should I stay in the car during allignment?

I am going to install new coil springs, and then I will need to cut them a bit to get my ride height correct. Afterwards, a new allignment.

Should I stay inside the car while he is alligning it, since that is the configuration the car is in when it is on the road? I almost NEVER goes down the road without a body, usally me, in the front seat!!!

I am afraid that alligning it with no weight in the seat will be great for sitting still, but when I put my 190 lb butt in the seat, it will throw the allignment off, even if it is just a little.

Also, I drive this car alone 90% of the time, and sometimes my 60lb dog rides in the back going from one side window to the next. Seldom is someone in the passenger seat. I race it alone. Just thought being in the seat would keep the dimensions correct for the 80-90% of the time that I drive alone.

 

JMO but I really doubt it would make much of a diffrence.

 

There was a guy locally that had his front end realigned several times, kept wearing tires. The shop finally got his 400lb butt to sit in the car while they lined it up and cured the problem. Some small car, Geo or something.

He was like half the car's load capacity sitting in the driver's seat, but aside from stuff like that I wouldn't worry about it.

 

When the big-dawgs setup their race cars, they either have the person sit in the seat or put weights in the seat to simulate it. It's mainly for going down the track straight, but if these guys do it, it probably means there's something to it.

edit 1: They (okay, 'some') also lift the front end by n amount during the alignment setting to simulate the car under WOT

edit 2: But I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't make any difference in a street car setup.

 

Well, I guess I have nothing else to do for the 45 minutes he is working on it. May as well sit in it and enjoy the ride...

 

when the guy is aligning it...he will be sitting in it going over the scrub bars....

its not needed for a driver in it...and most places wont allow customers in the garage...insurance purposes..they wont risk a lawsuit

 

A "good" alignment guy usually compensates for it. It shouldn't be necessary to sit in the car.

 

Should it be clean or dirty? Dirt has weight too, ya know.

 

OK guys, I get your point.

I guess I shouldn't be so obsessive-compulsive... :chillpill :chillpill :chillpill

 

Ahhh,

I feel better now, Just needed a couple of chill pills

 

Passenger weight, gas tank,...

Actually most perfrormance alignments for road racing, rallying, etc. recommend you do the alignment with the driver's weight simulated in the front seat/floor pan area and 1/2 tank of gas. For a street car you're not gonna notice a difference.

Unless, of course, you cruise around town a pick up really large women in the back seat. Wheelie bars might help that!

 

rotflmao @ wheelie bars!