I'm used to banging on the clutch pedal hard so my left foot isnt very smooth. I sometimes drive my moms automatic car and sometimes I accidently use my left foot to brake and the car jerks to a sudden stop.

but when I brake with my right foot its smooth like normal.
Same thing with my manual car.

so how do racers use their left foot to brake effectively?

finally I'll prbably end up using my accord to auto x a couple of events this year and we all know that fwd cars understeer severely, and I have heard that left foot braking helps that.

how would you use this technique to drive a fwd car on a course?

 

Practice.

It takes a while to get your left foot as 'pedal sensitive' as your right foot.

It's a preference thing; a lot of folks are quick and don't LFB. A lot of guys that are quick do.

I use it on a road course in just a few places that don't require a down shift; and when I need just a little brake. It is easier to balance brake and throttle in those places when you use both feet.

 

most autox is done in a single gear anyways (2nd gear) so it would help in that imo.

 

Like the man said, it takes practice.

I recommend starting out learning it in an automatic on a deserted road. You need to consciously remind yourself to press the brake slowly and gently. Do that for a while and you'll eventually develop a feel for it. I always LFB when driving an automatic and it isn't jerky at all.

Whatch this for some inspiration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGIiarIrUCI

As far as LFB helping with understeer, I think it would mainly be helpful in trail braking (braking while turning), which is one way to get a car to rotate.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-foot_braking

http://www.team-oneil.com/press3.htm

 

ahh fooy on the LFB with FWD in 95% of the situations. For racing we set up our cars for oversteer so we can be on the throttle into and through the Apex. LFB is more for RWD cars in creating oversteer. Creating more oversteer in a FWD car setup to oversteer is goin to make things worse for you in my perception.

I setup my throttle to be smooth so the dip in power isn't so abrupt when letting off the gas.

My legs are too long to anyhow to get to the brake with the left and still be in a comfortable position.

I think in turbo cars LFB has even greater benefits tha just car control. Keep that power there and out of lag.. .



Modified by 6spdKEG at 7:07 PM 2/28/2007

 

practice

practice

practice

I tried to teach myself and failed.

I went to rally school and picked it up allmost instantly.

I lost the feel during the off season.

Oh no, I suck again!!!

 

I think it's an aquired thing. Not everyone does it, but those that do have had much practice getting it precise.

I have found in my S2000 that it is much more difficult to LFB than it was in my Integra. The pedal setup just isn't optimal for my clown feet.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 6spdKEG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">LFB is more for RWD cars in creating oversteer. </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 6spdKEG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">. LFB is more for RWD cars in creating oversteer.

Modified by 6spdKEG at 2:01 PM 2/28/2007</TD></TR></TABLE>


I can create oversteer in a FWD, RWD or AWD car. It's called lift-throttle oversteer. And it works.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SuzukaBlueAP2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


I can create oversteer in a FWD, RWD or AWD car. It's called lift-throttle oversteer. And it works.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'll second that

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 6spdKEG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
My legs are too long to anyhow to get to the gas with the left and still be in a comfortable position.

Modified by 6spdKEG at 2:01 PM 2/28/2007</TD></TR></TABLE>

With the left??

I hope you all are practicing this in a safe environment

I think the idea of using left foot braking to rotate the car around is that you are shifting your brake bias to the rear when on both the brake and throttle with a fwd car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bsclywilly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

With the left??

I hope you all are practicing this in a safe environment

I think the idea of using left foot braking to rotate the car around is that you are shifting your brake bias to the rear when on both the brake and throttle with a fwd car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I meant left foot on brake. It is to uncomfortable for my 6'4" frame in my Civic.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SuzukaBlueAP2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I can create oversteer in a FWD, RWD or AWD car. It's called lift-throttle oversteer. And it works.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, DUH, I stated this but did not directly tie it to creating oversteer. I was assuming that people could read in between the lines on this one. Who doesn't know that lifting throttle creates oversteer????

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 6spdKEG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I setup my throttle to be smooth so the dip in power isn't so abrupt when letting off the gas.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I was assuming the OP already knows about lifting but maybe needs his throttle response to be less jerky. I had a problem with it being too jerky before and made lifting in the corner more unsetteling than it should have been.

 

See here: http://www.modernracer.com/tip....html

also this from a site I once found (I learned on an automatic):

"Left foot braking

Most initial attempts at left foot braking scare most drivers into never trying it again. Your left foot is used to fairly robust uncontrolled stabs up and down on the clutch. Braking needs a little more delicacy.

Learning process
At first try to use the left foot on the brake on medium-fast straight roads (with no traffic). You find you’ll brake a bit harshly (which is fine). But you’ll find you forget to release your foot off the brake, so the brake pressure continues and the car decelerates even more.
The first trick is to train your foot to lift off gently to release the braking pressure. Why you do this I don’t know, I’ve taught a few people to left foot brake and they do the same thing every time. I’d have thought with the left used to controlling the release of pressure of the clutch it would be good at this, but not so.
From there build up the initial pressure to train your foot to press down in a controlled manner, while still also controlling the lift off. Now try this into faster corners where no gear change is needed. Next we go off to a (empty) car park, try bringing the car to a total halt from low speed, you’ll now find this Keep on pressing reflex is more noticeable. When you normally (Right foot) brake a car to halt, unconsciously you release braking pressure as the car comes to a halt, to the point where just as the car stops you’ve release almost al the pressure. With this lack of subconscious control in your left foot the car stops abruptly usually by nose diving and smashing your face into the steering wheel… again repeated practice releasing the pressure with the left foot before stopping give the foot the control it needs for more complex manoeuvres. Now you should be able to vary the pressure on braking and lifting,

NOTE: Always try this away from other traffic, as sometimes you forget which pedal to push, with rear ending consequences…

To make use of the left foot braking you need also to control the throttle at the same time, again on a faster empty straight road slip the car into neutral left foot brake and blip the throttle repeatedly to get the feel. Once comfortable, try applying pressure to the throttle while left foot braking, to feel the effect. From here the world of left foot braking is literally at your feet.


Places Area to gain.

Non gear change corners:
Left foot brake in all the way to the apex and your right foot can immediately get back on the throttle. This cut the delay in getting on the power.

Slower corners:
Big gains in late are available as with your left foot already over the brake, you can go from power to braking immediately.

Medium speed corners:
With most road cars the improved handling response with a little drag on the brakes make corner entry faster and more accurate. Pressing lightly on the brake with or with out the power on improves the poise of the car.

Fast corners:
With softly sprung road cars in fast bends, going from braking to accelerating upsets the car, You can balance the car by using both the throttle and brake together. On the way in apply the brakes and keep the throttle down, release the throttle more and apply more brakes to slow and balance the car, never lift of the throttle completely, then accelerate at the apex keeping some brake on only releasing them completely when the car is balanced again.

Ultra fast corners:
A dab on the brakes keeps the engine pulling and is better than a lift off the throttle (particularly if your running carbs).

Gear change corners:
Left foot brake in all the way to the apex and blip right foot to change gear (only works in higher gears, 3rd to 2nd is more tricky) and get back on the throttle.

Unknown corners, corrections and emergencies
When in rally mode charging around unfamiliar corners a left poised over the brake can either allow for a dab on the brakes to improve turn in, shed speed or come to a big stop when things have gone badly wrong.
There’s no doubt that left foot braking is better in emergencies if the foot is already covering the brakes, a heavy tug on the gearlever puts you into neutral while the left foot is already braking

Up someone’s rear:
Keep the left foot covering the brake, in case of emergencies. When preparing to overtake press the throttle and balance the speed on the brake, when going to pull out release the brake and press the throttle all the way down

Someone’s up your rear:
Dab your left foot on the brake just enough to light up the brake lights, great fun, especially under heavy acceleration really confuses them. "

 

u can always try karting first ... thats how most people who left foot brake as a second nature get it from

 

Take practices.

 

Get a car with an auto trans and take off a vac line so it wont idle... lol
You will learn real fast..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by descartesfool &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> a heavy tug on the gearlever puts you into neutral while the left foot is already braking
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Does this harm your tranny at all? I keep hearing you can get out of gear without pressing the clutch pedal, but even with a semi hard tug it doesn't come out. This is when the engine/tranny is not loaded from acceleration obviously

 

hm, It usually comes out of gear without the clutch, but its not something I do a lot.

and as far as the LF braking, its all in practice, like said. I find it very usefull on certain sweeper type corners, where a slight brush on the brake pedal will pivot the car. its smoother and faster than lifting and getting back on the gas, which can upset the car more.

A good thing to do it pick one place on the track to LFB, so you have time to think about it when you come to that section and practice it. Then once you get that section down, you can look for other sections where a little LFB can be used and work on them one at a time.

Just remember to move your foot back over to the left before you take a stab at the clutch

 

I was just messing around today in my manual car positioning my left foot on the brakje, but I coulnt do it since I was in traffic. I was just feeling it out, and I want comfortable at all, maybe my left leg needs to get used to the awkward positioning, and maybe it was because I was wearing boots, I didnt seem to have enough room and my shoes were bumping into the clutch and eachother.

so I'll try to do this when I get some speed cats, should help a lot with the feel and the room.

 

As jack black said, I would learn in an auto!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by descartesfool &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Someone’s up your rear:
Dab your left foot on the brake just enough to light up the brake lights, great fun, especially under heavy acceleration really confuses them. "</TD></TR></TABLE>

"How to learn about bump drafting in one easy lesson."

 

i failed so bad at heel-toe(satun 4 doors were just not set right for my feet) so i kinda forced my self to learn left foot brake on the autox. Granted most courses around here are really tight and small so 1st or 2nd gear are the only two i really used.

 

Even if LFB isnt a useful technique for most cases, I still want to learn as many techniques as possible just to say I can.

like I practice double clutching even though it's not useful in modern synchro cars, but I like to do it just to know how.

 

three years in-door karting helped me get my left foot used to braking gently and progressivly. i barly ever use my left foot when i drive (auto x or the track) maybe only to check for brake pedal pressure on the straight.

Speedring In-door karting in Santa Clara, CA was my home and work place for three years. I drove a kart at least 50 laps a day and somtimes over 100.

I probably did about 25,000-30,000 laps over the years (1/4 mile long) which would work out to about almost $40k... im lucky i got to drive for free.