Hey everyone, I’m practicing rev matching on my 2017 Mustang, but I’ve got some questions for those with more experience:
The way I’m doing it now is clutch in, shift down, blip the throttle, and then release the clutch. But I’ve seen some people blip the throttle before shifting. Does it matter? Is my method okay?
About braking and heel-toe shifting… my Mustang’s pedals don’t seem great for it. I’ve been trying to brake with my heel and blip the throttle with the front of my foot, but it’s awkward. Do you find heel-toe useful for daily driving, or is it really just for the track? Any tips to get better at this?
If you’re not braking and just downshifting, blip the throttle as soon as you press the clutch. It’s all about making it one smooth motion: clutch in, blip, shift, clutch out.
For heel-toe, in some cars (mine included), you need to brake hard to get the brake pedal low enough to make it easier. When braking lightly, I rest one side of my foot on the brake and twist the other side onto the throttle to blip. It’s tricky at first, but you’ll get used to it.
@Pacey
I find drive modes really help with this. In Sport+, I just pivot my foot to blip the throttle because it’s super responsive in that mode. In normal mode, it’s harder to get a good blip.
But yeah, I can’t heel-toe unless I’m braking hard.
@Daryn
My Mustang doesn’t have drive modes, just steering modes. I keep it in what’s basically sport mode all the time because the throttle response is great. My problem is just reaching the gas pedal with my heel—it’s so awkward!
@Pacey
So as long as the clutch is pressed, the exact order doesn’t matter? It’s all about making it one smooth motion, right?
I’ve noticed the brake pedal is much higher than the gas, so when I try to heel-toe lightly, I end up braking harder than I mean to just to reach the gas. It throws off the balance of the car. Would reversing the motion (using my heel for the brake and toes for the throttle) be a bad idea?
Over time, rev matching and heel-toe shifting will become one smooth motion. Clutch in and throttle blip happen almost simultaneously.
As for the Mustang’s pedals, yeah, the spacing and depth make heel-toe tough during light braking. It’s easier under heavy braking, but that’s not how most people drive daily. I solved this by using a spacer under the gas pedal to bring it closer to the brake. It’s a game changer for street driving.
@Nari
So I’m not the only one struggling with light-braking heel-toe in this car. I usually pick up stuff like this quickly, but it just doesn’t feel natural.
That spacer sounds interesting. Do you have to drill anything to install it?
@Thayer
No drilling needed! Just unbolt the gas pedal (three nuts), slip the spacer on, and bolt it back. It moves the pedal forward about half an inch, which makes heel-toe much easier. If you don’t have a 3D printer, you can use nylon spacers from a hardware store.
@Nari
Thanks, man. I’ll definitely give this a try. It’s crazy that the gas pedal is so much lower than the brake. Maybe it’s a safety thing to prevent accidental pressing? Still, it’s a sports car… you’d think they’d design it for this stuff!
@Thayer
Right? I thought the same thing when I first tried it and couldn’t find the gas pedal! But if you brake really hard, the pedals line up perfectly, so maybe they figured it’s only for hardcore track driving.
I’ve had the spacer installed for over a year now, and it works great. Definitely worth it.
