Z07coupe

While running on a track last weekend, my brother had observed that I was the only driver who would tap the throttle to bring up the revs while downshifting, (for a smoother gear transition). Is there anything wrong with this habit? I've done this for 45 years, on both the track and public streets.

JohnnyB51

That is the preferred method of downshifting, particularly when done correctly.

BEZ06

I think your brother was mistaken.

Giving a blip of the throttle to rev-match the engine to the drivetrain when downshifting is almost universally done by experienced drivers.

Bob

BEZ06

Here's a video clip of Lou Gigliotti at Sebring. He's driving a sequential shifter, and you can see and hear that when he pushes the shift lever forward to downshift, the computer automatically adds a throttle blip to rev-match for a smooth downshift.

Enjoy!!!

Bob


Click here for Lou's Sebring session in the #28 ALMS GT2 C6

snitz

Looks like your the only guy in that crowd who was heel toe down-shifting.

ShadowLight

Yeah, do it, your clutch will thank you!

*C7*

and your transmisson will even thank you more

Wayne O

You don't have to heel/toe to rev-match or double-clutch. The pedal geometry is such that I find it near impossible to execute a proper heel/toe in the C6. I've seen someone mod...shim their gas pedal out in the C6 but I've gotten adept at just rolling my right foot onto the gas pedal while braking. It took a while before I felt secure doing this under extreme braking but it works.

fhturner

Huh??? The C5 geometry is perfectly fine for heel/toe. I doubt the C6 would be appreciably different, since it is largely an evolutionary car. I've driven a C6 Z51 on track once, and I don't remember noticing any problems w/ pedal placement. Plus, rolling the outside (not actually heel) of your right foot over to blip the gas _is_ the proper method anyway. What am I misunderstanding?

snitz

I agree. The whole idea of heel/toe braking is to keep constant brake pressure while you blip the throttle.

Releasing the brake (ergo: moving your foot away from the brake to the throttle) while you "blip" upsets the balance of the car going into a turn and un-weights the front tires which can induce understeer. Smooth weight transfer is the key to navigating the track quickly!

Good luck.

davidfarmer

fhturner is dead on, the pedals are perfect for heal/toe. Even if the weren't you are MUCH BETTER OFF learning to adapt your driving style to the vehicle, than modifying the pedals of every car you ever drive. With just a little practice, you'll find your feet can learn to twist in all sorts of contorted angles once your brain masters the technique

VetteDrmr

Actually, I asked Lou about that. He said that the throttle blips on the downshifts are manually done; no computer involved! The only computer involvement is interrupting the engine during an upshift.

Makes the video even better!

Have a good one,
Mike

hrtracer

Just get bigger feet...

I find the pedals perfectly spaced. I actually brake hard with the ball of my foot, and then "jab" at the gas with my heel. I have tried rolling the foot but it does not allow you to be as precise with the amount and speed of the blip.

Bill Hetzel

It's interesting that this comes up everytime there's a thread on H&T.
It also comes up almost everytime I instruct at a HPDE since I usually pick students with Vettes.

Happened again 2 weeks ago, a C5 and an "08 C6 dirver telling me they couldn't H&T and they wanted to modify pedals.
Took them both out on the street and showed them how easy it is on any C4,5,6 without mods.
They're now both practicing this for their next event.

TedDBere

I think the confusion comes from the terminology.

It should be Brake & Blip or...Brake & Gas, not Heel & Toe.

It's what you're doing, not what part of the foot you're using, that's important to convey to the newbie. IMHO

John Shiels

Ask the others how long their clutch and tranny last when not rev matching?

Z07coupe

Thanks for all the replies. We appreciate all of your comments. In defense of my brother, He understood why I would blip the throttle, he just thought it was unusual that he could not hear the other 15+ drivers doing the same. Maybe some others were doing it but since my exhaust note is very distinctive, my half deaf brother couldn't detect it. Now to understand tires/pressures/compounds/alignment/.....

davidfarmer

heel/toe terminology makes PERFECT sense when you realize the gas/brake pedals used to be mounted vertically, one over the other. These days, I'm more of a "1st metatarsal/5th metatarsaler", but I don't see that lingo catching on!
I also throw in a medial cuneiform and cubiod occasionally!

yakisoba

lol@ david farmer. Made my morning.

JohnnyB51

"Heel and Toe" has become a generic term for blipping the throttle during downshifts. I think it applies to whether you actually "heel and toe" or roll your foot over to the throttle.

I've been using the rolling technique for 40+ years since I developed it on cars that weren't set up for true "heel and toe".

I still consider both techniques "heel and toe". They both accomplish the same thing.