Down Shifting
05-10-2007 | 01:13 PM
#11
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From: Pembroke Pines, FL
QUOTE (Patreezy @ May 10 2007, 02:58 PM)
or you could start heel-toe downshifting ("rev matching") and put virtually NO extra wear on the clutch. Plus you get bragging rights (once you;ve mastered it) as the smoothest ride in town!
Heel-toeing is NOT a race maneuver only, it reduces engine wear and tear, keeps you in control (safe), saves your brakes, and makes for a smooth ride! wink1.gif
Smoother = faster (hence, why it's a "race technique")
I'll try and write a full DIY with video on this subject. Be warned, it takes some work to get the pedals set-up right in the tib. First of all the accelerator is waaaay to close to the center console wall there, making any angled foot action impossible. Since the brake pedal is considerably higher than the accelerator, you need to bend the accelerator pedal without counteracting any stops. Then when they're on an even playing field you can just use the ball of your foot on the right most portion of the brake pedal and blip the throttle with your pinky toes!
Heel-toeing is NOT a race maneuver only, it reduces engine wear and tear, keeps you in control (safe), saves your brakes, and makes for a smooth ride! wink1.gif
Smoother = faster (hence, why it's a "race technique")
I'll try and write a full DIY with video on this subject. Be warned, it takes some work to get the pedals set-up right in the tib. First of all the accelerator is waaaay to close to the center console wall there, making any angled foot action impossible. Since the brake pedal is considerably higher than the accelerator, you need to bend the accelerator pedal without counteracting any stops. Then when they're on an even playing field you can just use the ball of your foot on the right most portion of the brake pedal and blip the throttle with your pinky toes!
dude... wat? please do write the DIY and a bit more detail.... no extra wear on the clutch would be perfect as you would use your brakes less and end up saving good money.
05-10-2007 | 02:19 PM
#12
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From: Arizona
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ok I'll work on the DIY laterz.
It seems no one knows how to heel-toe anymore.
Basically, it's smoothly matching engine speed to wheel speed while down shifting to keep the car STABALIZED and SMOOTH. Race drivers use this technique in the braking zone before a curve, if they did not the car would buckle and you would lose a 1/10th of a second off your lap time.
DIY is on teh way!
It seems no one knows how to heel-toe anymore.
Basically, it's smoothly matching engine speed to wheel speed while down shifting to keep the car STABALIZED and SMOOTH. Race drivers use this technique in the braking zone before a curve, if they did not the car would buckle and you would lose a 1/10th of a second off your lap time.
DIY is on teh way!
05-10-2007 | 02:37 PM
#13
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From: Eau Claire, WI
Vehicle: 97 Tib
Heel-toe'ing is hard. It's much easier to just rev match and then shift into your gear.
I think anyone who doesn't downshift is just stupid. Always downshifting will mean you are always ready, you can stop shorter and accelerate quicker. If you're just coasting in neutral and the car in front of you slams on their brakes, think of the time it would take you to slam on the brakes and downshift while in neutral, that extra 2 seconds it takes you to push in the clutch and downshift could be the difference between rear ending them and not. Now, if you are already in a lower gear, simply slamming on the brakes will cause you to stop MUCH quicker.
I'd say about 75% of people on here downshift regularly, and nobody has shown any extra wear and tear on their engines/trannies/clutches. Mad-Machine rode his stock clutch to 130,000 I believe? Until his tib was crushed by a falling tree, otherwise he'd still be driving it.
I think anyone who doesn't downshift is just stupid. Always downshifting will mean you are always ready, you can stop shorter and accelerate quicker. If you're just coasting in neutral and the car in front of you slams on their brakes, think of the time it would take you to slam on the brakes and downshift while in neutral, that extra 2 seconds it takes you to push in the clutch and downshift could be the difference between rear ending them and not. Now, if you are already in a lower gear, simply slamming on the brakes will cause you to stop MUCH quicker.
I'd say about 75% of people on here downshift regularly, and nobody has shown any extra wear and tear on their engines/trannies/clutches. Mad-Machine rode his stock clutch to 130,000 I believe? Until his tib was crushed by a falling tree, otherwise he'd still be driving it.
05-10-2007 | 03:42 PM
#16
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From: Arizona
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Wrong, the gear lever is NOT used to slow a vehicle down. Brakes are. Don't ever think otherwise.
zoned, I see your logic (brakes + down-shift = shorter braking distance), but you cannot think like that. It is false.
All explained in the "How To Downshift" DIY and technically, you'd already be shifted into gear so your statement should read "It's much easier to just rev match and then release the clucth."
zoned, I see your logic (brakes + down-shift = shorter braking distance), but you cannot think like that. It is false.
QUOTE
Heel-toe'ing is hard. It's much easier to just rev match and then shift into your gear.
All explained in the "How To Downshift" DIY and technically, you'd already be shifted into gear so your statement should read "It's much easier to just rev match and then release the clucth."
05-10-2007 | 03:49 PM
#17
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From: Charleston, WV
I downshift in the Tiburon but not in my 03 neon... If the guy in front of me slams on his brakes, I'll slam on mine if I'm in neural or any gear, and then down shift according to how much I slowed down.
05-10-2007 | 04:02 PM
#18
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From: Grand Rapids, MI
Vehicle: 2001 Hyundai Tiburon
QUOTE (zoned019 @ May 10 2007, 04:53 PM)
No...you use both...I thought that was obvious.
Brake + Engine = Quicker than brake alone.
.....
Brake + Engine = Quicker than brake alone.
.....
Not remotely true. The shortest possible stopping distance is achieved by slowing down at just above the point where you slip into a skid. Since hitting the brakes hard enough will make you slide, having more braking power wont make a difference.
05-10-2007 | 10:47 PM
#20
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Vehicle: 1997 RD Tiburon
I always down shift........right down to 1st. Compression braking + Friction brakes always seems to pull up quicker, feels way more controlled.
Never had an issue with my clutch, replaced my stock pads with EBC greenstuff 30,000k's ago still heaps of meat left.
Never had an issue with my clutch, replaced my stock pads with EBC greenstuff 30,000k's ago still heaps of meat left.