How To Heel and Toe Downshift

[Bill Strobel]

Great short video on the proper heel and toe downshift technique.

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/04/19/skills-101-how-to-heel-toe-downshift/?refer=news

 

[RonPorter]

Yep, in the perfect world where the pedals are near the same height, the "side shoe" method can work. Haven't owned a car YET where that works!! Usually the "toe on brake, heel on gas" works for most cars.

And for cars with worn synchros, rev-matching first in Neutral before hitting the lower gear can help. Just adds to the complexity, though!

 

[intimdatr]

I side shoe on my SHO....

 

[kevinspann]

Yep, in the perfect world where the pedals are near the same height, the "side shoe" method can work. Haven't owned a car YET where that works!! Usually the "toe on brake, heel on gas" works for most cars.

And for cars with worn synchros, rev-matching first in Neutral before hitting the lower gear can help. Just adds to the complexity, though!

I can't really do it in the SHO, the pedals are just set up wrong. I had better luck in a Focus with it, I could roll the ball of my foot over to tap the gas while on the brakes.

 

[Racer X]

I can't really do it in the SHO, the pedals are just set up wrong. I had better luck in a Focus with it, I could roll the ball of my foot over to tap the gas while on the brakes.

Agree, either my feet aren't big enough, or it's just a massive PITA to heel/toe in a SHO. At least it is with the stock pedals, anyway. Maybe I need wider shoes...

 

[K-Dawg]

I've found it to be easier with narrow shoes. The wider shoes kept getting hung up under the gas pedal when I'd try to roll my foot over to blip the throttle.

 

[SHOspazz92]

I don't even bother as I have so many other aspects of my driving to correct/focus on.

A good article none the less.

-Sam

 

[thebigjimsho]

Yep, in the perfect world where the pedals are near the same height, the "side shoe" method can work. Haven't owned a car YET where that works!! Usually the "toe on brake, heel on gas" works for most cars.

And for cars with worn synchros, rev-matching first in Neutral before hitting the lower gear can help. Just adds to the complexity, though!

I do it anyway...

 

[dohcsable]

I can do it in both bimmers, but not the sho's. They're in a too clusterfucked layout.

 

[intimdatr]

I must be an odd one. Ive never really had issues doing it in the SHO. Its sort of awkward at times due to the pedal setup but it's do able.

 

[RonPorter]

I don't even bother as I have so many other aspects of my driving to correct/focus on.

A good article none the less.

-Sam

Yep. If you have decent synchros, you can be lazy!!

Occasionally I will do the gear-to-neutral, then blip it, then downshift if I'm going down more than 1 gear.

 

[hawkeye18]

The '11+ Mustang is actually exceptionally well set-up for side-shoe heel-toeing. It's so easy I find myself doing it going into corners without even thinking about it.

 

[SHOhopefull]

I think I can do it fairly well, but then I drive a big truck too, so rev-matching is a must LOL

 

[gas it]

Topsiders make it easy for me. Running shoes are not so good.