chief63

Do any of you guys left foot brake with their C63 (on and off the track)?

If so what is your experience with it?

The reason I ask is that this seems to be the perfect car to try it. It's a great way to get out of curves fast.

thanks

Yuille36

This is the same principals employed in Formula One, I have tried it before, and have found that I apply to much brake pressure. Causing the car to brake to hard scrubbing of too much speed going in the corners. Muscle memory just isn't there as compared to my right foot. Causing me to get off the corners slower. But I will get better eventually.

ATL_MB

I left foot brake. It is difficult to modulate brakes effectively at first - but it just takes practice. You have to do it all the time, even just driving around town in your wife's minivan. Try it for a couple of days and you'll have it. I don't even think about it anymore.

wankeldude

I highly recommend against it unless you have really good multi-point seatbelts that keep you planted in your seat. Otherwise, you need to support yourself with your left foot on the dead pedal

chief63

Very good point I had not thought about that. The main reason I ask is that I am very used to driving simulators like forza 3, using left foot braking, seems very effective.

Its true that if I am in a corner, I need to plant my foot on the deal pedal. I have one of these gadgets that hold your seatbelt tight, I'll try it out.

thanks

NickZag

I wouldn't recommend it personally, it's bad technique. You'd be better off practicing a heal-toe or toe-heal technique then using your left foot.

chief63

Well heal to toe is good to match rev and blip the throttle (which is automatic with our car) but I was talking about putting more acceleration down. The brake pedal is rather high so a toe to heal technique would be hard. It also makes left foot braking pretty uncomfortable.

I don't see myself using it on hard corners (100% braking, 100% turning, 100% acceleration) but more on a late apex corner where you quickly get back on the throttle after braking...

Case1906

Great question. I have not tried it on the track, because I think it has to be second nature to be effective. I think you have to left front brake all the time (on the street) to get it down. I left front brake ocassionally on the street - just enough to know that it is not a natural act for me.

If you follow IndyCar racing, you will know that Will Power has been dominate in 2010 on road courses for the Penske team. His teammate Helio Castroneves noted earlier this year that Power's ability to brake with his left foot gives Power an advantage (over Helio who is a right foot braker).

I will say that I did see Danica Patrick left foot braking her IndyCar from an in-car camera. Unfortuantely for her, it didn't seem to help her pace.

SMP

Left foot braking won't work on the C63. As soon as you apply brake pressure with your left foot while still on the throttle with the right, the brakes will still bite, but the car won't take on throttle anymore.

I know the C63 suffers from massive understeer which you're trying to overcome. Unless you want to change suspension components and settings, I guess trail braking is the only way around it.

hhughes1

Anytime that I am braking for the purpose of slowing the car down before entering a turn it is with my right foot exclusively.At times I do use my left foot to gently stab the brake pedal and throw some weight forward which helps to rotate the rearend. I only do this at two points on the track that I spend the most time on. These are both decreasing radius turns that require little braking at entry and my car just cant turn in enough at the mid point while hard on the gas. To SMP's point, I do not lift on the gas and I don't feel or hear any change as far as power to the wheels but the braking definately helps the front tires bite and the lighter rear comes around completely under control. I guess if I was Tanner Faust I could just drift under max throttle but thats another day.

SMP

hhughes, I hear what you're saying. A gentle brush on the brakes for a second will work to make the front bite. But if you stay any longer on the brakes, the throttle dies. Just try it on the street going straight. Stay on the throttle and apply the brakes at the same time and see for yourself what happens after a couple of seconds.

cyberorth

Actually I read somewhere that people get foot and ankle fractures in car accidents for doing just that. Also drunk drivers get hurt less that way for obvious reasons!!!

cyberorth

I am under the impression that as soon as brake pedal is sensed, the car goes into full ESP but not necessarily disconnect throttle.

chief63

Very interesting info guys, well I would not to apply both at the same time (except maybe for a fraction of a second), but mostly to save a tenth of a second switching back. Will try it more for sure.

chief63

I have KW V3s, no problem with understeer if you get the car balance just right (the car is just heavy). I mostly get oversteer (loose tail) coming out corners, will try to fix with an LSD.

wankeldude

if you don't need to brace yourself with your left foot in your C63 when braking to take a corner, you're not going fast enough

cyberorth

Whachu be sayin Wankeldude?!
You tryin to keel me?!

wankeldude

From bondurant:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=l7sW...0pedal&f=false