I've made a conformed figure, built around a zeroed p4nudemalegen. I edited the cr2, stripped the morphs, pointed the ref to the cloth object, then in UVMapper asigned the uvs, selected all, fixed and welded seams, then exported. When I load the p4male, then add the clothing figure, it (a) doesnt align with the p4figure initially - even though I built it around the figure and exported it. (b) when I conform it to the figure it moves forward and is even more deformed and farther away from where it ought to be. I've rebuilt this 6 times and yet cannot align the figures and conform them properly.

How do I adjust the figures above to conform properly?

If you used an existing figure CR2 its probable that it has preset bends in it. The solution is as follows. Load your clothing, and turn off all IK chains. Now open the joint editor and click on the Zero Figure button. Next select the hip and ensure that the x, y & zTrans are all zero. Repeat for the body. Now go to Edit/Memorize and select figure. You have now removed all the preset bends. Save your clothing back to the library.

There may be other issues but try this first then we can take it from there.

if you are using pro pack or poser 5, you can just unconform and go to the set up room, select the figure set up, and move it around in there, looks to only need to be puched back a coule of numbers. Then go back to the pose room and conform, if it is still un aligned, then unconform again and repeat. But also do what Phil said about the IK's