Heel & Toe

[jorian]

Being a new owner, my car and I are just getting used to one another.

I have G-50 car and the pedals are at different hieghts making heel & toeing a chore at best. If I do manage to get it right I've scrubbed off more speed than if I just kept my feet put.

Anyone have any suggestions - is the pedal travel adjustable? Should I get a set of boy-racer drilled pedals? Thanks

[Jamie79SC]

1) adjust your brake pedal
2) at least get a wider gas pedal
3) practice - eventually your ankle really bend that way
4) for the most part, you can only do it if your are REALLY using the brakes.

[jorian]

Thanks for the quick reply Jamie - I will try all the above

[}{arlequin]

I find that it works if I brake with a different part of my foot than on other cars. Usually it's just w/ my toes and ball of foot, then *roll* the ankle to the right and catch the gas w/ the outside of my foot.

In the 911, when I stomp on the brake, it's more fully w/ the ball of my foot (move the foot up on the brake a bit, not using my toes) and then when I *pivot* my heel to the right, it lands right on the top half of the gas pedal...

change your technique a bit and it works, but for me it's mostly when thereshold braking

edit: By the way, welcome, but what does carmine red look like?

[jluetjen]

Also, do a search on this BBS for "Heel and toe"

[jorian]

Thanks for the welcome H-quin (great board). Carmine red has a little more pink in it than regular Porsche G-red.

[JackT]

You need a 915 transmission. The perfect transmission for heel toe.

[jorian]

Sacrilige I know, but the best tranny I ever had was the one in my 92 Honda Prelude - heel & toe was a cinch, short precise throws and no complaints during hard driving. However, the wife says, "Chicks don't dig 12 year old Hondas".

[jorian]

Couldn't resisit posting another Pic of my new sled.
'87 3.2
w/ following
- Front & Rear sway bars (Charley Bars)
- SSI's w/ Dansk dual in single outlet muffler
- Turbo Tie Rods
- Substantially lowered by PO
- Stainless B/lines
- Steve Wong Chip ordered by Jeff at Pac West Performance (also a Pelican)
- Happy owner

[twin plugged targa]

Also Wings engineering do a 'third foot' adjustable gas pedal which is aluminum- drilled . But it does not involve any drilling of the original pedal in that it clamps to the gas pedal!.
It is really effective and comes in 2 widths. I had the standard width and reccomend it highly.
I sold it after selling my old 86 Carrera and now must go buy another

[911pcars]

There's an adjustable link rod between the brake pedal and master cylinder, but DON'T shorten it to bring the brake and gas pedal heights closer.

When you really need brakes (as in repeated hard braking from speed), you will want all the pedal travel you can get. Instead, add a spacer on top of the pedal. Those aluminum "racer" plates for the gas pedal are okay too, but a block of wood or metal does the same thing.

Sherwood

[84porsche]

Originally posted by jorian

I love the photo. That would make an awesome poster.

[Jeff Alton]

Ii is a nice looking car! Nice shape too I might add. Next time you are by, sit in my car and see if you like the pedal set-up and then I can set yours up the same or similair. When I drove your car I found the pedals hard to manipulate as well. Let me know.

Jeff

[stuartj]

Just MHO, but I would keep practising befroe you start changing things. Personally, Ive yet to drive any Porsche where Heel/toe was difficult to do because of pedal config. Its really more of an ankle roll, with the ball on brake and the outside of the foot on the noise pedal, rather than a twist ie, heel/toe, proposition.

best stuart
964c4 86 carrera

[Zeke]

I had to lengthen some linkage in the engine bay (long story) and the gas pedal was lower as a result. I never have enough time to do all the things on my list, so I went to Fontana lead/follow as is. I had to use my heel as "heel and toe" suggests. It's not the way I like to do it, but it worked, I tended to over rev instead of matching.

I think you have more precise control rolling your foot. I have since raised the gas pedal and am back to the rolling method. Either way, whatever. I have never had any of the bolt on stuff, I'd like to get some of the gizmos. I'll try the wide pedal first.

Someone said Wings was no more. (?)

[stuartj]

Just to clarify. When i said "put your ball on the brake", i ofcourse meant the ball of your foot. Any other is strictly an advanced technique that very much courts disaster.

stuart

[Jeff Alton]

The pedals in this car are very mismatched in height. I have had 6 911s and had no problem adjusting them to suit my foot/ankle combo. This is why they are adjustable. I realise that everyone is different and with enough practise you can get used to the set up you have, but why not make the set up fit you? It is easy to do you just have to try different configs to make it work. I relate it to seat position, though not as critical. Everyone adjusts their seat to fit, so why not the pedals?

Cheers, Jeff

[jorian]

Jeff,

I guess you could add pedal adjustment to the standing order of things you are doing to keep my car and I happy!

At a recent DE day the instructor also had difficulty with heel & toe in my car. The pedals in his car were nicely set up for performance driving. It was my first drive in a 996 and although I'm an air cooled fan that car was very impressive. An extra 80 hp in my car would likely impress the hell out me too.

Thanks for all the posts!