I have had my 1994 325is for about 6 months now and I am confused with the brake pedal set-up. When I get on the brakes hard, the brake pedal goes down about a half inch or so below the accelerator. This makes heel toe very difficult(More like-toe ankle). I tried putting my toes on the brake and bliping with my heel, but this causes my knee to hit the steering wheel. Any suggestions on how to remedy this problem?
Heel-toe braking problems with BMW
- Thread starter f1racer77
- Start date
The phrase "Heel and Toe" is somewhat incorrect these days. It really applies more to cars that are dedicated to racing. In all of the cars that I have driven in recent years, heel and toe (at least for me) is really "Left edge/right edge with ankle twist" LOL.
That is, the ball of your foot (where your big toe joins your foot) presses on the brake pedal, and the right edge of your foot presses the acelerator. As you implied, the modulation is achieved by twisting your ankle. That's the way that I have been doing it for years, and this has worked well for me. I guess foot size might affect this technique, I wear 10 1/2 or 11, maybe that makes it a bit easier?
That is, the ball of your foot (where your big toe joins your foot) presses on the brake pedal, and the right edge of your foot presses the acelerator. As you implied, the modulation is achieved by twisting your ankle. That's the way that I have been doing it for years, and this has worked well for me. I guess foot size might affect this technique, I wear 10 1/2 or 11, maybe that makes it a bit easier?
Yes, but the pedal placement doesn't allow any other method.
Heel and toe refers to using the toe on the brake and the heel to blip the throttle. In the old days, you could do that.
Now, the pedal placement (and the steering column/interior design) usually means that toe-toe is all that can be done, as described above.
The key is to focus on the brake as primary. That way, if you miss the throttle blip you are still on the brake and can just downshift without blip. That is much better than coming hot into a corner without enough brake pedal pressure. The key is to maintain pressure on the brake while blipping the throttle. It takes a lot of practice on the street before you progress to a track environment.
Heel and toe refers to using the toe on the brake and the heel to blip the throttle. In the old days, you could do that.
Now, the pedal placement (and the steering column/interior design) usually means that toe-toe is all that can be done, as described above.
The key is to focus on the brake as primary. That way, if you miss the throttle blip you are still on the brake and can just downshift without blip. That is much better than coming hot into a corner without enough brake pedal pressure. The key is to maintain pressure on the brake while blipping the throttle. It takes a lot of practice on the street before you progress to a track environment.
I also struggle with this when on track. It scares the crap out the instructor because they think the brakes are going away when the problem is lack of pedal pressure on the part of the driver (me). I sometimes start out the session trying to integrate heel and toe into my driving, but I usually end up going back to non-blip downshifts and working more on my line and smoothness. Eventually, with enough practice on the street, it will become more intuitive on the track.
I'll have to try it and conciously note the brake pedal height, but I have not noticed any problem in my 325i as you describe. It seems to me that my pedal height is well matched.
FWIW, I have heard of people adjusting the brake pedal height and spacing by notching the arm, bending it, and rewelding the notches, or by messing around with thicker or thinner pedal pads.
FWIW, I have heard of people adjusting the brake pedal height and spacing by notching the arm, bending it, and rewelding the notches, or by messing around with thicker or thinner pedal pads.
Frank -
I forced myself to pay attention to the pedal height in the 325. The brake pedal is *slightly* higher than the gas pedal with feet off. When I press the brake, when it starts grabbing it is just about equal to the gas pedal height. A twist of the ankle to the right blips the throttle nicely.
FWIW, I did read in the Bently manual that, after checking fluid levels, bleeding, etc. , if the brake pedal is low, the master cylinder may be bad.
I forced myself to pay attention to the pedal height in the 325. The brake pedal is *slightly* higher than the gas pedal with feet off. When I press the brake, when it starts grabbing it is just about equal to the gas pedal height. A twist of the ankle to the right blips the throttle nicely.
FWIW, I did read in the Bently manual that, after checking fluid levels, bleeding, etc. , if the brake pedal is low, the master cylinder may be bad.
Yea bleed your brakes. When my friend got his 1994 325i the pedal travel was like an american sedan. We flushed the brakes with some ATE racing fluid and the pedal travel is back to where it should be.
BTW the way kirby said he does it is the only way I've ever been able to do it in my e30 and my e34.
BTW the way kirby said he does it is the only way I've ever been able to do it in my e30 and my e34.
Wadula said:
just get the SMG. it will do all for you ![[hihi]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_hihi.gif "Hi Hi [hihi]")
(and here come the flames....![[rofl]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_rofl.gif "ROFL [rofl]")
)
(and here come the flames....
)
![[:p]](/images/smilies/tongue.png "Stick Out Tongue [:p]")