Curb weight. Differences curb, gross and maximum permissible weight of the car

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? Thanks 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 the dynamic characteristics of the 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 at high revs, medium revs are enough and the speed is gained, 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 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 set by the manufacturer with a driver and passengers, with cargo, with all liquids, with fuel, with tools, as well as with trailers that affect the weight (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.

One of the key characteristics of a car is its weight. The weight of the vehicle directly affects fuel consumption and the operation of many systems provided in the car.

Choosing yourself new car, many buyers are thinking about the issue of its curb, gross and maximum permissible masses. After all, quite often vehicles are used to transport passengers and large loads. If the machine is not designed for the required loads, it will not be suitable for the intended operation.

Tritely, the driver must understand how many passengers and luggage he can take on board, so as not to harm his car, not to provoke a breakdown of the suspension or other components due to overload.

The basic concepts of the characteristics of the mass of the vehicle are told in theoretical terms. Many do not consider such information useful, but they come across it after a while. Because of this, motorists have difficulties in studying this issue.

The concept of curb weight

This is the most common concept, which automakers, official dealers focus on, and which drivers themselves look at.

The curb weight of any vehicle is the weight or mass of the vehicle, which includes the weight of all standard equipment, operating materials, but does not take into account the weight of cargo, passengers and the driver.

Standard equipment usually includes a spare quantity and tools. As for operating materials, fuel, engine and transmission oils, coolants and other components are considered here.

You can describe in a slightly different way what the curb weight is in any factory car. This is the total weight of the components of a vehicle empty in terms of cargo, driver and passengers, but with a full fuel tank, with all standard tools, equipment and fluids. In fact, this is a car in the form that is supplied to car dealerships. It contains everything you need, but there is nothing superfluous that the car owner himself will gradually accumulate.

Determining the value of this characteristic is not difficult. This is due to the fact that the curb weight, like full mass car, often. But they mean different parameters. Therefore, for starters, you should look into the technical data sheet. Also, such information is available even before buying a car, since manufacturers and sellers must prescribe these parameters in the list specifications.

It is important to add that the EU has adopted a slightly different norm, according to which the weight of the driver is included in the total curb weight. This takes into account the standard weight of 75 kilograms.

The decision is quite reasonable and has a logical explanation. The thing is that the movement of the vehicle will be impossible in the absence of a person in it, that is, a driver. It is considered a significant component of the car, which is why automakers consider it wrong to classify drivers as payloads.

Curb weight has another name. This is the unloaded weight. As for the total mass of the vehicle, then everything is somewhat different.

It is in the concept of the total mass that they additionally include the weight of equipment, consumables, the driver, cargo and passengers. From here it is not difficult to determine the difference between these two concepts. It consists in the weight characteristics of the passengers in the car, the driver himself and the cargo located in the cabin or luggage compartment.

Another important characteristic is the dry weight of the vehicle. It includes the net weight of the machine itself, its design. In this case, the weight of standard equipment, fuel, consumable fluids should be deducted from the curb weight. Then we get the same dry mass.

Calculation features

Each country has the right to use its own formula to determine the curb weight of a particular vehicle. This is not surprising, since such a criterion is the key to allowing cars to enter areas where there are restrictions on weight. This primarily concerns bridges, as well as dams and other similar structures.

As already noted, in Europe, the average weight of a motorist is additionally added, that is, an indicator of the average mass of a person. So you can better form data on the weight of the car.

If we talk about the rules for the Russian Federation, then the following points are taken into account when calculating the curb weight:

• 75 kilos. As in the case of the European Union, Russia has a rule of adding an average person's weight to the curb weight. It is based on simple concept the fact that the driver acts as a mandatory component for the movement of the vehicle;
• if these are trucks or buses intended for, with a structurally provided place for a crew member, 75 kilograms are also added;
• tools. The curb weight must include a list of tools necessary for the motorist;
• 90%. It is this volume of filled fuel tank included in the curb weight. If we take the standard tank volume of 60 liters and roughly calculate the mass of fuel, it turns out that about 55 kilograms are taken into account as a surcharge to the curb weight;
• spare tire. A spare wheel is a mandatory component;
• jack, fire extinguisher, etc.

Summing up all these parameters with dry weight, the final value is obtained, which is indicated in the technical documentation of the car.

It is worth noting the fact of the existence of special formulas that allow you to individually calculate the curb weight. This is especially true for freight Vehicle that pass through special points for the weighing procedure. If you subtract the curb weight from the weights, you can find out about the exact weight of the load, maximum weight and other characteristics.

Therefore, in certain situations, controlling services use calculation formulas to determine this parameter.

Why is it important to know

There are a number of life situations for a motorist when he needs or simply needs to know exactly the parameters of the curb weight of his vehicle.

Each car has a certain weight limit for the transported and towed cargo. If you get stuck and ask the driver of a car that is technically unable to handle such loads to tow you, the consequences will be negative for both parties.

Also, you need to remember about the curb weight when passing difficult sections, bridges, dangerous places, etc. There are special warning signs on the roads showing what maximum weight you can drive here.

The concept of payload mass

Having dealt with the concepts of the mass of the car without load, we are now interested in a slightly different mass of the car. Specialists and ordinary motorists believe that the most significant characteristic from the standpoint of vehicle operation is such a characteristic as carrying capacity. It is also called payload mass. But the concept of carrying capacity is more understandable and simple. This does not change the essence.

The carrying capacity of a vehicle is understood as the total weight of the entire load carried by the vehicle, which meets the operational and general technical characteristics of the vehicles.

Here it is important to take into account the division of the payload mass into nominal and calculated.

In the case of the calculated one, only the weight that a particular vehicle is able to carry is taken into account. In the case of the nominal one, the quality of the road surface on which the cargo is transported is necessarily taken into account. If this is a hard surface, then cars can carry from 500 kg. cargo and more. In case of trucks and dump trucks figure in the region of 25-30 tons.

The concept of total mass

Next, let's look at what, according to the rules, is called the permitted maximum or gross vehicle weight. Many people equate such concepts as the curb and gross weight of a passenger car or truck. But this is not entirely correct.

There is a significant difference between these values, which should not be overlooked. This will be a serious mistake.

If we talk about what the full or maximum allowable weight of the car means, then here we mean the weight of the equipped and extremely loaded vehicle, which was laid down at the design stage of the model. Additionally, take into account the weight of the driver and his passengers.

Each individual brand and specific vehicle model has its own allowable or gross weight. In many ways, this characteristic depends on what materials were used in the production of body parts, interior elements and other components.

Mm (maximum weight) = Msn. (curb) + Mgr.p. (cargo and passengers) + Mv. (driver)

It is strongly not recommended to violate the requirements for the maximum load of the vehicle. If there is too much cargo and people on board, which exceeds the loads prescribed in the technical documentation, this will lead to serious problems. The suspension will suffer first. It also increases the risk of encountering deformations of the body itself.

Differences between full and equipped

To finally understand these concepts, it is necessary to introduce some clarity regarding the curb and gross weight. Many people know that these concepts are different, but they cannot say exactly how they differ.

It's all about what exactly is included in general indicators two characteristics. When compared with the parameters of the curb weight, then the weight of the motorist himself, that is, the driver, passengers on board and will be additionally taken into account in the full weight.

It is impossible to deny the fact that not all people correspond to the laid down in technical specifications standards. A weight of 75 kilograms is considered average, since a driver can weigh both 50 kilograms and 150 kilograms. People are different, and hence the difference in their weight.

The situation is similar with the transported luggage and cargo. Someone practically does not use the luggage compartment, and at most transports several packages from the supermarket a couple of times a week. Others regularly fill the trunk as much as possible with various objects, things and goods. It comes to the fact that the rear suspension drops from such a load, and the car barely moves off.

Such a difference in characteristics has led to the active use of the concept of permissible total mass. Each individual vehicle has a load limit, which the design does not allow to cross. This was provided for by automakers at the design and production stage.

The more loaded motor vehicle, the more intensively fuel is consumed, the consumption of not only gasoline, but also oil increases, tires wear out faster, the wear of suspension elements and the engine itself accelerates.

This does not mean at all that the car cannot be used as a means of transporting luggage or passengers. There is no need to prohibit anyone other than the driver from getting into the car. But you need to adhere to the maximum loads established by the manufacturer. Otherwise, you run the risk of serious damage, body deformation and other troubles.

In fact, all the concepts considered are quite simple. Understanding them and determining the difference is not difficult.

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, the maximum speed that 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 the acceleration 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 to front-wheel drive, since they lack a heavy rear axle and cardan gear.

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 difficult road conditions (mud, sand), the driver can supply 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 better grip with soil, so the larger it is, the higher the permeability.

Possibility of reaching the maximum allowable speed depends both on engine power and on the value 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 closely spaced cars, when entering a garage, on sharp turns. An indicator of maneuverability is the radius of the sharpest turn (in m) that the car can make. At passenger cars mobiles, 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 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.

If you try to find out the weight of your car, you will understand that there are several indicators of this criterion. There is net, curb and gross weight. These indicators often differ by 400-800 kilograms or more, it all depends on the size and carrying capacity of the car. And if the net weight is the weight of the car without any additions and even without oil in the engine, then the curb weight reflects the weight of the car, which is completely ready for operation. This means that the curb weight includes the weight of technical fluids, full tank fuel, but does not take into account the maximum weight of cargo and passengers. The total mass, in turn, is based on the curb weight with the potential weight of the allowable number of passengers and cargo.

It is understood that the gross weight is hypothetical and may vary depending on the weight of the passengers. Yes, and we rarely carry a full trunk of cargo. Therefore, this indicator is hypothetical and not very accurate. It is rarely helpful. The net weight of the car is also never a useful indicator, because you will not operate a car without antifreeze, fuel, engine and transmission oil. It is the curb weight that is one of the most important indicators for each car.

European curb weight

Each country may have its own formula for determining the curb weight of a vehicle. It is this criterion that is taken into account when cars are allowed onto a bridge or dam, so it is extremely important to get accurate data in order to prevent overloading. In Europe, 75 kilograms are added to the curb weight of a car - the average weight of one person. This allows you to get clear data on how much the car weighs on the road. In Russia, the following features are also provided in one of the GOST items related to the operation of vehicles:

• 75 kilograms are added to the curb weight of the car - the weight of the driver, as a necessary element of the car's trip;
• a long-distance bus or truck, if there is room for a crew member, adds another 75 kilograms to the mass of the vehicle;
• the weight of the necessary tool that is present in the car or bus is also taken into account;
• at least 90% of the weight of the full fuel tank of the vehicle is added to the curb weight of the vehicle;
• the spare wheel must be taken into account, and the weight of the jack, fire extinguisher and other elements is also added.

There are also several formulas for the individual determination of curb weight. For trucks, this point is extremely important, because at the weighing points, minus the curb weight, you can check the weight of luggage, the permissible maximum weight of the car, and so on. Therefore, in individual cases, inspection services can apply formulas for calculating the curb weight of the car, taking into account the parts present in the car, the number of people, and so on. Many drivers do not understand at all why they need to know the curb or any other mass of the car.

Why do you need to know the curb weight of the car?

There are many situations in which you may need information about the curb weight of a vehicle. First of all, it is towing. Each car has a maximum towed load. If you ask to be towed by a car that technically cannot pull your car, you will have to deal with various problems later. You should remember about the curb weight of the car and in those situations when you drive through dangerous places, local bridges over small rivers. In some of these places, there are even warnings with a limit on the mass of the car. Therefore, you should always follow these rules:

• when buying a car, you should immediately find out its curb weight, which is indicated by the manufacturer;
• it is necessary to find out the formula by which the curb weight was calculated and remember the number;
• if necessary, to estimate the weight of the car, you can add the weight of the people in the car to the mass value;
• also do not forget about situational luggage that is not taken into account in the curb weight of your car;
• you should not worry about fuel, oil, a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit - these elements are already taken into account in the indicators.

As you can see, it is necessary for the car owner to know the curb weight indicator. This is one of the important points of technical characteristics, which takes into account all the subtleties, of which sometimes up to 500 kilograms are collected. You will never calculate the optimal weight of a machine if you only know the net weight. But find out if the driver's weight factor was involved in calculating the curb weight for your car. This can be checked with official dealer or on the manufacturer's website in the technical support of the owners.

We buy tires and wheels - another use of curb weight

When you buy new rims for a car, there is a risk of problems if the weight of the car does not match the capabilities of the rims. In this case, any bump will turn into a metal destroyer, steel wheels will bend, and cast ones will crack. It is also important to keep the weight of the machine in mind when choosing tires. If you do not take into account the load index of the rubber, the most backfire. Among the common problems that cause a discrepancy between the weight of the machine and the rubber load index are the following points:

• destruction of the rubber cord and blowing out various irregularities on the side surface or working part of the tire;
• the fastest tread wear and uneven wear the working layer of rubber due to too much pressure;
• the inability to properly pump up the wheels in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations;
• lack of normal driving, as the tires change the trajectory of the car;
• decrease in the safety of vehicle operation for a number of reasons;
• very bad influence on the braking distance - reduced rubber resistance during braking;
• poor rolling and increased fuel consumption due to rolling resistance.

These are the unpleasant consequences that can happen simply because you did not take into account the curb weight of the car when buying tires or wheels. This once again proves that the indicator of the weight of the machine is quite important for the normal operation of the vehicle. It is worth writing down the curb weight of the car and dividing this value by four to select the optimal tires or wheels. After all, manufacturers indicate the maximum weight per tire in kilograms that one tire can withstand. To take our minds off the technicalities, here is a very entertaining video about one of the most unique cars in the world:

Summing up

All the technical characteristics of the car are very important during the operation of the car, so you should not throw away the papers given to you in the salon when buying a car as soon as the warranty period expires. The car will serve you for a long time and will not become a problem if you always remember what curb weight your car has, what consumables are better to buy, how much oil you need to fill, and so on. And in this regard, the curb weight remains a fairly important criterion that allows you to maintain high-quality machines and buy consumables and materials.

If you do not know the curb weight of the machine, you should always understand where it can be found. To do this, you need to keep at hand (in the bookmarks of the Internet browser in mobile phone, for example) a site with a full description of the technical characteristics of various cars. In such a catalog you will find the necessary data on curb and gross weight, you can in any situation get information about which parts are best for you to buy. Do you know what curb weight your car has?

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 allowable mass.

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 up to a full tank, which has all standard equipment and the required levels of fluids and means the curb weight of the car.

You can find the figure corresponding to the curb weight of your car in its registration certificate, or among the technical specifications of the model of your particular 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 weight, which includes the weight of equipment, consumables, as well as the weight of the driver, the weight 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 basic operational characteristic of vehicles as carrying capacity, in other words, about the mass of the payload. This is the total weight of the entire cargo (corresponding to general technical and performance characteristics vehicle) that transports the car. 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 range from 0.5 tons (for passenger cars) 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.