just horrid.

I think you're replying to Enfield's clutch saving technique - so I'll leave him to help you out.

 

[merlin]

If i try and put the gear in before i blip the gas, the car crunches.

Does that make anymore sense?

Yep, gotcha.

Your gearbox synchros are shot though!

 

[merlin]

Which is best to slow your car down?

Both at the same time is best.

Brakes only is more economical, engine braking costs fuel.

 

[merlin]

Here's a good site with a visual for the Heel-toe technique.

http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving/driving_heeltoe.shtml

Excellent - pics help.

 

[merlin]

Of course all these techniques are for the track. Just thought I'd mention that.

Fast corner entry for cars that understeer

If your car has a tendancy to understeer (understeer is not a dirty word btw) on corner entry - there is a technique that will improve front end bite.

Brake late as you approach the corner. Leave it sufficiently late so you are still braking at the point of the initial turn-in.

Make the initial turn in with the brakes still on, turn the car and make sure it settles down. Don't let off the brakes untill the car feels steady otherwise you'll be pointing backwards.

Braking on entry loads up the front wheels, giving you more traction.

So you've killed off any potential understeer, and you've saved time by braking later.

 

[merlin]

You might want to explain exactly what understeer and oversteer are first

www.google.co.uk

 

[merlin]

Understeer. The road turns, but your car wants to go straight on.

Oversteer. The road turns, but your car wants to turn round.

There you go. Now quit your whinging.