Ok, I will admit, my 944 is my first manual transmission car. Now, I do know how to drive it and all, but, I am no expert by any means.

What I want to know is how you all actually drive stick shift, there are many methods (ie clutch always pressed, heal and toe, etc etc). Oh and not to sound even more stupid than I already do (impossible) but what exactly is double clutching, heal and toe, etc?

So in summary:
1. How does everyone drive their manual?
2. What are all those fun fancy techniques?
3. What is the best way to prolong the life of a clutch?

Fun fun!

 

you the clutch as "little" as possible and as "smoothly" as possible. YOu can't go wrong.

 

Hey man, luke is basically right...the less you use it and smoothly when you do, will prolong clutch life.

Don't do hard aggressive clutch dump launches, don't ride/slip the clutch hard either. If you are smart about it you will learn. Just the fact that you are asking is good. Your car isnt a drag car, so dont abuse the clutch like it is one.

Double clutch basically, you use the clutch to disengage a gear, shift into neutral, let the clutch out, then press the clutch pedal again to engage the next gear. Mostly necessary when driving a truck or a vehicle with bad synchros.

My style? I heal/ toe all the time. I late brake as often as I can so I can further improve technique for the track.
In the 951 I use my heal on the brake and my toe to 'blip' the throttle. The key is to be able to snap the 'R's up while braking w/o pulsating the brakes. ie: braking smoothly.
In the VeeDub I roll my foot to the side onto the 'Frottle' and firmly use the ball of my foot on the brake.

If you are interested in heal/toe driving...just do it all the time...you will get it. It is really awesome.

I was actually impressed when someone noticed me driving out to the road from the office and said...how is it that you are revving the motor downshifting gears, but yet your brake lights are on too? Cool.

Good luck.

 

The fact that someone noticed your heel-toe braking leaving the parking lot is awesome! It's gotta be the most flattering thing in the world when someone acknowledges driving ability like that. Fact is, the better drivers are so smooth that most people don't realize there's more going on than meets the eye! Once again...I say that's just too cool. -Trevor

 

Porsche clutches are great....nothing quite feels like it that I've driven.

I've had my car for 6 months and 4500miles...prior to that I hadn't driven a car that was stickshift (that was my own). I had practiced in a few friend's cars and gotten the hang of it pretty well.
When I took to my car I found that the lack of sensitivity in the gas pedal made it harder to start out, only cause I didn't give it enough gas.

Anyway...what luke said, and just drive it and you'll get a feel for what it likes and doesn't like. Rev matching your shifts...very good practice...if not ready for heal and toe start with that first..thats what Im doing.

 

Here's a good article on double clutching.
http://www.g-speed.com/pbh/double-clutch.html

Pete

 

Is anyone else blessed/cursed with size 14 or larger shoe size, if so what type of heel/toe technique do you use. The only way I seem to be able to do it is with the sole sides of my feet, left side of right foot on brake, right on gas. Seems to work pretty well thus far. Anyone got better ideas??

Thaddeus??(fellow Bigfoot)

 

i'm curious... how many of the people reading this thread regularly practice heel/toe braking? It seems to me that double clutching on a downshift is pretty much pointless otherwise--you could have stopped faster just by stomping the clutch and brake together. However, i have found that my (mere size 11) feet can't contort well such that i am on both pedals... the brake is just too much higher than the gas.

so do those of you who heel/toe have aftermarket pedals or am i just not twisting my leg hard enough?

and as for the actual topic: my goal most of the time is for the tach not to move when i engage the clutch. when that is successful the clutch itself transmits no torque while engaging and does not wear. to this end i've found that i will often skip a gear if i'm accelerating hard to merge with fast traffic, ie: 1-2-4, so that i don't need to rev up for an upshift.

 

I'm guessing you must have pretty wide feet. I.e., I'm size 11.5 or so (depending on shoe) but very narrow - I have yet to find a way to successfully heel/toe a 944. Any combination of actual heel/toe fails miserably, and trying the "side of foot" approach means foot will slip off of either brake (usually) or gas.

So, no better ideas, other than if it's working for you as you describe, count your blessings!

T

 

TimC, I know this is a bit off topic (cant help you guys, I'm size 11) but i recently started driving with the seatback in quite a vertical position (with the *** part of the seat dipped as low as it would go) and I must say it feels a lot racier supproting as opposed to "lying down" in the seat and trying to look cool.

 

"a lot racier and supporting" was what I meant to say

 

Matt, I completely agree. I never exaggerated it to the point of not being able to see outside, but I drove the 924S when I first got it laid back a bit. After driving a 930 with the seats much more upright (from the factory), I realized that's the way to do it.

Now I'm much more upright, much more aware of what's going on, able to see more, etc. I'm a better driver because of all this. And after watching over the years the guys in the 911 race cars and such, they seem to be pretty upright.

On a similar note, ever try this when you really want to be pinned to the seat?:

Slide the seat back about 3 notches from where you normally drive, buckle up, pull the seat belt as tight as you can, then slide the seat back to normal position. Be careful not to pull the steering wheel, use the door frame. That really pins you to the seat, and when you go on spirited driving outtings, you won't budge.

-Matt

 

hmm thanks, lots of interesting info

also about the seat.. i also found that upright is much more supportive and safe. but.. it still seems like the stock 944 seats lack lumbar support.. i have partially automatic seats with only two switches on the side and then two levers on the floor and i just dont feel like anything really give my lower back a little lump of support that it needs, so after a while it ends up starting to hurt. i was thinking of getting a little pillow to put there, but, i dunno, is there anything one can do for more support? i guess putting the seat in an upright position is the best thing, unless of course - are there porsche back pillows ?

 

Yup. I'm assuming you noticed my sig! Reclining may be good for eating rice, but not for car control - at least outside of F1, etc.

T

 

Just take a look at the various racing seats that are available, notice anything about about the shape of the 1-piece seats?

By learning
in someone else's car