What is your preferred downshift method?

redcivic19x

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Hey guys! I was just reading through another thread about downshifting and it got me wondering - what method do you guys normally use to downshift?

do you just simply downshift (I.e. clutch in and downshift, clutch out)? Do you guys rev Match?
Or do you heel-to-toe?

I personally love heel-to-toe, but I couldn’t do that until I got @ACUITY throttle pedal spacer. if I’m wearing my slides then I’ll just rev match.
Most curious to hear what everyone does during daily driving (as opposed to track, etc.)
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fenix-silver

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I almost always rev match or heel-toe if braking. I have the throttle pedal spacer as well.
 

rive

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It may not be necessary for daily driving but I prefer heel-and-toe. I also had to install a [Perrin] pedal spacer.
 

fenix-silver

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It may not be necessary for daily driving but I prefer heel-and-toe. I also had to install a [Perrin] pedal spacer.
How do you like the Perrin? It actually seems like a slightly better setup than the Acuity.
 
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redcivic19x

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I almost always rev match or heel-toe if braking. I have the throttle pedal spacer as well.
Yea same here. Heel toe would be impossible with the OEM setup.
Curious as to what setting you are running (A, B, or C)?
 


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redcivic19x

redcivic19x

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It may not be necessary for daily driving but I prefer heel-and-toe. I also had to install a [Perrin] pedal spacer.
Yea probably isn’t, but I enjoy it too much not to care. It just adds some extra fun to the driving.
Not to mention that feeling you get when you hit the “perfect” heel toe downshift and it’s just sooooo smooth. Ahh gotta love it.
 
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redcivic19x

redcivic19x

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Are you saying there are people who downshift without rev matching?
Haha unfortunately i used to be one of those people. when my dad taught me to drive stick some 10 years ago now, never once mentioned rev matching to downshift. Only said to downshift so the engine can help break. I’m embarrassed to say that I have been driving a stick for 8 years now and just started doing this about 4 months after I got my car (so for the last 8 months I’ve been doing it - I’ve had the car a year).
I was pissed I had been doing it wrong for so long and no one failed to tell me. Lol.
better late than never I suppose:doh:
 

rive

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How do you like the Perrin? It actually seems like a slightly better setup than the Acuity.
I originally liked it for the price but it turns out the design puts the pedal in the perfect spot. I have the Acuity shifter so I'm a fan of their products but the price on the Perrin was low enough I figured it was worth a try and wouldn't feel like a loss if I still had to go back and buy the Acuity version.

It's a solid, machined blocked of aluminum so there's no concern about durability. The only down side is that you have to crawl into the foot well and trim one of the mounting studs. I don't own a Dremel so I found a friend who has one and I bought him a couple metal cutting wheels and a beer in exchange for the use of his Dremel. All-in, I think I spent $35 on the spacer, cutting wheels, and beer. The multiple cutting wheels were just because I like to be sure I give tools back in better condition than I borrow them. Install took 15 minutes, including the cutting.

Edit 04/29/20: As discussed later in this thread, the Amazon price on the Perrin spacer seems to fluctuate considerably and may no longer be the affordable alternative I describe above. Check link for current price. https://www.amazon.com/PERRIN-Accelerator-Relocate-Compatible-2016-19/dp/B07QHY3Q7P
 
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fenix-silver

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Yea same here. Heel toe would be impossible with the OEM setup.
Curious as to what setting you are running (A, B, or C)?
I've tried both B & C and C is better for me. With B, it raised the pedal too much towards me.
 


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redcivic19x

redcivic19x

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I originally liked it for the price but it turns out the design puts the pedal in the perfect spot. I have the Acuity shifter so I'm a fan of their products but the price on the Perrin was low enough I figured it was worth a try and wouldn't feel like a loss if I still had to go back and buy the Acuity version.

It's a solid, machined blocked of aluminum so there's no concern about durability. The only down side is that you have to crawl into the foot well and trim one of the mounting studs. I don't own a Dremel so I found a friend who has one and I bought him a couple metal cutting wheels and a beer in exchange for the use of his Dremel. All-in, I think I spent $35 on the spacer, cutting wheels, and beer. The multiple cutting wheels were just because I like to be sure I give tools back in better condition than I borrow them. Install took 15 minutes, including the cutting.
Wow I wish I knew about this before asking my girl to drop $99 to get this for me for Christmas last year.
I ended up stripping one of the hex bolts while torquing down the acuity throttle spacer because for whatever reason my torque wrench didn’t stop (or I didn’t feel it click) as I was turning. I’m just happy it stripped when I got it in the right setting. also shout out to you for returning tools Better than you found them. I stopped lending mine to my friends because they don’t do this.
 
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redcivic19x

redcivic19x

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I've tried both B & C and C is better for me. With B, it raised the pedal too much towards me.
I tried both too. I tried the setting with the highest pedal (I thought that was C, but could be wrong) and absolutely hated it. Every time I tried to blip I hit it way too hard and just wasn’t fun. Plus when I would break the pedal would be higher than the break. I found the middle setting to be the best. Not too much foot movement and it’s almost perfect when you are breaking, especially if you need to break hard and quick.
 

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Are you saying there are people who downshift without rev matching?
Believe it or not, there are.

I don't heel toe as I'm not a race car driver but I do rev match.
 

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I rev match in the lower gears but not when going from 6th to 5th. A lot of times I just put it in neutral when slowing down. Then when I'm ready to accelerate I blip it and put it in gear. Now that I have a CTR I let the rev match do it for me
 

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Heel toe would be impossible with the OEM setup.
Its 100% possible, I do it all the time. Not as easy as other cars I've owned but not the worst I've seen either LOL
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