depressing the clutch. floating foot or not?

[TurDz]

** Note the edit on the bottom of the post. I'm actually referring to RELEASING the pedal now...sorry for the mistake.

I've been meaning to ask this question on a car forum. for those who have manuals, do you keep your foot in the air when you press the clutch in? or do you have your heel loosely planted on the floor (or floor mat) and pivot?

I've always pivoted slightly...I feel I get better control that way and my foot doesn't not get tired at all.

On the other hand, I have a friend with a new lancer oz rally and I recently taught him how to drive stick. Once he got used it, I realized though that his foot was floating without ever touching the floor in the motion of depression.

So, let me ask, what do you do? just want to get a general consensus. I personally feel that pivoting is easier to module, but during rainy days, a floating foot prevents annoying "sqeaking" sounds from wet shoes. thanks



edit: I'm actually referring to releasing the clutch. sorry for any confusion.

I had to edit the title because I think when I depress it, my foot is basically floating as I kick in anyway...and I think that's the only way to do it since there's a lot of travel.

[Dousan_PG]

i like it on the floor (my foot) more control when driving on track, i think

right now its floating, but i havent adjusted the pedal yet again...

[Steeles]

havent paid much attention hang on

*exit steeles.. drives around the block and up the highway*

Ok a little of both. in traffic on the floor when Im getting on it straight ahead it floats shift_turn it pivots

[Bill Roberts]

When driving aggressive/spirited, my foot stays on the clutch. Sometimes I use the left foot clutch/brake or right foot acc/brake it just depends...but my foot always hovers over the clutch or on it at all times. I also like to wear a really nice shoe that has an ultra thin sole with solid rubber. My Favorite driving shoes are bowling shoes with a layer of black silicone on the sole.

Sometimes toe on clutch and heel on brake, sometimes ball of foot on clutch and heel of right foot on brake toe on acc.

It depends on the driving situation on the track. If my feet were videoed, the clutch will always have contact with the foot...I just dont rest it hard enough to slip the clutch unless I want to.

Pink strings on the shoes are optional.


For street driving, I keep the left foot on the foot rest and swing it out to clutch.

Now that my new 240 is automatic....I will be reaching for the clutch that is not there.....but it may be there if this baby dont give me a hard-on.

[jess14]

Most of the time my heel rests on the floor while my toe does all the pushing. When I'm taking straight-away's or crazy turns my foot is floating. Sometimes though when I feel really jdm I'll press in the clutch and take my foot all the way off it and rest it on the little rubber block to the left of the clutch.

Overall I have my heel resting on the ground, probably because I'm lazy.

[THX1138]

Bill, shoot some video of your feet while driving. Do it now. I won't believe it until I see it. If I tried to drive the way you described, I'd mess something up in no time. Then again, I'm a no-dancin' white boy.

As for my technique, I generally have my heel on the floor and pivot my foot up and down at the ankle when clutching. That way just seems more natural and more comfortable, and gives me better control. I figure I can make small movements more easily by flexing my calf muscles to bend the ankle joint than by using the thigh muscles to lift my whole frickin' leg.

When my shoes are wet, or on the odd occasion when I wear leather-soled shoes, I tend to pick my foot up. Technique also varies in some other cars. In my sister's old Sentra and some BMWs I've test-driven, my foot will sort of ride up the clutch pedal if I do the ankle flex, so I have to modify it for them by mixing ankle and knee bending. Yet another reason I still love my 240.

[TurDz]

Originally posted by THX1138
Bill, shoot some video of your feet while driving. Do it now. I won't believe it until I see it. If I tried to drive the way you described, I'd mess something up in no time. Then again, I'm a no-dancin' white boy.

As for my technique, I generally have my heel on the floor and pivot my foot up and down at the ankle when clutching. That way just seems more natural and more comfortable, and gives me better control. I figure I can make small movements more easily by flexing my calf muscles to bend the ankle joint than by using the thigh muscles to lift my whole frickin' leg.

When my shoes are wet, or on the odd occasion when I wear leather-soled shoes, I tend to pick my foot up. Technique also varies in some other cars. In my sister's old Sentra and some BMWs I've test-driven, my foot will sort of ride up the clutch pedal if I do the ankle flex, so I have to modify it for them by mixing ankle and knee bending. Yet another reason I still love my 240.

From a quick glance, you describe exactly how I drive. From the lifting the whole leg concept, and to the micromanagement with the calf muscles. I also tend to keep my foot up when it's wet...it prevents squeeking....and yeah, that's about it.

[DSC]

"lifting the whole leg concept, and to the micromanagement with the calf muscles"
That’s how I do it also. My ankle works best in a smaller range than the pedals move. So my knee/hip do most of the movement while my ankle is used for finer control and modulation.

Left foot is on the dead pedal unless something needs to happen unless it is so often required that it would slow me down to move it to the dead pedal.

I don't operate any pedals with my heal on the floor, cept gas when I'm just driving around. Clutch has to move too far to comfortably have my heal of the floor. Brake loses too much feeling to the floor, gets confusing for me. Gas I just prefer to float but, again, will rest if I'm just holding the pedal in basically the same place for than a minute.

Manual, Left foot is for dead pedal, clutch, brake. Right foot is for brake and gas.

Automatic, left is for brake, right is for gas only.

Edit: Bill, when would you use your left foot for both clutch and brake?

Edit2: Oops, I do not float on the gas pedal only the clutch and brake. Realized as I was driving home from work.

[aznpoopy]

wow... Bill, if you can drive like that i'm impressed. i still can't get my stupid foot to heel toe properly. i always miss the gas pedal. i think i need a gas pedal extension. my leg just doesn't like to twist the way i want it to. but if your double-foot heel-toeing that's crazy. i've only seen in once and it was a nascar guy doing it. it's not a common technique, even among professional racers.

btw i always pivot the clutch from my heel, whether its wet, dry or snowy. i used to have problems with the clutch slipping against my foot (leading to jerky starts), but in the years since i've learned to correct that problem. if i'm not doing anything my foot is on the dead pedal. depending on how fast i need to clutch, i either pivot or step to the clutch. my gas/brake foot is also pivot only.

btw i think the s14 was meant to be driven with a floating foot. i know i need to adjust my pedals, but the clutch can be pushed in SO deep while the gas and brake are very 'high' up comparitively. when i clutch in, my leg is fully extended with my foot in a 'tippy toe' position. brake and gas on the other hand can be pushed in fully pretty easily.

[silvias13_180sx]

FLOATING FOOT

[TurDz]

Originally posted by aznpoopy
when i clutch in, my leg is fully extended with my foot in a 'tippy toe' position.

During competitive racing, from drag to auto-x to road racing, your leg should never been fully in the "locked" position. It should always be slightly bent for the most control.