Raven18940
Well-Known Member
I think I get the basic idea of left foot braking. Step on the brake and gas at the same time and the back will step out. But how is it faster than normal cornering?
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Left foot braking
- Thread starter Raven18940
- Start date
The_Finn
Well-Known Member
this is how i understand it... it allows you to keep your revs up in the power ranga while you slow down for the corner so you don't understeer... also it inloads the rear suspension so on front wheel drive cars you can rotate them easier.... but as alwasy i could be wrong
TF
TF
Goku
New Member
I think that this site explains it pretty well http://www.rallyracingnews.com/lfb.html
Basically left foot braking is used only in front wheel drive cars. It is similar to handbrake turns in that you can use the foot brake to lock the rear wheels. To keep the front wheels from also locking you give them power. This technique gives more dynamic control over the amount of oversteer/understeer that you want as you are in a corner.
What makes it faster than normal driving, I think, is just that most front wheel drive cars have a high propensity to understeer, especailly on loose surfaces when the front tires don't have much grip. If the car is understeering too much you would have to drive more slowy through a corner to be able to negotiate it.
Basically left foot braking is used only in front wheel drive cars. It is similar to handbrake turns in that you can use the foot brake to lock the rear wheels. To keep the front wheels from also locking you give them power. This technique gives more dynamic control over the amount of oversteer/understeer that you want as you are in a corner.
What makes it faster than normal driving, I think, is just that most front wheel drive cars have a high propensity to understeer, especailly on loose surfaces when the front tires don't have much grip. If the car is understeering too much you would have to drive more slowy through a corner to be able to negotiate it.
Ultra_Kool_Dude
AWESOME!!!111ONE
^ 9 posts and 9 different avatars. 
mr_diss
Active Member
bone said:
Hehe I know what you mean.... I try it occasionally (when there's no-one else around usually) and I quite often end up on the clutch just out of habit, and when you do get the brake you definately know about it!
Cubits
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It's hard to unlearn using the clutch with the left foot. I managed to get clutchless shifting down, and would drive around (in a traffic-free place) left foot braking, and i got quite good at using my left foot.
But every now and then i'd forget and dip the brake like it was the clutch when shifting... Scared the hell out of my brother.
In practical purposes though, for a fwd it's only useful for offroad or in an understeering car with atleast a bit of power.
In a rwd though, the options are better.
You can run with a higher rear brake bias if you left foot brake, but carefully balancing the throttle against the brake when you start to turn in (still on the brakes). You can smoothly take off brake pressure as you apex, replacing it with throttle.
It lets you maximise the braking in the corner, at the expense of rear brake pads. It's not for every lap, but if you did it in qualifying you could certainy gain a little time.
But every now and then i'd forget and dip the brake like it was the clutch when shifting... Scared the hell out of my brother.
In practical purposes though, for a fwd it's only useful for offroad or in an understeering car with atleast a bit of power.
In a rwd though, the options are better.
You can run with a higher rear brake bias if you left foot brake, but carefully balancing the throttle against the brake when you start to turn in (still on the brakes). You can smoothly take off brake pressure as you apex, replacing it with throttle.
It lets you maximise the braking in the corner, at the expense of rear brake pads. It's not for every lap, but if you did it in qualifying you could certainy gain a little time.
Raven18940
Well-Known Member
I tried this today, it doesn't take much. Can't say it was faster cause I wasn't pushing it, public roads and all. It did feel different in the corners, felt more like I was using all the wheels, not just the front driving around and rear just sort of tagging along. Very strange, I'll hafta practice this more. 
I know is nto th same, but I try it with an automatic car, one foot on the brake and one in the gas... and it works like a dream.... is much faster and you can control the car much better by getting the car sideways... and accelerating much faster... I guess is the same concept.. is much better... and you gain sensitivity with the left foot 
jneil
Member
I use left foot braking in ANY auto and occasionally in a manual. I drive and have driven manuals for the last 5 years and have never been confused when in an auto
I did not/do not find it difficult at all and don't ever get confused between the auto and manuals, some people just have it, and some just don't!
To answer your question, I was in my old SS doing a 2nd level advanced drivers course and we had to do the slalom at at least 60km/h. I was doing quite well, but the instructor said to improve my times I should use left foot braking to stabalise the car between the cones whilst still keeping my boot into it. It worked quite well and I occasionally use it on the street for slowish corners that i take at speed.
I did not/do not find it difficult at all and don't ever get confused between the auto and manuals, some people just have it, and some just don't!
To answer your question, I was in my old SS doing a 2nd level advanced drivers course and we had to do the slalom at at least 60km/h. I was doing quite well, but the instructor said to improve my times I should use left foot braking to stabalise the car between the cones whilst still keeping my boot into it. It worked quite well and I occasionally use it on the street for slowish corners that i take at speed.
Leppy
Well-Known Member
I don't usaully left foot brake when driving a real car but whenever its a game (arcade or pc with wheel and pedals) I ALWAYS left foot brake.
Anyone else find this?
Anyone else find this?
joemoefro
Active Member
I left foot brake when i'm on an autoX because its a smoother and faster transition between brake and throttle. There is also a technique for the track (Which i havn't mastered yet) when you brake, heel toe, then with your left foot, get on the brake so you can left foot brake to get on the gas faster and smoother.
Don't know if it's much faster because its hard to modulate your right and left foot together to get maximum brake power while still sustaining maximum (threshold).
Left foot braking to keep the revs up in a road car... wouldn't recommend it, could be dangerous!
Don't know if it's much faster because its hard to modulate your right and left foot together to get maximum brake power while still sustaining maximum (threshold).
Left foot braking to keep the revs up in a road car... wouldn't recommend it, could be dangerous!
Raven18940
Well-Known Member
You put your toe on the brake and blip the throttle between downshifts with your heel.
Jostyrostelli
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Yeah try it with a dieselvan first, it all depends on the arrangement of your pedals.
But dieselengines rev slow so you can do it in slowmotion.
But dieselengines rev slow so you can do it in slowmotion.
Leppy
Well-Known Member
^^^
It keeps the engine in the powerband and helps for smoother shifting.
It keeps the engine in the powerband and helps for smoother shifting.
p0w3r
Well-Known Member
bone said:
that is the exact reason why most f1 drivers used to race karts at an early age...
in a kart, the only way to brake is to use your left foot...and left foot braking is faster once you train your foot to be sensitive in braking. Most F1 drivers and rally drivers use left foot braking versus the 'regular' right foot and some say its gonna get even more common once more and more racecars are getting sequential gearboxes that do not require a clutch.