Hi, i hope to get some information here as is it always necessary to Heel & Toe every time downshifting when going into corners in high speed at Track & Hill Climb?

Thanks

 

It helps to lessen the stress on the drivetrain, as well as lends a hand with engine breaking. It is not necassary, but definately helpful. As long as you are smooth on the release you'll be fine. I H&T on the street, but can't seem to get it down at speed on track so I just throw it down to the gear I want and slowly back out of the clutch.

 

Thanks ReaperX but do i need to H&T on every gears during downshift when entering a corner in high speed?

My experience is when i H&T on every downshift i felt my car stopping power is less (engine braking).

 

I just do it right before I have to start my turn. If you're not proficient at it I would not do it every gear. What you're probably doing without realizing it is releasing pressure off the brake to accomplish the H&T. This is why I do not do it as I can't seem to be able to keep constant pressure on the brake pedal as I do it.

 

It's not "necessary" if you mean required. It will reduce wear on the drivetrain and make you faster if you do it correctly. Most people who are worried about learning to heel/toe aren't close to needing that speed gain yet. Lots of more important things to focus on. I learned to heel/toe puttering around on the street and found that it was much easier than I had expected particularly with heavier braking. The next time I was at the track I tried it during turn 1 where I was hard on the brakes and found it was easy to duplicate. After that its just practice to become comfortable. I did the same thing with left foot braking.

 

It will make you smoother. Smoother = Faster

Necessary, no.

 

Thank you Guys for your kind sharing.

 

Could you guys explain how you properly do H&T?

 

Depending how big your foot is, I place the ball of my foot on my brake pedal and kind of use the ball of my foot as a pivot point and you blip the throttle with your heel while clutching in and downshifting to complete the shift. Its rev matching while braking.

 

Stupid additional question but if you have big wide feet (like me 13's) can you still effectively blip it while on the brake with the other half of your foot....essentially not having to use your heel?

 

Yes, some say this is not proper but plenty of pro drivers do it. I find that I can keep consistent brake pressure this way compared to actually using my heel.

 

Theres no "proper" way to do it really.

its all personal preference. whatever works for you and is the smoothest is how you want to do it.

 

I heel toe differently depending upon pedal placement on different cars.

 

Heel-Toe is a misnomer. It comes from way back when the gas pedal was positioned in the middle. I don't know of anyone who actually uses their heel anymore (and using your heel is only really possible on set ups with BMW-type accelerator pedals anymore).

So, most people use ball of foot and outside of foot. Go watch any of the Best Motoring track battles on youtube. They always have cams on the feet and they are all pro drivers. In the end, play around in a parking lot til you figure out something that works for you. Also, as previously mentioned it won't be identical different cars, you will have to adjust technique for brake pressure used, how the pedals are aligned under braking etc.

Practice makes perfect

 

^ This. Different cars have vastly different pedal placement, so on some cars the gap between brake/throttle is so wide I can pivot my whole foot easily to actually use my heel. One some cars the pedals are so close together I basically roll my foot using the side/top of my foot to blip the throttle.

It's harder to do the lighter you are on the brake normally as your foot is not far enough down to easily pivot your foot. With the car parked you can depress the brake fully and feel the gap between the brake pedal and the throttle so see how you need to angle your foot. It will take some practice particularly if you are used to driving with your feet splayed like a duck. I used to drive that way with my heels pointed inwards and it took some work to change my habits.

You can also skip gears when you heel/toe if you need to. Sometimes on the track I will do a 5th to 3rd shift with a larger blip of the throttle to match the revs rather than doing a 5th to 4th to 3rd double heel/toe. I normally do this on a hard braking corner where I need to be sure to complete my braking/shifting in a straight line quickly and steady pressure on the brakes is crucial. Turn 1 after a long straight on basically any track for example. Some drivers dislike this, and insist on going down each gear individually (which is easier but takes more time).