ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

i know you're not asking me, but i just do 2 consecutive full heel-toe downshifts, one right after the other, lol

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

i'm gonna have to try 2nd at Horseshoe (aka turn 1 & 2) next time i'm there....

hogcar

I am at the top of 4th coming down the front straight. STAND on the brakes-clutch in match revs(heel & toe) shift to 3rd--- Just before turn in I heel and toe to 2nd gear. When the car takes a set I STAND on the gas letting the car drift out I shift back up to 3rd before the car is completely straight.

I know that shifting in the middle of a turn is usually not the thing to do but at these slow speed-- 60mph?- it does not seem to upset the car to much if you have a clean fast shift.

I am using 17x8 with 225/45 Hoosiers all around.

Paul_in_DC

How many of you have stainless steel brake lines? I think my heel/toe might be easier with less brake pedal travel - don't the SS brake lines help in that case?

OdinGuru

hmmm.... seems like there is an agreement on doing two seperate complete shifts. Most definately going to experiment next time I'm out on track. The braking zones for horse shoe and bitch should be more than long enough to get this done.

A 225/45-17 is just about 4% smaller than stock, so hogcar should be having to shift a little bit earlier than the rest of us. The Hoosiers allow more maintained speed through corners too (v.s. stock/street tires) so even earlier shifts. In other words it should be even more appropriate to drop all the way to 2nd in a more stock setup.

Damn, that means I really need to get with the shifting program Once again the 8 is proving to be a great learning car -> forcing me to learn the craft to get the best out of it

tomfree

On cars as new as ours, SS brake lines aren't going to make a night and day difference in pedal feel or travel, IMHO. They tend to make a more notable difference on old cars with a bit more worn rubber lines. Will they make any difference, probably, but whether or not it's enough to justify the cost is another issue. If you're interested in staying in stock auto-x, SS lines will boot you out of there.

There's always the poor mans SS lines -take small zipties and wrap them the length of the rubber line. I've seen several folks do that on cars that didn't have SS lines available. I don't know how effective it is.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

you can practice 4-3-2 heel toe downshift anywhere on the street where you have to slow down to make a turn

don't wait for the track, practice now!! and often!!

hogcar

I have a 5.12 that is going to replace the 4.44. we will see how that changes the shift points. It should pull a little harder in each gear though.

I am also running the JIC H's which help tremendously in cornering grip. They worked great straight out of the box. I did not even have time to check the allignment before VIR. I must have guessed close. If you don't have them get some. My son had an STi that rode real stiff on the street, our RX8 with the heavy setup rides better than the stock STi. That is not a cut against the STi it is a super car. If our 8 had it's power---- 400 pound gorilla comes to mind!

willhave8

On the track at speed, I go through 3rd. On the street I could easily go straight from 4th to 2nd.

At VIR, OakTree -- I go 4 to 3 before turn 11, accelerate after turn towards Turn 12 turn in and stab the brakes and fo 3 to 2.

The Bitch I only go 4 to 3 prior to Turn 1.

As mentioned before, in the spiral I was in 3rd going into the high G braking zone at the top of the spiral and 3 to 2 between turn 5 and 6.


I just caught up on something -- Duh, there are more than one turns 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10 and 11 when we are talking about the Grand East -- No I am not blonde.

willhave8

I do. Not sure of the benefit though.

hogcar

I did not have steel lines at VIR but plan to get some. I have not noticed much difference in the past unless the lines were old like on my RX3!

tomfree

Know what's funny? I knew which 1-2 you were talking about. I break the course down into 4 sections - the VIR-S, VIR-N, VIR-F, and VIR-P.

I'm definitely in the "don't shift as much" crowd. The only place where I feel that it really slowed me down was coming out of the spiral. Next time I do S or GE, I'll definitely be downshifting in that little braking zone at the bottom of the hill.

I feel like I'm carrying decent speed coming in to 1-2 (North course 1-2, that is), and the 3-2 downshift there makes me busier than I like to be under threshold braking. As for the Bitch (South course 1-2), I may have been able to benefit from a 3-2 downshift there to have enough power to get the nose to tuck in. I was carrying enough speed through there to get to the gaiters at the exit nearly every lap. I think I went over the gaiters about 5 times. My instructor got a little nervous there. A little more torque there might have been enough to get the car straightened up quicker.