I know this is just common sense to most, but before you even try to set the balance on your car, make sure you have fresh o-rings in your shocks and all of the hinge pins and turnbuckles have no binding. You will just be chasing your tail if there is any excess drag or binding in the shocks or suspension. When someone asks me to help them with their car at the track because its's handling crappy, at least 1/2 the time its a bent hinge pin or shock shaft or they haven't rebuilt their shocks in months. Silicone o-rings swell and create more drag on the shock shaft, but it happens slowly so most guys don't notice it.

Great thread BTW.