[Mahler9th]

"In order for the car to be level, there necessarily HAS to be the same amount of weight pushing down at each parallel corner. That's why corner balancing is done with weights in the passenger seat. "

No, that is not correct. We put a nominal driver's weight in the car because we want to set up the car in as close to an "as driven" configuration as possible. This is almost never done on a stock street car for street driving applications. A 200 pound driver in many modern street cars does not change the ride height enough to make any difference in CB or alignment settings that would in turn affect handling.

I think you have a ways to go in terms of understanding this.

For a couple of decades I have recommended the age old Fred Puhn book "How to Make Your Car Handle." I have even given a few copies away as gifts.

It explains all of this very well and has lots of other helpful information.

There are also likely other threads in these and other Forums in which experienced folks with knowledge have taken the time to explain the benefits of CB, processes and methods.

If one were trying to decide between paying someone for a good alignment or for a good alignment and CB, and the difference was say $100... and the application was street driving, I'd suggest eschewing the CB and spending the money on some performance driving event (AX or track). That could help one understand handling and opportunities for improvement.

I still remember my first performance driving event... bone stock 944 with <20k miles at Lime Rock in 1988 with PCA. No AX or karting before that event. I had read about understeer.

I experienced it at Big Bend on my first lap. I did not care about understeer in street driving. But I cared a lot about it in AX and track driving.