rec.autos.simulators

Left-foot braking

Cyril M

Left-foot braking

by Cyril M » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 05:57:00

real car no.

sims yes.  started from day one when i was a kid playing arcade games (ever
since they had those clutchless "manual" boxes)


Jeff Hail

Left-foot braking

by Jeff Hail » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 07:30:04

Hi All,
For racing sims I left foot exclusively cause I don't like moving my feet
around much.  IRL driving an automatic transmission I do as well, but don't
rest the left foot on the brake.  With my own manual transmission car, I
very rarely brake with the left foot.  I do quite often shift without the
clutch.  Sometimes it's because my right leg is busy steering, at others to
minimize over zealous driving.  Having to get the revs right forces a slower
and smoothe shift.

Jeff H.




> >   Auto brake mechanics can almost always tell if a driver of an
automatic is
> > left foot braking.  (most other drivers can too!  The brake lights are
> > always on!!)  Left foot brakers tend to leave their foot on the brake
pedal,
> > which in many cars will ever-so-slightly bring the brake pads/pucks in
> > contact with the disc or drum resulting in excessive brake wear.  Fuel
> > mileage tends to suffer, performance is slightly degraded...My
mother-in-law
> > was a prime example.

-snipped-
Rafe McAulif

Left-foot braking

by Rafe McAulif » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 09:43:10

Left foot for sims and the road. And no, I don't rest my foot on the
brake pedal :P

Rafe Mc

On Tue, 27 Nov 2001 22:30:04 GMT, "Jeff Hails"


>Hi All,
>For racing sims I left foot exclusively cause I don't like moving my feet
>around much.  IRL driving an automatic transmission I do as well, but don't
>rest the left foot on the brake.  With my own manual transmission car, I
>very rarely brake with the left foot.  I do quite often shift without the
>clutch.  Sometimes it's because my right leg is busy steering, at others to
>minimize over zealous driving.  Having to get the revs right forces a slower
>and smoothe shift.

>Jeff H.




>> >   Auto brake mechanics can almost always tell if a driver of an
>automatic is
>> > left foot braking.  (most other drivers can too!  The brake lights are
>> > always on!!)  Left foot brakers tend to leave their foot on the brake
>pedal,
>> > which in many cars will ever-so-slightly bring the brake pads/pucks in
>> > contact with the disc or drum resulting in excessive brake wear.  Fuel
>> > mileage tends to suffer, performance is slightly degraded...My
>mother-in-law
>> > was a prime example.

>-snipped-

Asbj?rn Bj?rnst

Left-foot braking

by Asbj?rn Bj?rnst » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 10:01:58


I tried to both shift without a clutch and left foot brake in my road
car this summer. Braking and turning in went ok, then came the shift,
and my left leg automatically pushed the pedal to the floor. Well, as
far as it could, at least. Pretty good brakes on that car. About now
the car had slowed so much that I figured no point in trying to shift
without the clutch anymore so I pushed in the "clutch" and the brakes
were still pretty good. I had to counsciously (sp?) lift my left foot
off the pedal, and move it all the way over to the left before I
managed to get going.

Changing instincts is a pain in the butt.
--
  -asbjxrn

REDLINE42

Left-foot braking

by REDLINE42 » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 13:18:37

Oh Yea? But who paid for that "hardwood Rimu T+G floor"?

I just got a set of cheap Logitech WingMan GP wheel and pedals. I just used
a couple of long drywall screws, and threaded them right through the plastic
base - carpet - into wood floor. The landlord won't even know the
differance.

Ya gotta keep the pedals from moving.

I would've used a wooden base if the floor was tile or concrete, just
"Liquid Nail" the base to the floor.
Heh I like "Liquid Nails" LOL, but then again my girlfriend is 1,200 miles
away, he he.

Oh an' by the way, I race wif a very old pair of trailer worn Reeboks. Real
fellas don't race in socks!

Ya reckon?

Olav K. Malm

Left-foot braking

by Olav K. Malm » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 16:01:27



> > While still on the topic, I take myself in double clutching and heel
> > and toe almost every time i shift down now. Too bad the silly Golf
> > has such boring engine, so pedestrians doesn't get to hear the
> > throttle burp :) But I don't think the next step which is shifting
> > without the clutch is something I want to do :)

> I tried to both shift without a clutch and left foot brake in my road
> car this summer. Braking and turning in went ok, then came the shift,
> and my left leg automatically pushed the pedal to the floor. Well, as
> far as it could, at least. Pretty good brakes on that car. About now
> the car had slowed so much that I figured no point in trying to shift
> without the clutch anymore so I pushed in the "clutch" and the brakes
> were still pretty good. I had to counsciously (sp?) lift my left foot
> off the pedal, and move it all the way over to the left before I
> managed to get going.

The opposite of stopping an automatic. Left foot hammering down on the
"clutch" :)

--
Olav K. Malmin
remove .spam when replying

Gunnar Horrigm

Left-foot braking

by Gunnar Horrigm » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 16:47:56


hm.  double clutching...  what's that?

--
Gunnar
    #31 SUCKS#015 Tupperware MC#002 DoD#0x1B DoDRT#003 DoD:CT#4,8 Kibo: 2
                             gitaren er en sjingke

Olav K. Malm

Left-foot braking

by Olav K. Malm » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 16:56:33



> > While still on the topic, I take myself in double clutching and heel
> > and toe almost every time i shift down now.

> hm.  double clutching...  what's that?

Putting the car in neutral and let go of the clutch pedal so the
internal parts on the engine side of the gearbox can be matched with
the axle side (or something, I'm not too much into this). It makes
downshifting a lot easier for those of us who can't afford a car that
isn't over 10 years old.

--
Olav K. Malmin
remove .spam when replying

Asbj?rn Bj?rnst

Left-foot braking

by Asbj?rn Bj?rnst » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 17:07:26




> > > While still on the topic, I take myself in double clutching and heel
> > > and toe almost every time i shift down now.

> > hm.  double clutching...  what's that?

> Putting the car in neutral and let go of the clutch pedal so the
> internal parts on the engine side of the gearbox can be matched with
> the axle side (or something, I'm not too much into this). It makes
> downshifting a lot easier for those of us who can't afford a car that
> isn't over 10 years old.

You need to blip the gas as well when you have released the clutch.
It is a bit of a pain if you have a car with a hard clutch pedal with
long travel. Like my 18 year old car. Never managed to get into good
clutching habits. Too lazy, I guess.
--
  -asbjxrn
Ryan

Left-foot braking

by Ryan » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 23:45:09

I do it all the time in my 70 El Camino - talk about a stiff clutch!  My
left leg is bigger than my right now because I drive it around all the time.

Ryan

REDLINE42

Left-foot braking

by REDLINE42 » Thu, 29 Nov 2001 23:56:17

LOL, Double Clutching and Left Foot Braking on a passenger car.

If you do either you are a mechanic's dream or nightmare.

First off, passenger cars are not "Race Cars". Double Clutching on a
passenger car will do nothing but shorten the life of your transmission
sycro's. Remember those? they were designed to make manual transmissions
shift easier.
Ya know what they really are? Little brakes that slow the spinning gears so
that the dogs that engage the gears will slide into each other effortlessly.
Double clutching just make these little (Brass) brakes work twice, thus
shortening the life of your transmission in half, IMO.

Take it for me I know. My brother's first car was a Triumph TR250 and he
learned how to drive a manual transmission from reading about the GP drivers
of the 60's era in Road & Track. Heh I think I replaced 3 transmission
before he smartened up.

Thank God the backwards English allowed the transmission to be replaced from
the interior compartment, didn't ruin this 16 year olds back at the time.
:-)

Left foot braking is for Senior Citizens, he he. Race Cars have very hard
rotors and racing metallic linings that need to be very hot to work
properly. I know that squatting the car down on the suspension is a great
driving tactic, but you will just shorten the mileage of your brakes and
rotors. DON'T COMPLAIN TO YOUR MECHANIC !

Hell I remember Mustang 5.0's of the early 80's, they had ***for brakes.
Couldn't even lock them up above 70mph.
But that was back in the 55mph days. I think they had 10 inch disks up front
and 9 inch drums in the rear, with 15 inch wheels.
Sheeeeez.

I use to setup those cars with Rancho "Track" sway bars, the only way to
drive was to "Grab A Handful Of Stick" and scrub off your speed sliding
sideways into corners. If anyone in the Massachusetts Route 128 area ever
saw a 5.0 sliding sideways at 80 mph on exit ramp at that time, it was
probably me. LOL

Goy Larse

Left-foot braking

by Goy Larse » Fri, 30 Nov 2001 02:02:31


> >While still on the topic, I take myself in double clutching and heel
> >and toe almost every time i shift down now. Too bad the silly Golf
> >has such boring engine, so pedestrians doesn't get to hear the
> >throttle burp :) But I don't think the next step which is shifting
> >without the clutch is something I want to do :)

> >--
> >Olav K. Malmin
> >remove .spam when replying

> LOL, Double Clutching and Left Foot Braking on a passenger car.

> If you do either you are a mechanic's dream or nightmare.

> First off, passenger cars are not "Race Cars". Double Clutching on a
> passenger car will do nothing but shorten the life of your transmission
> sycro's. Remember those? they were designed to make manual transmissions
> shift easier.
> Ya know what they really are? Little brakes that slow the spinning gears so
> that the dogs that engage the gears will slide into each other effortlessly.
> Double clutching just make these little (Brass) brakes work twice, thus
> shortening the life of your transmission in half, IMO.

Ok, then explain this to me, if Olav perfects his double declutching
technique and manages to perfectly match the engine revs to the revs of
the gearbox at the time, how can this *increase* the wear on the syncros
when this means that the syncros won't have to do any work at all, Olav
has already done the work for them ?

Beers and cheers
(uncle) Goy

"The Pits"    http://www.theuspits.com/

* Spam is for losers who can't get business any other way *
"Spamkiller"    http://www.spamkiller.com

xxx

Left-foot braking

by xxx » Fri, 30 Nov 2001 02:08:06

Your mother-in-law is, perhaps, an example of how not to left foot brake.
Otherwise I'm sure she's a perfectly wonderful person. Right? :)

I left foot brake in sims to be able to use the brake and throttle together to
trail brake and to effect the balance in a turn.

In real cars I instinctively use left foot braking with an automatic trans and
right foot with a manual.

Marty


>   Auto brake mechanics can almost always tell if a driver of an automatic is
> left foot braking.  (most other drivers can too!  The brake lights are
> always on!!)  Left foot brakers tend to leave their foot on the brake pedal,
> which in many cars will ever-so-slightly bring the brake pads/pucks in
> contact with the disc or drum resulting in excessive brake wear.  Fuel
> mileage tends to suffer, performance is slightly degraded...My mother-in-law
> was a prime example.
> dave henrie





> > > > Do you do left-foot braking?

> > > I do in both my real car and my Eagle.... Of course I have an automatic
> > > gearbox in my car, but still use my left when braking in a "normal" car,
> if
> > > I don+t have to change gear.

> > wehey! I've tried it a few times, but it's difficult, very
> > difficult. Tried to left-foot brake when I drove Route 1 in a Mustang
> > automatic last year. Combined with having the gear lever on 2 it
> > worked pretty well to take those corners close to speed limit. :)

> > --
> > Olav K. Malmin
> > remove .spam when replying

Jonny Hodgso

Left-foot braking

by Jonny Hodgso » Fri, 30 Nov 2001 03:04:27



> > First off, passenger cars are not "Race Cars". Double Clutching on a
> > passenger car will do nothing but shorten the life of your transmission
> > sycro's. Remember those? they were designed to make manual transmissions
> > shift easier.
> > Ya know what they really are? Little brakes that slow the spinning gears so
> > that the dogs that engage the gears will slide into each other effortlessly.
> > Double clutching just make these little (Brass) brakes work twice, thus
> > shortening the life of your transmission in half, IMO.

> Ok, then explain this to me, if Olav perfects his double declutching
> technique and manages to perfectly match the engine revs to the revs of
> the gearbox at the time, how can this *increase* the wear on the syncros
> when this means that the syncros won't have to do any work at all, Olav
> has already done the work for them ?

You know how the gears go in *really* *easily* when you
get a double-declutched downshift just right?  Big hint:
less force on the shift mechanism mean less wear in the
gearbox...

Mr 426 is talking rubbish, I'm afraid.  Either that, or
he's got no clue at all about the rev-matching part of
double-declutching :-)

Jonny

Olav K. Malm

Left-foot braking

by Olav K. Malm » Fri, 30 Nov 2001 17:52:39



> > >While still on the topic, I take myself in double clutching and heel
> > >and toe almost every time i shift down now. Too bad the silly Golf
> > >has such boring engine, so pedestrians doesn't get to hear the
> > >throttle burp :) But I don't think the next step which is shifting
> > >without the clutch is something I want to do :)

> > >--
> > >Olav K. Malmin
> > >remove .spam when replying

> > LOL, Double Clutching and Left Foot Braking on a passenger car.

> > If you do either you are a mechanic's dream or nightmare.

> > First off, passenger cars are not "Race Cars". Double Clutching on a
> > passenger car will do nothing but shorten the life of your transmission
> > sycro's. Remember those? they were designed to make manual transmissions
> > shift easier.
> > Ya know what they really are? Little brakes that slow the spinning gears so
> > that the dogs that engage the gears will slide into each other effortlessly.
> > Double clutching just make these little (Brass) brakes work twice, thus
> > shortening the life of your transmission in half, IMO.

> Ok, then explain this to me, if Olav perfects his double declutching
> technique and manages to perfectly match the engine revs to the revs of
> the gearbox at the time, how can this *increase* the wear on the syncros
> when this means that the syncros won't have to do any work at all, Olav
> has already done the work for them ?

What Goy said. :)

It actually extends the life of the gearbox, and gives a smoother
ride. With a real wheel driven car it is also essensial on snowy and
icy roads, so the rears doesn't lock up.

As for left foot braking, that's not a habit, just something I do for
fun when driving automatic. When driving manual the left foot in
needed for the clutch to gear down in tight turns :) And I promise
you, the roads on the western parts of Norway makes Route 1 look like
a highway. My american relative wouldn't believe me when I told him it
was only one lane, "in each direction he asked", "No, one lane" I said :)

--
Olav K. Malmin
remove .spam when replying


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