How many of you use it for auto-x? Please state advantages and reasons you do/don't. Thanks in advance.

 

Try doing a search in the archives on this topic...it has been discussed in depth many times.

 

The topic's that came up had to do with rallying and more of what happens during it. I want to know how many people in FWD hondas actually use it at auto-x.

 

I find it very useful on a road course in places that require just a little brake to settle the car and transfer a little weight forward to help turn in; while keeping the motor spooled up with my right foot.

 

Don't use it at autocrosses - my left foot isn't as sensitive as my right and I end up over applying the brakes.

I do use it selectively on road courses.

 

(Archive rant)
About the archive thing.... This list has been online now for years. There is a lot of great info in the archive, but usually that's not the point of a "check the archives" post. Just damn near everything Honda related has been discussed at some point. Shall we just shut down the list and have an archive? Is discussing left foot braking not as "politically correct" as discussing turn three at "insert track here ____"? Both subjects have been discussed many many times, and they both involve TECHNIQUE. Technique is forever evolving, therefore always worthy of discussion.
(end rant)

IMO, left foot braking is hugely advantageous in autox. The transition from throttle to brake is not only faster, it can take place simultaneously. This causes the car to be MUCH more stable, even during wild transitions. It stabilizes the car so much that you can actually employ a throttle-brake-throttle-brake technique through slaloms. I never would have considered a slalom technique like that if Larry Fine (awesome FWDriver) hadn't beat the crap out of me in my own car doing exactly that technique. But that's just one advantage. Another is the ability to induce oversteer. Kinda like "power braking", but it causes the rear wheels to lock up a bit, getting the back end to rotate. Not an easy skill, but very handy once you figure it out.

I've been left-foot-braking for 3 years, and I wish I hadn't wasted a year of autocrossing before learning to do it. It's much easier to learn than most people think. Perfecting it is something else though. But I look at it this way. Even imperfect LFB technique is likely to be as fast as RFB. The most common mistake is a tendancy to brake too much. It can also get confusing when you're shifting gears a lot.

 

yep, exactly what he said... i am lfb at every event now, sometimes giving up an easy win just to practice it, knowing that one day i will have it mastered.

 

Heh.. actually my beef about the search rant and archive rant is a little bit different. I think that most of the "do a search" advice impulse comes from having answered the question rather recently. I think that the main problem with the "do a search" advice is that the search on H-T sucks so much. Long ago, back in the days when the search here was useful, when I posted a question like this, I would include something along the lines of "I've read this thread <link> and this one <link> and a few others, but I'm still not quite sure about such-and-such.." That's not really feasible anymore.

I really do think searching is a great thing and the archive is very valuable. Of course it was worthless last time I checked (due to its current crippled state..).

Regarding LFB, if you go on business trips and rent small cars during them, it seems a good chance to cut your teeth on LFB if you can find a safe location to do it.

Regarding LFB & autocross... I really haven't done it yet.. I brake with my left foot quite a bit, but I have yet to actually intentionally employ the technique formally called Left Foot Braking. Since I had a serious drop in my disposable income recently, I haven't been autocrossing lately either.

 

why not try to learn? just a thought. first time i touched my brake pedal with my left foot i nearly sent my passenger thru my window. but its decent now. just gotta train the brain (it was used to pushing on my heavy duty clutch), just like when we all first learned to drive.

 

fsp31 said it well.

The biggest benefit of LFB I see does not come from the purpose of braking or slowing down the car, but using LFB allows you to much better play with the weight transition of your car. In faster sections, chicanes, some slaloms, you can use LFB to get a little more (artificial?) grip on your front tires. "Stabbing" (I don't like that word because to me it does not imply being smooth, and being smooth is always key) the brake with your left foot just briefly before giving a steering input will throw more weight on your front tires giving them more bite for turn in. The itr at least responds very well to this. Through long and tight turns or hairpins where you have to keep a tight line, stabbing the brake mid turn will give you more front grip and enable you to better stick to your tight line, or bring the car back on line if you're too hot. Last course we had here I had to make four downshifts on each run, but everywhere else except for those few moments I always have my left foot covering the brake. So I think some major advantages of LFB do not even come from the act of actually "braking" or slowing down the car. Keep practicing at whatever you're doing because we are all always improving.

 

yeah, yeah, LFB ownz RFB on autoX for FWD Hondas.

I'm practicing it in my automatic tranny Mitsu, so my left foot can get used to the feel. I wouldn't dare practice LFB on my Integra due to fear of killing myself on local roads.

 

Oh, I'm getting around to it. Especially after my miserable performance at the last two events (which effectively bumped me out of 4th in both championships). Up 'til now, I was doing well and didn't want to jeopardize any points in a fairly competitive class. Now, I'm free to experiment a bit more.

 

I would like to learn how to LFB, and I will. But until then I've been fairly successful heal/toe'ing. I can use the brake and throttle simultaneously with one foot and since I can take my engine to 9k rpms I basically NEVER have to shift on an autocross track. The only downside is if my foot slips off the brake I overshoot and if my foot slips off the throttle I have to compensate but with a cheap set of aftermarket pedals the task is quite simple and very effective.

At the last autocross I went to some guy in a RICED out civic 4 door was LFB'ing very well but he did it so much (it was an autocross that gave us 4 laps at once... no waiting) that he hurt his brakes.. you could smell his brakes all over the event.

 

Absolutely a fine technique to learn but, as MANy have already said, it needs to be learned. I would suggest trying it with NO traffic behind you on a quiet road and the seat belts FIRMLY snugged down because the firsttime you try it you most likely will throw yourself through the windshield!

It is what I consider and advanced technique that can also be used on the track. But, you have to be good at it.

Good luck!

 

This is true. Don't even try it until you have left foot braked during your regular driving for at least a month. You need to get your brain and muscles used to doing it before you try it on track.

It is most certainly worth it though. It gives you the ability to keep the revs up with your right foot while adjusting car position with your left.

Peace,
Chris

 

cmp autocross section.....
saturday tried it for the first time in qualifing.....it was my fastest lap....only did it in the race when there was no traffic in front of me....

sunday....practiced extensively during practice session....
during qualifing use it an qualified 3rd saturday had qualified 5th....knocked a second off previous time....race time used LFB almost the entire race!!!

it worked....now i use it on the street with threshold braking....i get the weirdest looks and ohhhhhmy the horns that honk at me.....

 

Tried it a couple times on the street. Let's say it didn't end well when I had to stop quickly and my 'both feet in' instinct took over