Gas pedal mod
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,380
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From: Arizona
thread starter,
do consider that even you are saying that you have to consciously NOT brake like you used to. That might be a risk not worth taking. Properly heal-toe'ing in this car involves short legs and actually braking hard. when you do brake hard, the pedals do line up nicely. Durring Daily driving, rolling the foot/ankle is a better approach if you have wide enough feet/shoes. If you don't practice this, you could also slip off the brake pedal when you don't want to which is also a risk. A wider brake or gas pedal can help the roll approach as well which it looks like you experimenting with.
As a Manufacturing Engineer with over 8 years of experience in multiple factories, I've seen worse, much worse Gerry Rigs and they hold up. You have enough clamping force with the screws you have and as long as those plates aren't tin, I think it will hold for a good while.
at 6'3", 36" inseem and size 12 shoes, I feel I need a either a wider brake pedal or gas pedal as well to do the "roll the foot/ankle" blipping. I think you did the right thing in not doing the brake pedal b/c the force which is used on the brake pedal could lead to issues with a cheesy, clamp on type pedal and the clamp-on with actually move the brake pedal further away from the gas pedal which is not what you want for DD driving.
I think you made the gas pedal a little too wide for my liking. I don't really think I would need that little extended area you created on the bottom left. With my foot positions, I would likely accidently hit that area while braking in normal conditions b/c my leg/knee stays a bit to the side of the steering wheel instead of going directly under the steering wheel so my foot doesn't stay parallel with the brake pedal. If you have others drive your car, they might do the same.
You might just want to try fabbing up another one that is only slightly larger than the gas pedal and find a grippy, direct replacement for the Brake pedal which would involving drilling out the stock rivits. A bit more labor intensive but will get the job done better I think.
do consider that even you are saying that you have to consciously NOT brake like you used to. That might be a risk not worth taking. Properly heal-toe'ing in this car involves short legs and actually braking hard. when you do brake hard, the pedals do line up nicely. Durring Daily driving, rolling the foot/ankle is a better approach if you have wide enough feet/shoes. If you don't practice this, you could also slip off the brake pedal when you don't want to which is also a risk. A wider brake or gas pedal can help the roll approach as well which it looks like you experimenting with.
As a Manufacturing Engineer with over 8 years of experience in multiple factories, I've seen worse, much worse Gerry Rigs and they hold up. You have enough clamping force with the screws you have and as long as those plates aren't tin, I think it will hold for a good while.
at 6'3", 36" inseem and size 12 shoes, I feel I need a either a wider brake pedal or gas pedal as well to do the "roll the foot/ankle" blipping. I think you did the right thing in not doing the brake pedal b/c the force which is used on the brake pedal could lead to issues with a cheesy, clamp on type pedal and the clamp-on with actually move the brake pedal further away from the gas pedal which is not what you want for DD driving.
I think you made the gas pedal a little too wide for my liking. I don't really think I would need that little extended area you created on the bottom left. With my foot positions, I would likely accidently hit that area while braking in normal conditions b/c my leg/knee stays a bit to the side of the steering wheel instead of going directly under the steering wheel so my foot doesn't stay parallel with the brake pedal. If you have others drive your car, they might do the same.
You might just want to try fabbing up another one that is only slightly larger than the gas pedal and find a grippy, direct replacement for the Brake pedal which would involving drilling out the stock rivits. A bit more labor intensive but will get the job done better I think.
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 260
Likes: 1
From: Arlington, Texas
I heel toe all the time in my daily commute. Even with dress shoes on. This is the easiest and safest way I have found.
Jam you heel into the corner that makes up the floor and trans tunnel by the throttle. This gives you a good pivot for fast braking. turn your foot left to the brake pedal having the ball of your foot on the brake pedal. If you want gas, foot is straight up, you push. If you want brake, turn your foot 45 degrees to the left, and mash. Pointing your toe a bit if you have a heel on your shoe. You can get back to your starting position if needed by just jamming your heel into that corner. To blip the throttle while braking, rotate your foot to the right. I can do this at a stop with very light brake pressure. If I need to emergency stop, I instinctively point my foot, so that may be why this is easier for me.
I have been doing this for 3 years now (longer if you count other cars), and not once have I mashed both pedals accidentally at the same time during an emergency all stop.
For the shoes I wear, I wear these for work and these for play. They have the same sole, I like hte combo, but not for heel toe. I can't stand not feeling the ground and these were the best I could do. In in the summer, I wear these for play. I can also heel toe in these with ease.
I thought about doing something the OP did, but found that the "jamming your heel into that corner" worked great for me.
I'm 5'10" and can't dance.
Jam you heel into the corner that makes up the floor and trans tunnel by the throttle. This gives you a good pivot for fast braking. turn your foot left to the brake pedal having the ball of your foot on the brake pedal. If you want gas, foot is straight up, you push. If you want brake, turn your foot 45 degrees to the left, and mash. Pointing your toe a bit if you have a heel on your shoe. You can get back to your starting position if needed by just jamming your heel into that corner. To blip the throttle while braking, rotate your foot to the right. I can do this at a stop with very light brake pressure. If I need to emergency stop, I instinctively point my foot, so that may be why this is easier for me.
I have been doing this for 3 years now (longer if you count other cars), and not once have I mashed both pedals accidentally at the same time during an emergency all stop.
For the shoes I wear, I wear these for work and these for play. They have the same sole, I like hte combo, but not for heel toe. I can't stand not feeling the ground and these were the best I could do. In in the summer, I wear these for play. I can also heel toe in these with ease.
I thought about doing something the OP did, but found that the "jamming your heel into that corner" worked great for me.
I'm 5'10" and can't dance.
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,424
Likes: 162
From: Great White North
Check out the S2000 Prototype at Nurburgring video with Gan San driving. His footwork is pretty good, heel-toe with street shoes no less.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl5cF...e_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl5cF...e_gdata_player
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 74
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Anyone else sketched out by this?
I rode passenger in my car with someone who had 30+ years autox experienece, he was using the heel-toe method within the first few corners. I suggest you change your method before you accidently hit the gas pedal when you meant to use the brakes.
Someone sound the safety alarm.
I rode passenger in my car with someone who had 30+ years autox experienece, he was using the heel-toe method within the first few corners. I suggest you change your method before you accidently hit the gas pedal when you meant to use the brakes.
Someone sound the safety alarm.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,359
Likes: 3
From: Houston, TX
Nope. Spend more time working on your technique and less time blaming the hardware.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 116
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Originally Posted by J-Speed Inc.' timestamp='1331830839' post='21511513
Anyone else sketched out by this?
I rode passenger in my car with someone who had 30+ years autox experienece, he was using the heel-toe method within the first few corners. I suggest you change your method before you accidently hit the gas pedal when you meant to use the brakes.
Someone sound the safety alarm.
I rode passenger in my car with someone who had 30+ years autox experienece, he was using the heel-toe method within the first few corners. I suggest you change your method before you accidently hit the gas pedal when you meant to use the brakes.
Someone sound the safety alarm.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 74
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Originally Posted by eevan' timestamp='1332136994' post='21521679
[quote name='J-Speed Inc.' timestamp='1331830839' post='21511513']
Anyone else sketched out by this?
I rode passenger in my car with someone who had 30+ years autox experienece, he was using the heel-toe method within the first few corners. I suggest you change your method before you accidently hit the gas pedal when you meant to use the brakes.
Someone sound the safety alarm.
Anyone else sketched out by this?
I rode passenger in my car with someone who had 30+ years autox experienece, he was using the heel-toe method within the first few corners. I suggest you change your method before you accidently hit the gas pedal when you meant to use the brakes.
Someone sound the safety alarm.
[/quote]
i meant, hitting the gas instead of the break by accident haha
surprisingly i'm not that dumb yet 
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by PierreC' timestamp='1332160947' post='21522149
[quote name='eevan' timestamp='1332136994' post='21521679']
[quote name='J-Speed Inc.' timestamp='1331830839' post='21511513']
Anyone else sketched out by this?
I rode passenger in my car with someone who had 30+ years autox experienece, he was using the heel-toe method within the first few corners. I suggest you change your method before you accidently hit the gas pedal when you meant to use the brakes.
Someone sound the safety alarm.
[quote name='J-Speed Inc.' timestamp='1331830839' post='21511513']
Anyone else sketched out by this?
I rode passenger in my car with someone who had 30+ years autox experienece, he was using the heel-toe method within the first few corners. I suggest you change your method before you accidently hit the gas pedal when you meant to use the brakes.
Someone sound the safety alarm.
[/quote]
i meant, hitting the gas instead of the break by accident haha
surprisingly i'm not that dumb yet [/quote]
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,760
Likes: 2
From: Nor Cal (Humboldt, Ca)
heel toeing is far easier in the s than most of the other cars ive driven.
try toe rolling if youre having a problem.
when the ball of your foot is on the brake, roll the outer edge of your foot towards the gas and the outer portion of your heel will hit the gas.
edit: just found this link and it has a good step by step, almost exactly what i was saying
http://www.edmunds.c...-downshift.html
please take that plate off and just practice a little more
try toe rolling if youre having a problem.
when the ball of your foot is on the brake, roll the outer edge of your foot towards the gas and the outer portion of your heel will hit the gas.
edit: just found this link and it has a good step by step, almost exactly what i was saying
http://www.edmunds.c...-downshift.html
please take that plate off and just practice a little more
How about the negative "You should work on your skills" commenters back up for a moment. Think for a moment that each person isn't built like you and may not move as you do. For moment try to realize that your physical size and abilities may not be his.
I'll give you an example.
Because the steering wheel is not adjustable when I put the ball of my foot on the brake and then try to heel the gas pedal (blip) the steering wheel won't allow me to do it effectively.
So I have to turn my knee to an odd angle which is pretty uncomfortable. Its possible that with time and many tries I could overcome it, but with this fix it might make it easier.