Heel-toe struggles

[RedStallion27]

2016 occasional track car and I’m struggling to perfect heel-toe downshifting.

My leg is too long for actual heel-toe with the pivot. My knee hits the steering column if I twist my leg counter-clockwise like that.

So I’ve been trying to get the ankle roll method to work, tilting the right side of my foot over to blip the throttle. But the gas pedal is too far away to reach. Nylon spacers didn’t help so removed them

I then installed the Steeda heel-toe gas pedal and that helped but created a new problem - now I can’t go full brake without accidentally pushing the gas pedal as well.

Has anyone successfully worked through this? What did you do?

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[-RAC-]

How fast are you going?

 

[Dana Pants]

I just don’t. I put the shifter in the correct gear and then add gas and let the clutch out when the turn transitions from braking to accelerating. My friends absolutely despise this method and say I am extremely wrong. You can see me using the forbidden method a few times in this lap:

 

[WItoTX]

Bought a blip module. All the struggles listed are why I did it. I can make my feet work, but on track but, it was just easier to install the blip and be done with it. The pedals line up poorly, and for a fast lap, I couldn't find a method that allowed transmission braking into turns. And without that I didn't get the balance in turns to feel comfortable in turns.

I'm sure it can be learned though, others have.

 

[accel]

2016 occasional track car and I’m struggling to perfect heel-toe downshifting.

My leg is too long for actual heel-toe with the pivot. My knee hits the steering column if I twist my leg counter-clockwise like that.

So I’ve been trying to get the ankle roll method to work, tilting the right side of my foot over to blip the throttle. But the gas pedal is too far away to reach. Nylon spacers didn’t help so removed them

I then installed the Steeda heel-toe gas pedal and that helped but created a new problem - now I can’t go full brake without accidentally pushing the gas pedal as well.

Has anyone successfully worked through this? What did you do?

I could not heel&toe until I followed some of the threads here on this topic.

Stock gas pedal is too low relative to the brake. Get some cheap washers from home depot and lift the pedal per your taste. Super easy to do.

After this the gas pedal pad is optional. I got steeda as it is very easy to adjust left-right. You can drill holes for the pad per your geometry.

There's no way yo cannot adjust it for yourself playing with height and left/right adjustability. Also working with seat position. If steeda pad gets in the way - redrill holes to shift it away.

What kind of footwear are you having?

 

[RedStallion27]

How fast are you going?

Not fast at all. I'm new to track driving. But I've driven manuals all my life and can't comprehend why this technique is so difficult for me to learn. It's not the timing; it's syncing my foot placement in relation to the pedals.

 

[RedStallion27]

I just don’t. I put the shifter in the correct gear and then add gas and let the clutch out when the turn transitions from braking to accelerating. My friends absolutely despise this method and say I am extremely wrong. You can see me using the forbidden method a few times in this lap:

I might have to just do this as well. You must have a very controlled clutch motion in order for it to work smoothly.

 

[RedStallion27]

Bought a blip module. All the struggles listed are why I did it. I can make my feet work, but on track but, it was just easier to install the blip and be done with it. The pedals line up poorly, and for a fast lap, I couldn't find a method that allowed transmission braking into turns. And without that I didn't get the balance in turns to feel comfortable in turns.

I'm sure it can be learned though, others have.

Definitely something to consider if it continues to be a problem. Which module did you buy and do you recommend it?

 

[RedStallion27]

I could not heel&toe until I followed some of the threads here on this topic.

Stock gas pedal is too low relative to the brake. Get some cheap washers from home depot and lift the pedal per your taste. Super easy to do.

After this the gas pedal pad is optional. I got steeda as it is very easy to adjust left-right. You can drill holes for the pad per your geometry.

There's no way yo cannot adjust it for yourself playing with height and left/right adjustability. Also working with seat position. If steeda pad gets in the way - redrill holes to shift it away.

What kind of footwear are you having?

Thanks. I tried washers before the pedal first and didn't like the feel. The gas pedal was in the way when trying to brake normally, but I suppose maybe I'd get used to the change.

Good call on trying different left/right placement of the Steeda pedal. I will give that a shot.

I'm using casual sneakers. Vans or similar.

 

[WItoTX]

Definitely something to consider if it continues to be a problem. Which module did you buy and do you recommend it?

Xingineering. I like it a lot. Super simple, only drawback is needing a laptop to dial in, and if you don't kill it before the cool down lap, it can catch you off guard car coming into pits.

It's a bit of a pain to install, easiest to pull the driver's seat. But not horrible all said and done.

 

[-RAC-]

Not fast at all. I'm new to track driving. But I've driven manuals all my life and can't comprehend why this technique is so difficult for me to learn. It's not the timing; it's syncing my foot placement in relation to the pedals.

Ok let's make something very clear. I'm not a track guru or race car driver. When I've been on the track I'm in the slowest group, just not the slowest one.

If you really want to learn l suggest you spend some time at the track with a good instructor.

In my GT350 the pedals are a pain. I really have to turn my leg to be able to heel-toe. The brake pedal seem really high up to the gas pedal. In my BMW my pedals are right next to each other and it easy.

Remember the main point of heel-toe is to BRAKE and make the corner. When I was taught and practicing heel-toe I was told to get the car up to 80 mph then brake heel-toe. On the race track I found it easy to do. When in the triple digits speed I found I am pressing the pedal down hard and the gas pedal is right there. On the track heel-toe seems more like muscle memory to me. I am thinking more about where to brake and finding my marks.

I live in a rural area and there are back roads with little traffic and some fun corners to play on. I found my self struggling sometime when practicing heel-toe. What I observed was I wasn't going fast enough to push the brake pedal down far enough and really had to reach for the gas pedal.

Anyways take this with a grain of salt. Just my observation and what works for me. Find a real expert to help you.

 

[kz]

Bought a blip module.

Same (Autoblip one), install was one of the most pain in the ass things I've done to this car (and I've done a bunch) but not impossible just requires you to be a contortionists so anyone thinking about it should go get some lessons....

The wide pedal offered by some aftermarket part companies allows you to accidentally press gas while you're braking which is absolutely great if you're approaching wall at 140 mph.

 

[accel]

Same (Autoblip one), install was one of the most pain in the ass things I've done to this car (and I've done a bunch) but not impossible just requires you to be a contortionists so anyone thinking about it should go get some lessons....

The wide pedal offered by some aftermarket part companies allows you to accidentally press gas while you're braking which is absolutely great if you're approaching wall at 140 mph.

yeah... i like the idea of a blip, but decided it was too difficult (not fun) for me to work on it.

Agree on the pedal, but you do not have to install one to the left of the oem pedal. I extended mine to the bottom, but only a little to the left. Mock it, then try it, then adjust until you are comfortable - easy to reach, but not in the way. Steeda pad works best for this. If you look at it - this is just a piece of aluminum that was bent. Easy to manufacture at home if one has time and material.

 

[accel]

Thanks. I tried washers before the pedal first and didn't like the feel.

I ended up installing different washers from those recommended in other threads. They were cheap so I bought some to be able to combine different offsets. Went from too little to too much and then finally found my spot.

Still I wouldn't call overall Mustang ergonomics for heel toe very convenient even after the mod.

I like the idea of a blip. But most of people admitted they usually keep one in off position.

 

[ARAMP1]

Someone on here made a file to 3D print to bring the gas pedal out in line with the brake and clutch.

And I added SRP pedals which lines up the accelerator with the brake better. I did a review here.

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