Curb weight and gross vehicle weight. Curb weight of the vehicle and full load Full load and curb condition

The characteristic of the mass of the car is the primary criterion for fuel consumption and other indicators, which also affects all kinds of car systems. The basic concepts relating to the masses of a vehicle are usually taught in a driving school. However, for many car owners this is a difficult question. In this article we will tell you what is the difference between the total curb weight and what it is; and also find out what is the mass of the payload and the maximum permissible weight.

Interesting fact! The BelAZ 75710 dump truck (Belarus) is considered the machine with the largest mass. Its weight is 810 tons, and its carrying capacity is 450 tons. In 2014, this vehicle carried a load of 503.5 tons and thus set a new Guinness Book record for Europe and the CIS.

What is the curb weight of the car

The curb weight of the vehicle is the weight of the vehicle, which takes into account the weight of standard equipment (spare wheel, tools), the weight of all consumables (fuel, coolant, oil, etc.), but does not take into account the weight of cargo, driver and passengers. In other words, the total value of the masses of all components of an empty vehicle filled to a full tank, which has all standard equipment and required levels liquids and means the curb weight of the car.


You can find the number corresponding to the curb weight of your car in its registration certificate, or among specifications model of your car.

Note!In many European countries, the weight of the driver (75 kg) is included in the curb weight. Manufacturers are of the opinion that for the movement of the car, the presence of a driver is a necessary condition, and therefore its weight cannot be counted as a payload.

The curb weight is also called the unladen weight, while the total weight of the vehicle is considered to be the mass, which includes the weight of the equipment, Supplies, as well as the mass of the driver, the mass of passengers and cargo. That is, the difference between the full and curb weights lies in the weight of the driver, passengers and goods carried by the car.

Let us also mention such a concept as dry weight auto. This is the real weight of the machine as a structure, device, mechanism. In other words, this is the total actual weight of the unladen vehicle without any consumable fluids.

Payload weight

Now we will talk about such an important technical and main operational characteristic. Vehicle as carrying capacity, in other words, about the mass of the payload. This is the total weight of the entire load (corresponding to the general technical and operational characteristics of the vehicle) that the vehicle carries. By setting the permissible maximum load on the axle of the rolling stock per meter of track, it is possible to determine the estimated payload mass of the vehicle.


Conventionally, the carrying capacity can be divided into estimated And nominal. If the calculated one takes into account only the permissible weight that the vehicle can carry, then the nominal one also takes into account the quality of the road. On a hard surface, it can be from 0.5 t (for passenger cars) up to more than 28 tons (for dump trucks).

Did you know? In some types of vehicles, a certification plate is attached to the door frame, which contains technical data, including the mass of the maximum permissible load on each axle.

Maximum allowable (gross) weight

If we talk about the permitted maximum mass of the vehicle, then this is the mass of the equipped and extremely loaded vehicle, provided by the developer. The weight of the driver and passengers is also taken into account. Each make and model has its own maximum allowable weight, which depends on the materials used in the production of the car, the body structure and other parts of the car.


Important! It is advisable not to exceed the allowable maximum of this indicator in order to avoid body deformation and problems with the suspension.

The SDA also states that the maximum permitted mass of a road train is the sum of the maximum allowable masses of all vehicles that make up the train. It is also worth mentioning that since 2015 the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has introduced some restrictions for trucks aimed at maintaining the integrity of the roadway. As stated in Decree No. 8669 of October 21: for the transport of divisible goods, the permitted maximum weight of a truck is no more than 40 tons, which applies to public roads.

As you can see, all concepts are extremely simple and understandable. We hope that all of the above will be useful to you and there will be no confusion.

The car with a full trunk and the maximum number of passengers (provided by the design).

In other words, this is the maximum allowable weight of the car. By subtracting the curb weight from the total weight, you can get the carrying capacity of your car.


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See what "gross vehicle mass" is in other dictionaries:

    Gross vehicle weight- 3.12. Gross vehicle weight is the sum of the curb weight of the vehicle and the combat crew transported by it, including the driver, fire extinguishers, fire fighting equipment, declared by the PA manufacturer in the regulatory technical documentation. Source:… …

    full mass- 3.29. Gross weight: The weight of the aircraft in a fully fueled condition, equipped with fire fighting equipment (PTV), a tool and a spare wheel with a combat crew and a driver. Source: GOST R 52284 2004: Fire ladders. Are common… … Dictionary-reference book of terms of normative and technical documentation

    The sum of the curb weight of the PA and the personnel of the combat crew transported by it, fire extinguishing agents, fire extinguishers, declared by the manufacturer of the PA in the RD. Source: GOST R 12.2.144 2005 EdwART. Glossary of terms and definitions by means of security and ... ... Emergencies Dictionary

    Total mass of PA- 2.33. The total mass of the PA is the sum of the curb weight of the vehicle and the combat crew transported by it, including the driver, fire extinguishing agents, fire fighting equipment, declared by the manufacturer of the fire truck in the regulatory ... ... Dictionary-reference book of terms of normative and technical documentation

    fire truck gross weight- 3.9. total weight of a fire truck: The sum of the curb weight of the fire extinguisher and the personnel of the combat crew transported by it, fire extinguishing agents, fire extinguishers, declared by the manufacturer of the fire extinguisher in the ND. Source: GOST R 12.2.144 2005 ... Dictionary-reference book of terms of normative and technical documentation

    car for cars the mass of the equipped car (with fuel, oil and water refueling and equipment with a spare wheel, tools) with a driver, passengers and cargo (at the rate of 10 kg for each seat); for other vehicles... Big encyclopedic polytechnic dictionary

    Fire truck full weight- Gross weight of a fire truck: the sum of the curb weight of the fire extinguisher and the personnel of the combat crew transported by it, fire extinguishing agents, fire extinguishing agents, declared by the manufacturer of the fire extinguisher in the ND ...

Question from a reader:

« Good day. Help me figure out the weight of the car! There are many different indicators, the head is spinning, and two are indicated in the PTS! For example - what is the permitted weight of the car? What is no load? And the last thing is the curb weight of the car? Thank you in advance. Luda»

The question is really interesting. I'll try to explain in simple terms read our article...


To begin with, it is worth noting that this is a very important characteristic. Using this value, you can calculate the fuel consumption, as well as dynamic characteristics car. For example, a car with the same technical component (engine power and the same transmissions) may differ in dynamics due to the mass of the car. Even a difference of 20 - 50 kg can greatly affect the dynamics of the car, the difference can be 1 -2 seconds, and this is significant. That's why racing cars are stripped of everything superfluous in order to lighten the body as much as possible, thus increasing the dynamics of the car. Also - the lighter your car, the less it consumes. If the car body is light, the engine does not need to push the heavy body high revs, enough average speed and speed is dialed, so the consumption is less.

As you can see, mass has a lot to do with it. Therefore, manufacturers are trying to lighten the body as much as possible. modern cars, using stronger and lighter materials such as aluminum alloys, carbon fiber, etc.

But as you rightly noted in the TCP, and in the car operation book, there are many different masses. Let's go in order.

Dry vehicle weight

Such a term is rarely used in everyday life, it is mainly used by manufacturers on test benches. “Dry” is the mass of the vehicle, without equipment that is not rigidly attached, as well as without oils (engine and transmission), without fluids (coolant, brake, washer fluid), without fuel, without tools, without passengers and without any cargo . That is, almost a "naked" car.

Weight without load (if completely - the weight of the car in the “curb state” without load) sometimes also the curb weight of the car

There is a designation in the PTS. Without load (but in running order) is the mass of the car, without a driver and passengers, without cargo, but with a full supply of fuel, necessary tools and spare consumables (jack, pump and spare wheel) and full equipment with fluids. That is, gasoline, and all oils and fluids (coolant, brake, washer fluid) are all there.

Permissible maximum weight (in the TCP specified as permittedmax weight)

This is the maximum allowable weight factory installed- by the manufacturer with the driver and passengers, with cargo, with all liquids, with fuel, with tools, as well as with trailers that affect the mass (trailers, motorhomes).

With this maximum weight, the car retains its technical properties, if it is exceeded, then the movement may not be safe. It may just not withstand the suspension. It should be noted that manufacturers take into account the driver and passengers weighing 75 - 80 kg.

These are the masses of the car obtained. I hope my article was helpful to you.

Functional properties determine what basic need and in what way a particular vehicle satisfies. Vehicles for personal use perform a dual function. On the one hand, they satisfy the material needs of the population associated with the transportation of passengers and goods. On the other hand, vehicles are classified as cultural and household goods, as they satisfy the spiritual needs of people in the feeling of high speeds and in sports achievements. The functions of transport as a means of transportation are determined by its passenger capacity, carrying capacity, cross-country ability, maneuverability, suitability for launching in the cold season, and the mileage on a full gas tank. Some of these properties are decisive for the social purpose of the vehicle.

If we consider vehicles as sports equipment, then the most important functional properties include their throttle response, top speed, which they can develop at a given distance, engine power, cylinder displacement.

Pick-up (dynamic)- the ability of the vehicle to intensive acceleration from a standstill. Dynamism refers to complex indicators and depends both on engine power and on the mass of the vehicle and on the ratio of gear ratios in the gearbox. The more power and less weight of the vehicle, the higher the throttle response.

The acceleration indicator is the acceleration time of the vehicle to a certain speed (motorcycle - up to 60 km / h, car - up to 100 km / h). At domestic cars acceleration is - 10-14 s, for powerful foreign models - 7 s, for sports cars pickup reaches 4 s.

Vehicle pick-up has great importance in heavy traffic, when you need to quickly overtake the vehicle in front, as well as in off-road conditions, when you often have to brake and pick up speed again.

Engine power depends on its displacement and is expressed in terms of horsepower or kW (1 kW = 1.353 hp).

Curb weight of the vehicle is defined as the mass of a fully filled (fuel, oils, coolant, etc.) and equipped (spare wheel, tools, etc.) car, but without passengers, driver and their luggage.

Car designers use every opportunity to reduce the weight of the car. Steel and cast iron parts are replaced with parts made of aluminum and magnesium alloys, titanium, and plastics, solid parts are replaced with tubular and hollow parts.

A sharp decrease in the mass of cars occurred after they were reconfigured into front-wheel drive, since they do not have a heavy rear axle and cardan transmission.

Gross vehicle weight consists of curb weight, cargo weight, driver and passengers and their luggage. Estimated weight of one passenger is 70 kg, and baggage per passenger is 10 kg.

Patency. Cross-country ability is understood as the suitability of the vehicle for driving on unpaved roads, as well as in different weather.

The passability of the car depends on the engine power, the ground clearance, the base and width of the wheels, the number of driving wheels, the tread width and the depth of its pattern. A significant increase in the cross-country ability of the car is achieved if it has not only rear wheels, but also front wheels. When driving in heavy road conditions(mud, sand) the driver can apply torque from the gearbox not only to the rear, but also to the front wheels.

Ground clearance TS. Ground clearance (clearance) is determined by the height of the lowest point of the vehicle to the roadway. Ground clearance characterizes the ability of the vehicle to move over various obstacles: rails, logs, etc.

Under the base of the vehicle, it is customary to understand the distance between the centers of the axles of its wheels in millimeters. The shorter it is, the higher the cross-country ability of the vehicle, but the lower the stability on the road, especially for bicycles and motorcycles.

The diameter of the wheels determines their ability to go around small bumps in the road surface, thereby reducing the vibration of the chassis.

Tire tread width determines flotation in sand and mud. The wider the tires, the larger the footprint, the less pressure per square centimeter of the footprint, the higher the soft pavement flotation.

The depth of the tread pattern determines the best grip on the ground, so the deeper it is, the higher the permeability.

Possibility of reaching the maximum allowable speed depends both on the power of the engine and on the magnitude of the total gear ratio in the highest (usually 4th and 5th) gear. According to the rules traffic, in built-up areas, the speed should not exceed 60 km / h, and often 40 km / h, on most country roads a speed of 80-90 km / h is allowed, and only on a few high-speed roads - 110 km / h. Modern private cars allow you to reach speeds of more than 160 km / h. This property of the car is very important for overtaking at high speeds and over short distances.

It should be noted that the speed of the car is reduced if its tires have a large width and deep tread.

Maneuverability- the ability of the vehicle to turn around in narrow places. This indicator is especially important when entering a parking lot between crowded standing cars, when entering the garage, on sharp turns. An indicator of maneuverability is the radius of the sharpest turn (in m) that the car can make. For passenger cars, the turning radius is 5-6 m, and the smaller it is, the more maneuverable the car.

Fuel consumption per 100 km path characterizes the economy and depends on the design and quality of manufacture of the engine and chassis of the vehicle. In domestic motor vehicles, fuel consumption per 100 km of track ranges from 2 liters for mopeds to 8-10 liters for heavy motorcycles; for passenger cars, fuel consumption ranges from 4 to 16 liters. It is necessary to distinguish between the control fuel consumption, which is indicated in the passports for the vehicle, and the operating fuel consumption. The control flow rate is determined when driving on a flat road at a speed of 60 km/h. The operating cost is usually 10-15% higher than the control.

Mileage on a full gas tank depends on the tank capacity and operating fuel consumption per 100 km. The gas tank capacity of modern cars is 30-50 liters, which, with an operating fuel consumption of 8-10 liters per 100 km, is enough for a mileage of 300-600 km.

Braking distances - this is the distance in meters traveled by the vehicle from the moment the braking starts at the agreed speed to its complete stop.

Curb weight and gross vehicle weight

There is a dry, equipped and permissible gross vehicle weight. This indicator directly depends on the carrying capacity and dimensions of the car. Quite often, these figures differ by 300-700 kg or even more. And if the dry weight is the weight of the car without any additions (even without oil in the engine), then the curb weight reflects the weight of the vehicle, completely ready for operation.

The curb weight of the car takes into account the weight of the equipment necessary for operation (tools, spare wheels), as well as the weight of all consumables (fuel, oil, etc.), but does not take into account the weight of passengers, the driver and the weight of the cargo.

What is the difference between curb weight and dry weight?

Some drivers do not understand why you need to know the curb weight or other weight of the car, and this is very important. important information which you need to know. There are two concepts that characterize the mass of the car - permissible gross weight and curb weight. It is worth noting that these characteristics are a priority for some indicators, for example, fuel consumption. In addition, they affect the functioning of various vehicle systems.

The curb weight includes such indicators as weight:

  • car.
  • Various lubricants, technical fluids, fuel tank (full).
  • Standard equipment necessary for the operation of the vehicle (hoist, spare wheel, fire extinguisher, standard set of tools and keys, first aid kit).
  • Driver (taking into account the weight of 75 kg).

The values ​​​​of such a mass of a car are indicated in the data sheet or technical specifications of a particular model.

In addition to the curb weight of the car, there is also a dry and permissible total. Dry weight is equal to curb but without some equipment, fuel in the tank and consumables. In other words, this is the mass of an unloaded car only without fuel.

The concept of "permissible total weight of the car" means the maximum loaded weight of the car, provided by the manufacturer. It is also sometimes called the maximum allowed or the maximum allowable. By subtracting the curb weight from the total weight of the car, you can find out the carrying capacity of the car. Accordingly, the total mass of the machine is always more equipped and, moreover, more dry.

All elements of the car are calculated and then manufactured with a certain margin of safety. Everyone knows that exceeding the load of a car significantly impairs braking efficiency and traction characteristics and directly affect security.

That is why automakers indicate in the documents for the vehicle the total permitted weight, which is the maximum allowable.

Gross vehicle weight is, in fact, a hypothetical indicator that varies from the weight of passengers and the weight of cargo in the trunk. We rarely carry heavy luggage with us, so it is not accurate.

The dry weight of the vehicle is also not a useful indicator, since the vehicle is never driven without antifreeze, fuel, transmission fluid and engine oil etc.

When creating cars, all manufacturers try to reduce the weight of cars, since this value significantly affects both accelerating and economical characteristics. This is quite simple to explain: the more weight a car can carry a specific distance, spending a minimum of fuel, the better for car owners. Besides, increased load renders negative impact on suspension parts and car body.

European curb weight

The use of its own formula, which determines the curb weight of the car, may be present in every European country. It is this criterion that is taken into account when it is necessary to move through a bridge or dam. The most accurate data in this case will not allow overloading.

In almost all European countries, 75 kg is added to the curb weight of a car - this is the average weight of an adult. Such a calculation allows you to obtain data on what is the mass of the car while driving.

In addition, the following features are provided:

  • The weight of the tool necessary for the operation of the vehicle, which must be present in the trunk.
  • A bus or a truck intended for long-distance travel (if there is room for a crew member, another 75 kg is added to the mass of the car).
  • The spare wheel, the weight of the jack, fire extinguisher and other elements must also be taken into account.
  • At least 90% of the weight is added to the curb weight of the car fuel tank machines (complete).

In addition, there are several formulas that allow you to individually determine the curb weight. This point is extremely important for trucks, since at all weighing points, by deducting the curb weight, it is possible to check the maximum allowable weight of a car, the weight of luggage, etc. with high accuracy.

Therefore, in individual cases, inspection services use formulas that can be used to calculate the curb weight of a car, taking into account the people present in it, parts, etc.

There are many situations in which knowledge about the curb weight of a car may be needed. First of all, this is towing, since each vehicle has a maximum permissible mass of towed cargo.

It is also worth remembering this value in those situations when the car passes local bridges over rivers or dangerous places. Often in such places there are warnings that contain information about the limitation of the mass of vehicles. Therefore, experts recommend following some rules:

  • If it is necessary to estimate the weight of the car, add the weight of the driver and all passengers to the weight of the car.
  • When buying a car, immediately find out the curb weight indicated by the manufacturer.
  • You should find out the formula that was used to calculate the curb weight, remember or write down this figure.
  • Do not worry about fuel, oil, first aid kit, fire extinguisher - these elements are automatically taken into account in the indicators.
  • Do not forget about luggage that is not taken into account in the curb weight of the car (situational luggage).

From this information, it should be concluded that the curb weight indicator is important information and it is necessary for the car owner to know it. This is one of the important parameters of technical characteristics, which sometimes takes into account up to 500 kg of additional weight of the car.

We buy tires and wheels - another use of curb weight

When buying new wheels for a car, there is a high risk of getting problems if the weight of the car does not match the performance of the wheels. Otherwise, any, even a slight bump, will adversely affect their metal: alloy wheels get a crack, steel - I will bend.

It is also important to take into account the weight of the car when choosing tires, because if you do not take into account the load index of the rubber, there is a high probability of unpleasant consequences.

The most common problems that can cause a mismatch between the weight of a car and the tire load index include the following points:

  • Relatively fast tread wear.
  • Destruction of the rubber cord, swelling / blowing out of bumps on the working or side surface of a part of the tire.
  • Uneven wear of the rubber layer due to too high pressure.
  • Lack of correct vehicle control, as tires change the trajectory of movement.
  • bad rolling, increased flow fuel due to rolling resistance.
  • Bad effect on stopping distance.
  • Inability to inflate the wheels, as required by the manufacturer's recommendations.
  • Decrease in safety of operation of a car for a number of reasons.

These are the consequences that can arise when buying wheels or tires, when the curb weight of the car is not taken into account. This proves that this indicator is important for the operation of the vehicle.

In order to choose optimal size tires or rims, you must write down the curb weight of the machine and divide this value by four, since all manufacturers of these products indicate the maximum weight in kilograms per tire.

All technical characteristics of a car are important during its operation, so the documents issued upon purchase should not be thrown away. They will not be needed until the warranty expires.

If for some reason you don't know the curb weight of your vehicle, you should know where you can find it quickly. To do this, you must always have at hand (for example, in the bookmarks of an Internet browser on a mobile phone) a site with a description of the technical characteristics of almost all vehicles. This information can be very useful, since such a catalog contains all the data on the gross and curb weight of the car. Accordingly, you have the opportunity, if necessary, to obtain reliable information about which parts you need to buy.

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