Wheel alignment - front - loading up the car

[dick+2130/5]

Hi All,
I could do with some advice please on how much weight to put in the car when setting the front wheel alignment.

The +2 workshop manual seems to specify that you set the tracking with a fully loaded car, i.e, 76Kg in each front seat + 36Kg in each rear + 32Kg in boot + 23Kg petrol.= approx 280Kg / 620 lb.
This seems pretty extreme !!

Most of my driving will be with 70Kg me at the wheel + 60 Kg wife navigating. - so i think i would be better off setting the car up with just our normal in passenger weight.
Has anyone else been through the came process ?
Will be very interested to hear.
Thanks,

Dick

[nmauduit]

what I would do is loading it the way it is mostly driven, or else the way it requires best geometry most (depending on you use and/or priorities : flat out alone, impressing the passenger-s ...).

[disquek]

Agreed. Set it up as you would most often drive it, or as you would want the best performance.

[vincereynard]

I agree with the above.

There is such a big range of possible weights as Lotus pretended it was a real 4 seater.
Nonsense really.

Sack of sand in the boot / half a tank of fuel and normal driver + passenger weight.

Thats also how I set the corner ride heights. Unless any more learned than me tells me different!

[MarkDa]

The ride height is specified rather than a load to achieve it.
Fairly detailed thread with discussion about just where to measure to and tyre sizes

viewtopic.php?t=25446&p=169671

When you know the loads required you can take them (sand bags?) to the garage to ballast car when then they do it.