Q: braking technique

[volgapower]

thats right, and thats why i think BMW is the REAL DRIVER's car... all is done as it should be... except water cooling system :D :D :D

[track6]

I will say that the pedal position in the E30 makes the heel/toe real easy. I've driven cars that you couldn't reach the brake & gas with one foot!

[volgapower]

agree all depends on situation but on my E30 heel toe helps me keep my car fast and stable while shifting :)

for someone it may be unbelievable using this method, some just can't do it, some don't know how to... and there are some who don't know whats the use of doin it :)

[Propwash]

yes but stock e30-s have no SMG-s or similar sequental stratight cut gearboxes...
BTW me a profi too, just a newcomer, class D :D

Cool, yeah, I am being a bit close minded, heel toe should be recommended but not mandatory. Its up to the driver really, i don't think you should really worry about wearing parts out though. Everything that it could wear out (in extreme cases) are considred consumables anyway. Hmm.

[volgapower]

yes but stock e30-s have no SMG-s or similar sequental stratight cut gearboxes...
BTW me a profi too, just a newcomer, class D :D

[Propwash]

Watch PROFESSIONAL road course drivers and see what they do. These are guys who will lose a race and a lot of money if they are a tenth too slow.

I am a professional driver. I have a class b FIA liscense, which allows me to race all the way up to GP2 or Indy lights. I agree with everything you said except the "5th to 2nd" shift. We don't do it simply because most of the time we're in a car that has a sequential box with straight cut gears. Its much slower and much easier to make a mistake with a multiple gear downshift. I can understand in club racing, but when 1/10th counts, we do what it takes to squeeze every last bit and through alot of data aquisition and testing, this is the fastest for OUR application. Results may vary per car, driver or whatever.

[track6]

This whole discussion - what is "right" or "wrong" in terms of technique - is really subjective. Yes, there are things that the driver can do that will alter the balance of the car. There are times that it's best to just lift on the throttle and, yes, use the engine to slow down. But there are also times that you need to be at threshold braking while downshifting from 5th to 2nd. The only thing I would argue is that while each technique can work, look at what takes the least time without compromising the balance of the car.

Watch PROFESSIONAL road course drivers and see what they do. These are guys who will lose a race and a lot of money if they are a tenth too slow.

[volgapower]

u should almost always use heel toe on E30 and RWD generally...

[MikeE30325i]

This guy knows his shit. Brakes are a mood setter and decelerator. Left foot braking anyone?

i left foot brake when i go into turns on this sick ass road near this trail i hike.

[Axxe]

It's not that it's "ok" to downshift. Its correct to downshift, downshifting is not really to slow down, its to avoid upsetting the car. Its funny alot of guys still think the brakes are only to slow the car down. The brakes can be used to "set" the car, to rotate it, or any number of things.

This guy knows his shit. Brakes are a mood setter and decelerator. Left foot braking anyone?

[joshh]

It's not that it's "ok" to downshift. Its correct to downshift, downshifting is not really to slow down, its to avoid upsetting the car. Its funny alot of guys still think the brakes are only to slow the car down. The brakes can be used to "set" the car, to rotate it, or any number of things.

It's correct from who's view?
Not all successful race car drivers drive exactly the same way so saying it's correct is only partially correct.
Anyone that has even a little bit of track experiance knows the brakes are for more than slowing the car.

[Propwash]

It's not that it's "ok" to downshift. Its correct to downshift, downshifting is not really to slow down, its to avoid upsetting the car. Its funny alot of guys still think the brakes are only to slow the car down. The brakes can be used to "set" the car, to rotate it, or any number of things.

[joshh]

Wrong. The rear brakes don't do near as much braking as the front, they can be used to get just that little bit of extra, but if you are losing speed fast enough and downshifting at the same rate, than they won't provide any additional braking therefore not upsetting the car and sending you to the weeds. Downshifting is so you don't have a big rpm jump when you let the clutch out after skipping 2 gears. Its alot harder to match a 2 gear downshift than a single, thats what will send you off the track. Skipping gears is NOT faster despite what "all the club guys do" or say.

Actually no it's not wrong.
What do the rear brakes have to do with what I said?
It's not hard at all to match a skipped gear at all once you get used to it. Theres more than one way to skin a cat.

[MikeE30325i]

in my 'downshifting' topic there is a lot of info on downshifting and the pros and cons of it. it is apparently ok to downshift, as long as you do it correctly. and if you put the tranny into the wrong gear, and you have been driving more than 2 days then i feel sorry for you. 4th gear is only in one spot.....

[Propwash]

If you're truly using all the braking power of the car you don't need to use the downshift and wont be able to. The tires have 100% traction, if you use 97% of that traction to stop with the brakes in a straight line what happens when you use the motor to slow the car even more....you end up off track.
Brakes are for braking. The motor is for going. At least 99% of the time.

Wrong. The rear brakes don't do near as much braking as the front, they can be used to get just that little bit of extra, but if you are losing speed fast enough and downshifting at the same rate, than they won't provide any additional braking therefore not upsetting the car and sending you to the weeds. Downshifting is so you don't have a big rpm jump when you let the clutch out after skipping 2 gears. Its alot harder to match a 2 gear downshift than a single, thats what will send you off the track. Skipping gears is NOT faster despite what "all the club guys do" or say.