Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This article is about the driving technique. For the similarly named drumming technique, see Heel- toe technique. Heel- and- toe shifting[1] is a driving technique used mostly in performance driving,[2] although some drivers use it on the road in everyday conditions in the interest of effectiveness. It involves operating the throttle and brake pedals simultaneously with the right foot, while facilitating normal activation of the clutch with the left foot.
It is used when braking and downshifting simultaneously (prior to entering a turn), and allows the driver to "blip" the throttle to raise the engine speed and smoothly engage the lower gear. See Synchronized transmission.)Heel- and- toe shifting and heel- and- toe- double- clutching (described below) is used before entry into a turn while a vehicle is under braking, preparing the transmission to be in the optimal range of rpm to accelerate out of the turn. One benefit of downshifting before entering a turn is to eliminate the jolt to the drivetrain, or any other unwanted dynamics. The jolt will not upset the vehicle as badly when going in a straight line, but the same jolt while turning may upset the vehicle enough to cause loss of control if it occurs after the turn has begun. Sporting vehicles are usually modified (if necessary) so that the heights of the brake and accelerator pedals are closely matched when the brake is sufficiently depressed, and the pedals are not too far apart to permit easy use of heel- and- toe. The name stems from pre- WW2 vehicles where the accelerator pedal was in the centre (between the clutch on the left and the foot brake to the right). The brake was able to be operated with the heel whilst the accelerator pedal could be simultaneously pressed with the toe.
The technique is carried out in modern cars by operating the brake with the toe area, while rocking the foot across to the right to operate the throttle with the right side of the foot. With practice, it becomes possible to smoothly and independently operate both pedals with one foot.
The technique is common in all forms of motorsport, especially rallying. As the power band of most rally cars is high in the rev range, this technique can also be used to ensure that engine rpm does not drop below the power band of the car while under braking. If this happened there would be a delay between the driver accelerating after the corner and when the car responds; this is especially true in turbocharged cars. This technique ensures that maximum power can be reached the instant the brake pedal is released and the accelerator fully depressed. Heel- and- toe- double- clutch is the technique of downshifting more than one gear to use engine braking in the intermediate gear.
This provides maximum braking and optimal engine RPM for exiting the corner. While this is not double- clutching in the traditional sense, the term is used to describe this technique since the clutch is pressed more than once.
An unrelated technique called left- foot braking should not be confused with heel- and- toe. References[edit]Speed Secrets: Professional Race Driving Techniques by Ross Bentley - ISBN 0- 7. Secrets of Solo Racing: Expert Techniques for Autocrossing and Time Trials by Henry A. Watts - ISBN 0- 9. External links[edit].
In this video, I show you how to Heel Toe Downshift. This involves hitting both the gas pedal and the brake pedal at the same time as you are slowing down and approaching a turn.
Heel-and-toe shifting [1] is a driving technique used mostly in performance driving, [2] although some drivers use it on the road in everyday conditions in the interest of effectiveness. The heel-and-toe downshift is a rather complex action involving both of the driver's feet, the driver. Here is a generalization of how a normal person downshifts a manual transmission car. Let's say Frank is driving his '01 Volkswagen Passat around town. He is approaching a right-hand corner while in fourth gear at 50 mph. He is. Edit Article How to Get Started on a Hill when Driving a Manual Transmission Car. Three Methods: Foot Shuffle Handbrake technique Heel-Toe Questions and Answers.
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My attempt at demonstrating heel-toe downshifting technique. This is a single-clutch technique. Double-clutching can also be useful. Some day I'll get around to making a video demonstrating that.
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Heel and Toe Downshift
A heel- and- toe downshift refers to a specific technique used to downshift a manual transmission car.
It might seem bizarre to the general populace, but racecar drivers use it all the time. Once mastered, the heel- and- toe downshift offers the benefits of reduced vehicle wear- and- tear, better driver control and faster lap times on a racetrack.
The heel- and- toe downshift is a rather complex action involving both of the driver's feet, the driver's right hand, all three vehicle pedals and the gear shift lever. The purpose of the heel- and- toe is to smoothly match engine speed to wheel speed.
Here is a generalization of how a normal person downshifts a manual transmission car.
Let's say Frank is driving his '0. Volkswagen Passat around town. He is approaching a right- hand corner while in fourth gear at 5.
He is going too fast to make it around the corner safely, so he starts braking until he drops the Passat's speed to about 2. Frank sees on the tachometer that his engine revs are dropping too low, so he pushes in the clutch as he goes around the corner. As Frank thinks about accelerating, he realizes that the Passat is still in fourth gear, which isn't suitable for strong acceleration at such slow speeds. So he moves the shifter from fourth to second gear, lets out the clutch and motors away.
The problem with Frank's technique is that when he lets out the clutch, it is not going to be a smooth shift. The Passat is going to buck a little.
Why? Because when Frank goes around the corner with the clutch pushed in, the engine revs drop to idle speed. When he releases the clutch, the mechanical locking effect between the engine and the front wheels (the wheels powered by a Passat) forces the engine revs to match the rotational speed of the rear wheels.
In this case, 2. 5 mph in second gear would mean the engine has to be at roughly 2,6. When Frank lets out the clutch after moving the shifter to second gear, his car's engine must instantly go from idle to 2,6. This sudden change causes the car to buck, as well as causing undue wear- and- tear on the clutch, transmission and engine mounts.
The simple solution for Frank would be to give the car some throttle before he lets out the clutch. Specifically, he should raise the engine speed to 2,6.
This way, the engine speed is equalized to the wheel speed for second gear, making the shift much smoother. For racecar drivers, however, this technique is too slow and also means that when the car is going around the corner, the clutch is pushed in, a serious no- no in a racecar.
The racer's answer is the heel- and- toe downshift.
The technique combines braking and downshifting at the same time. Using our example again, if Frank used a heel- and- toe downshift, he would have downshifted while he was braking for the corner. This way, he would have had power while he was going around the corner and he could have quickly applied more throttle once he exited the corner. These are critical elements to a racecar driver, but they can also be useful to any driver on the street.
Here is a step- by- step guide on how to heel- and- toe downshift.
It will explain how to shift from fourth gear to third gear, though the technique will work for any downshift.
- Begin braking for the corner with your right foot. The location of the pedals and the size of your foot will dictate where you position your foot on the pedal, but most likely it shouldbe canted a little to the right, closer to the throttle pedal.
- Push in the clutch with your left foot.
- This is the hard part. With your right foot still applying pressure to the brakes, roll the outside edge of your foot outward and downward to touch the throttle pedal. The pedal design on some cars makes this easier to do than on others. Use the outside of your right foot to blip the throttle.
Blipping the throttle means temporarily raising the engine rpms to match the wheel speed. The exact amount of revs needed is dependent on a variety of factors, but it is usually between 1,0. Move the shifter to third gear.
- Release the clutch with your left foot.
As you can see, "heel- and- toe" is a misnomer. It actually involves the ball of your foot and the side of your foot. We'll be the first to tell you that heel- and- toe downshifts aren't easy.
We've found that a good way to practice is to just sit in your car in your garage and pretend you are doing a heel- and- toe downshift with the engine off. Keep repeating the steps until you are familiar with the process.
Once you are ready, try it out for real. Most likely, your early attempts will be botched. Keep trying, though. Practice each step slowly and then work your way to making them all one, fluid motion. Skilled drivers can execute a heel- and- toe downshift in less than one second.
The trickiest part is getting the correct amount of rpms to match the new gear. If you blip the throttle too much, the engine has too much speed compared to the wheels and is forced to drop down to the wheel speed when you let out the clutch.
If you don't blip the throttle enough, the engine rpms are forced to rise up. Either way, you know you didn't do it right as the car will jerk a little.
You'll also know it when you did it right. A proper heel- and- toe downshift is so smooth and so satisfying that, once done correctly, you'll find yourself using the technique all the time.
The great thing is that you don't have to be a racecar driver or be on a racetrack to use it. Additionally, using the heel- and- toe downshift technique on the street can improve safety. In certain emergency situations, you might be required to brake heavily and then accelerate quickly. By heel- and- toe downshifting, your car will be in the best gear to achieve maximum acceleration
So, let's recap. It's fun to do. It improves driving safety.
It reduces the amount of powertrain wear on your car. Other than the amount of time it takes to learn, there is no downside. What more could you want?