Stock Foot Pedals not good for Heel and Toe

Guys, the new (to me) 996's stock pedals are not set up for easy heel and toe downshifting - at least for me anyway. On the other hand, the pedals in my '84 Carrera are set up to be super easy to heel and toe. I thrashed the old car yesterday afternoon up and down a great mountain road and it became really obvious how much easier it is to do that in the old car. Have you guys noticed this yourselves or do I just have some wierd heel and toe technique that doesn't work in the 996? Also, do you guys have any recommendations for good aftermarket pedals?

No problem with heel and toe for me with stock pedals but I am only size 10 shoe. Maybe that helps me?

I had the same difficulty with the stock pedals. So I got these and problem solved, they work great for heel/toe for me.

Size 11 and the stock pedals are perfect for me.

I guess everyone is different. For me, the 996 is the easiest car I've ever driven to heel / toe in. Had to do the aftermarket pedal bit to the M3 in order to be more comfortable in that car. Andy

Thanks guys. My technique just doesn't seem to allow me to reach over to the gas pedal while braking. When I try I just miss the gas pedal altogether. Jon, I like your pedals. What brand are those?

I can only heel and toe well at the track. The pedal aren't adjustable in a 996 like the earlier models and the brake pedal is too high. At the track under hard braking I can heel and toe pretty easily, just not the rest of the time.

These are the ones I have: http://rennline.com/product.php/sid/...sche/prodid/77 Great quality & price and easy install.

What is the technique you are using? A simple brake on the right half of the brake pedal so about half your foot is hanging off the right side of the brake pedal and rolling your foot outwards toward the gas pedal is the easiest method if you like to keep your foot vertical. If you prefer it at an angle (and harder in my opinion) is a "true" heel/toe where the heel is on the gas and the toe is on the brake (ironic since it really is a toe first then heel). The first method I described is more of a toe/toe. Hope that makes sense.

450: Keep practicing... I also had difficulties at first but getting better everyday. I'm a shoe size 11.5, agree that the brake pedal is a bit high, but the "toe/toe" approach as described by Dell seems to work best for me as well. And works like a charm on freeway off-ramps...

On the 986, the brake pedal IS adjustable in height. I cannot imagine that it would not be on the 996 since the front halves of these cars are nearly identical.

I think the heel toe method works for guys with smaller shoes sizes. The way it works for me is to what LVDell has explained.

I use the "toe toe" method also size 9 no problem.

It is difficult to sometimes 'heel/toe' (strange, since you're not really using your heel.....) on the street, since it is not safe to apply enough brake pressure to get the brake pedal on the same plane as the accelerator; you can do so on the track however.

Stock pedals, size 12 no issues. You could lower the brake pedal a bit to line up better with the gas, if you're "practicing" on the street. Another thing to try is rotate and position your foot a little higher on the brake.

Size 11 1/2 shoes here, no problems with heel/toe with the stock set-up. As Dell, said, maybe it's your technique.

Size 10 1/2 shoes and no problems with Dell's "toe/toe" technique. Also have the ebay aluminum pedals.

Dell: Looks like you better hurry and trademark the term "Dell's Toe/Toe" technique...

Size 13 and pedals work fine for me.l

I use more of a toe/toe as well. I think the pedals are pretty good in the 996. In my Audi S4, the brake and gas are far apart and not lined up well, if i didn't have size 13 feet a probably couldn't heal/toe the Audi.

Size 7 here and never a problem. I initially didn't like the setup of the pedals for the street and thought heel-toe downshifting was difficult in my 986, that was until I took it to the track. Heel and Toe is absolutely effortless when you're "at speed" and really need to do the technique. My solution is to drive on the street like I do on the track and I can heel and toe just fine (last part is just a joke...) STS

+1

Sorry for the late response. In my '84 Carrera I use a toe/toe method and it works great, especially when I'm working the car hard (like yesterday on Mt. Palomar). For some reason on the 996 I seem to have a bit of trouble getting the side of my foot over to the gas pedal unless I'm pushing REALLY hard on the brake. It feels as if the plane of the brake pedal is too high relative to the gas pedal which causes me to have to reach out and DOWN to reach the gas pedal from the brake pedal. I'd like to be able to heel and toe without having to press the pedal down so far that I'm in a race-mode stop. Is there a way to adjust the plane of the pedal forward slightly so that I don't need to press so hard on it to be able to reach the gas with my other toe?

Toe-toe as well. If you think about bio-mechanics, you will realize why this is much better than the heel-toe method. If you try to move your heel, you have a natural tendency to release your calf muscles which causes loss of fine control of the brake. I think the 996 is very easy, but then I only drive it on the track, and I brake quite hard.

Stock pedals with size 9 feet, no problem with heel-toe. As Eli said, try moving your feet higher on the brake.

Typically you want to complete approx 80% of braking before you heel toe the downshift. This is the technique taught at PDE and it really makes it easy.

Thanks again guys. I've had a chance to practice a little bit (but my wife's been in the car so I've had to take it easy) and I'm starting to get used to it finally. I've got Rennline pedals in my '84 and they are a bit wider than stock so they bring the edge of the gas pedal just a little bit closer to the side of my foot when I'm braking hard, making it easier for me to heel/toe (toe/toe? )

I used to find the "toe toe" method easier but I eventually switched to the true heel toe for 2 reasons. First, on the track if the brakes start getting real hot I find the brake pedal needs more travel to engage and that makes toe/toe tougher. If the brake pedal drops enough you potentially can't roll your foot enough to get threashold braking. And second, I think there is a possibility of missing the exact target of where you want your foot to land. In other words you may end up a bit to the left and not be able to roll onto the brake pedal properly. With heel toe you have the entire heel of your foot pushing onto the brakes. Bottom line is at least for me heel toe is safer. I don't want to miss the brake pedal just when my life depends on it.

ooops I meant if your foot lands too far to the right you might not be able to threashold brake. Sorry

Toe-Toe as well here but do you guys find that the type of shoes you wear makes a big difference. When I wear my dressy business shoes I find that the hard bottom provides me with no feel and I sometime jam the trottle way too hard....kinda look (sound) stupid coming to a stop.

The way I was taught was to put foot at about a 45 degree angle, with the heel (and side of the foot) on the accelerator and the toes on the brake. No right answer, but maybe this will work for some.

That's my "Toe-Toe" method I was referring to in post #9 (patent pending)

I wear a 10.5 shoe and have problems with the toe/toe method when I wear driving shoes. I think it has to do more with the fact that I have narrow feet than anything else. I compensate by wearing wide tennis shoes. However, after watching a video of the heel/toe method, I've decided to drop the toe/toe method and learn proper heel/toe technique (I'm a cheap bastard and don't want to spend money on pedals if I don't have to).

I have 8.5 feet so the stock pedals never worked very well for me. I've got the Ruf pedals (just like Hooligan's) in both of my cars.....problem solved.

I use my cane

I don't know how Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz is going to appreciate that one. That said, I'm a toe-toe guy myself. However, I've often found that harder soled shoes work a lot better than soft loafers. It might be worthwhile getting a nice pair of true racing/driving shoes to see if that helps out your technique a bit...and I don't mean Gucci driving shoes; try something like Piloti for a nice 'flat' and hard base. Of course, the Ruf (or any similar metal pedals) will surely help as well.

That's a good one!!