whats the proper way to downshift brake
04-07-2010, 11:28 AM
#16
I use my clutch more heavily than my brakes when i slow down. My clutch is covered for 4 years or 60000 miles which ever come first so it makes more sense for me to wear in my clutch not my brakes. At 60 I prob go into 3rd gear use some brakes to help bleed off the speed then pop into 2nd once i feel like the car has leveled out.
It's like saying I don't need to use my seat belt, that's what air bags are for. You should use both to supplement each other.
04-07-2010, 11:57 AM
#19
The clutch is a wear and tear item. It is only covered under warranty if there is manufacturing defect.
My entire time at Riverside, I've only seen one clutch replaced under warranty. It's easy to tell if a clutch is worn out due to driver ineptitude or defect.
Proper engine braking puts minimal, if any wear on your clutch. I've been doing it for years. I'd rather engine brake than constantly replace brake pads/rotors. You don't want to know how quickly I go through brakes when I actually use them
Proper technique would be
1. clutch in
2. blip throttle
3. move shift lever 1 gear down
4. clutch out.
As you get more proficient at it, the 4 steps will start to overlap. The entire process will take maybe half a second once you get some practice. It's much easier to blip high and let the clutch engage at the right RPM, rather than trying to hold it at the right RPM and letting the clutch out. Done correctly, you are litterally 'dumping' the clutch at step 4, but timed well (and with an appropriate sized throttle blip).
You can take it one step further and do the whole process with your foot on the brake for a heel-toe downshift
My entire time at Riverside, I've only seen one clutch replaced under warranty. It's easy to tell if a clutch is worn out due to driver ineptitude or defect.
Proper engine braking puts minimal, if any wear on your clutch. I've been doing it for years. I'd rather engine brake than constantly replace brake pads/rotors. You don't want to know how quickly I go through brakes when I actually use them
Proper technique would be
1. clutch in
2. blip throttle
3. move shift lever 1 gear down
4. clutch out.
As you get more proficient at it, the 4 steps will start to overlap. The entire process will take maybe half a second once you get some practice. It's much easier to blip high and let the clutch engage at the right RPM, rather than trying to hold it at the right RPM and letting the clutch out. Done correctly, you are litterally 'dumping' the clutch at step 4, but timed well (and with an appropriate sized throttle blip).
You can take it one step further and do the whole process with your foot on the brake for a heel-toe downshift
04-07-2010, 01:30 PM
#20
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Not on a G but I have another car that I've downshifted as exclusively as I can and only replaced the clutch once with 200k or more miles (odometer is broken). Most of the time I would rev match but sometimes I didn't. Anytime I NEEDED to use the brake because the stop was more abrupt, I would heel-toe as well. Before I started doing a lot of track events with the car, I went close to 100k miles on a set of pads. The rear pads at ~200k miles are original
04-07-2010, 01:55 PM
#24
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Yeah, 200k is a bit unreal, I agree. I just kind of realized it within the past week or two. I have another set of rear pads sitting in a box ready to go but don't need them just yet.
The car (95 200SX SE-R) doesn't use rear brakes all THAT much. I suspect that, in cojunction with that, the calipers might be frozen/seized as well or that the pads are glazed and not really doing much because of that.
Nope, definitely proficient. I've done probably somewhere in the range of 100 track days and probably somewhere around 10-15k miles with this car. I'm an instructor with NASA
The car (95 200SX SE-R) doesn't use rear brakes all THAT much. I suspect that, in cojunction with that, the calipers might be frozen/seized as well or that the pads are glazed and not really doing much because of that.
Nope, definitely proficient. I've done probably somewhere in the range of 100 track days and probably somewhere around 10-15k miles with this car. I'm an instructor with NASA
04-07-2010, 02:00 PM
#25
And you've never inspected you're brakes? 
Street use with street pads, I can totally see 100k+ miles, but track use... I'm lucky if I can get 8-10 days out the race pads.
I'd imagine a 95 Sentra's OEM brakes would already be faded after the first few turns...
Street use with street pads, I can totally see 100k+ miles, but track use... I'm lucky if I can get 8-10 days out the race pads.
I'd imagine a 95 Sentra's OEM brakes would already be faded after the first few turns...
04-07-2010, 02:19 PM
#26
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I've inspected them. Several times. What I just recently realized (or remembered) was that the rear pads on the car are the original ones.
When I was really pushing the car (it now has blown suspension and old tires and I have bigger things to be spending money on unfortunately) I'd go through a set of pads every 4 or 5 events but that was fronts. The rears never wore that much. I have a set of pads ready in a box just in case but I doubt I'll be needing them anytime soon. Currently the pads overpower the tires and give a feeling of brake fade when in reality it's the tires loosing grip. I also have upgraded rotors, stainless lines, and race pads. I've replaced the MC too to redistribute more bias to the rear (believe it or not).
When I was really pushing the car (it now has blown suspension and old tires and I have bigger things to be spending money on unfortunately) I'd go through a set of pads every 4 or 5 events but that was fronts. The rears never wore that much. I have a set of pads ready in a box just in case but I doubt I'll be needing them anytime soon. Currently the pads overpower the tires and give a feeling of brake fade when in reality it's the tires loosing grip. I also have upgraded rotors, stainless lines, and race pads. I've replaced the MC too to redistribute more bias to the rear (believe it or not).
04-07-2010, 04:56 PM
#28
You bought this car brand new? I refuse to believe you have brakes that lasted to 200k hahaha. Maybe you bought it at 100k?
OP, just learn how to rev match, or better yet, heel & toe. It's fun to figure out, and once you do, you'll have a much better time coming out of corners. Like Mike said, clutch in, blip, clutch out. Took me about a month to get really good at it. It's pretty much automatic for me now.
OP, just learn how to rev match, or better yet, heel & toe. It's fun to figure out, and once you do, you'll have a much better time coming out of corners. Like Mike said, clutch in, blip, clutch out. Took me about a month to get really good at it. It's pretty much automatic for me now.
. No granny shifting here son
04-08-2010, 08:05 AM
#30
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I use my clutch more heavily than my brakes when i slow down. My clutch is covered for 4 years or 60000 miles which ever come first so it makes more sense for me to wear in my clutch not my brakes. At 60 I prob go into 3rd gear use some brakes to help bleed off the speed then pop into 2nd once i feel like the car has leveled out.
I only down shift if I am in slow traffic because I have to keep the flow moving other than that if I need to go from 60 to 20 mph I just keep it in 6th (you should never roll to a stop in neutral because you might need to swerve and hit the gas to avoid something) and once I hit 20 mph I rev match.