Looking for clarification on left foot braking - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

brink · 12-04-2003, 08:27 PM

I know there was a discussion about this awhile ago, I'm just looking for clarification.

So, it's been told (and I have indeed said) that the purpose of left-foot braking is weight transfer (back to front) in a FF car. However, I was thinking about it and messing around on some curvey roads and it sort of hit me that this may not be entirely accurate.

What I was thinking is that it seems to be more to do with load balancing the driving wheels on a car with an open diff. As I understand how an open differential works, when there's an imbalance in the load to one wheel or the other, all the power goes to that so you only have one driving wheel, the other is just along for the ride. When you go around a corner, the outside wheel gets more driving power than the inside wheel.

So by using lfb, you're applying equal force to both the wheels, thus preventing one from slipping, and thus getting inside traction as well as outside.

Does that make sense or am I missing something?

Nick · 12-04-2003, 08:30 PM

all you really want is more weight up front, so that you get more traction

practise on snow, curves where you'd understeer

some reading material:

http://www.rallyracingnews.com/lfb.html

When you are drifting nicely, with equal grip for all four wheels, it often happens that the inside rear wheel starts to lift. If you have no limited-slip differential, this wheel will immediately start to spin - and then you will lose all driving power to the other wheel. By using the left foot on the brake you can stop the inside wheel spinning and make more torque go to the outside wheel. It sounds very strange but it is true. Another advantage, for all cars, is this. With the brakes on; you cause a certain twist in the suspension which locks the joints and makes them stiffer. This makes the car more stable - there is less roll, it does not bounce and sway too much. That is very important.

from here : http://www.ahsdc.org/goblins/tech/left_foot_braking.htm

brink · 12-04-2003, 09:57 PM

Cool beans, thanks oldman

idrivemyself · 12-05-2003, 05:01 PM

this turn style is the same as using the e-brake.

practice makes better. perfect is impossible.

brink · 12-05-2003, 05:06 PM

Yeah, but the benefit to this is you keep both hands on the wheel for control. Safer.

Nick · 12-05-2003, 07:56 PM

and you keep the power up, so you can tear away from the corner quicker

and it requires much more skill than the ebrake

Deep · 12-05-2003, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oldman
all you really want is more weight up front, so that you get more traction

Or remove traction from the rear wheels, to induce oversteer.

Flashmn · 12-05-2003, 08:28 PM

Actually the ebrake is harder, its not as progressive as the left foot braking, plus with the ebrake theres always the risk of engaging the lock, which would make you spin out and die

90CamryDx3SFE · 12-05-2003, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flashmn
Actually the ebrake is harder, its not as progressive as the left foot braking, plus with the ebrake theres always the risk of engaging the lock, which would make you spin out and die

Grab the ebrake, and hold the release button down as if your life depended on it... Oh wait... it does :p

I understand what you mean. I've had it happen to me when I go out "Rock throwing" with the car, and the ebrake locked up on me once. Car kept going round and round as I slowly come down from 40 MPH... Never again

boroEF · 12-06-2003, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flashmn
Actually the ebrake is harder, its not as progressive as the left foot braking, plus with the ebrake theres always the risk of engaging the lock, which would make you spin out and die

i dunno man, i find ebraking much easier!

i'm able to execute ebrake turns fine

i'm sure nearly anyone can....but as for left foot braking i dont seem to have the finesse for proper brake pedal modulation with my left foot O.o

Flashmn · 12-07-2003, 03:35 AM

it just takes some time to getting used to

90CamryDx3SFE · 12-07-2003, 09:05 AM

Slamming the ebrake makes whatever you're doign more violently cool

brink · 12-07-2003, 10:43 AM

The firs link Oldman posted is probably the best writeup I've seen on howto lfb. I know my main problem when I started was just mashing on the pedal with my left foot, cause I wasn't used to how much pressure I needed to use (as well I'm right-handed so I'm less nimble with my left side).

Still learning, though.

idrivemyself · 12-07-2003, 04:15 PM

the downside to all of this, which defeats the whole purpose especially if your driving an auto, is that the front brakes also engage. slowing the vehicle through the turn instead of kicking out the rear and keeping 100% traction on the front. the front can have a tendency to slide as well. granted this is one technique that can help control weight shifting, however weight shifting can be done simply with the turning of the wheel. and not keeping speed up through the turn which the ebrake, when properly done, does indeed do.

i hope someone else can make some sence of what i'm getting at...

micro214_kp61 · 12-07-2003, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brink
The firs link Oldman posted is probably the best writeup I've seen on howto lfb. I know my main problem when I started was just mashing on the pedal with my left foot, cause I wasn't used to how much pressure I needed to use (as well I'm right-handed so I'm less nimble with my left side).

Still learning, though.

hehe, that's the advantage of us lefty's...

in my case, i can have more control with lfb than e-braking. i think the bottom line is to put more weight to the front when cornering so it's easier to control the turn and the exit. i would agree also that e-braking is not as safe coz your taking your right hand of the steering wheel.

boroEF... don't use the e-brake too much coz you might flip AGAIN!

j/k