In the automotive industry, there are such terms as: gross and curb weight. These terms are those that are necessarily talked about in the theory of driving schools. But, today, even many drivers with great experience do not remember or do not know about it. The curb weight of the machine is total weight cars with the necessary equipment, all materials that are needed during the operation of the car, a full tank of fuel, the weight of the driver, but without taking into account the passenger weight and the mass of goods.
Gross weight is considered the mass of the car, which is the maximum possible and consists of: the weight of the driver and passengers, the weight of the equipped car, as well as the weight of cargo.
What is the difference between curb weight and gross vehicle weight?
If you understand the differences between these concepts, then the whole point comes down to what exactly can be included and summed up in the general criterion of mass. Compared with the value of the curb weight of the car, in the indicator of its gross weight, the weight of the driver, and the weight of all passengers, as well as the weight of the luggage carried.
Gross weight = vehicle weight + weight of all people in the vehicle + cargo in the luggage compartment.
Curb weight = vehicle weight without additional weights.
Of course, each person's weight is different. The same can be said for luggage. Therefore, drivers use concepts such as "permissible gross vehicle weight." Each car has its own highest resolvable indicator, everything will depend on the manufacturer, the materials from which the car is made, as well as the shape of the car body, etc.
Do not overload the machine. If this is not observed, then during the use of the car, the body, bridge systems, and also other parts that need to be fixed to the suspension of the car will deform. And do not forget that, subject to the full curb weight of the car, fuel will be consumed in large volumes. Also, weight is always taken into account when using a two-post lift.
All of the above tips for motorists are quite important information, especially if the driver does not have sufficient driving experience behind him. They should not be neglected or ignored. Because sometimes even experienced drivers and chauffeurs commit certain actions that may not seem ridiculous and trifling at first glance, but which can lead to consequences. Therefore, be careful and careful when driving.
In the automotive industry and everything related to this area, 2 such basic concepts are used as the curb weight of a car and the gross weight of the car. These two characteristics are those that are necessarily talked about in theoretical classes taking place in a car school. However, many, even very experienced, drivers do not know or simply have forgotten what lies under this terminology.
What is the curb weight of the car
The curb weight of the car is the total, i.e. the total weight of the machine with a set of standard equipment, all its operating consumables that are needed (for example, coolant and engine oil), a fully filled tank of automotive fuel, the weight of the driver, but without the mass of cargo and the weight of passengers.
What is the gross weight of the machine
The total mass of the car, or, as it is also called, the gross permissible weight, is the mass of the car, which is the maximum allowable and includes: the weight of the driver, the weight of the passengers, the weight of the entire equipped car, as well as the weight of the cargo that is transported by the car.
What is the difference between curb weight and gross vehicle weight?
If you understand the differences between these two concepts, then the point is what exactly is included and summed up in the total mass indicator. In contrast to the indicator of the curb weight of a car, the indicator of its gross weight also takes into account the weight of the driver, the weight of the passengers of the car, and the mass of the goods that are (transported) in it.
It is absolutely natural that people are all different - each person has a different weight. The same applies to the luggage of the car - some drivers can “stuff” the car so that it cannot move from its place, and some are more careful and transport goods within reason. In this regard, most often among motorists, such a concept as “permissible gross vehicle weight” is used. Each car has its own highest permitted mark, it all depends on the manufacturer, the materials that were used in the production process of the car, as well as the structure car body and other load-bearing parts of the machine. It is important not to load your own car so that this figure is exceeded. If this is not adhered to, then gradually during the operation of the car its body, bridge systems, as well as many other parts that are fixed to the car suspension will be deformed. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that with the full curb weight of the car - fuel, it will absorb much more.
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. Basic concepts concerning the masses vehicle, usually told 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 payload and the maximum allowable 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 operating materials (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 required levels liquids 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 necessary condition, and hence its weight cannot be included in the 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 mass
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 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 traffic rules also say that the permitted maximum weight road trains mean the amount of the maximum allowable masses all the 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 21.10: for the carriage of divisible goods, the maximum permitted mass truck is no more than 40 tons, which refers 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.
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.
The responsiveness of vehicles is of great importance in heavy traffic, when you need to quickly overtake the vehicle in front, as well as in off-road conditions, when you have to brake and pick up speed frequently.
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 smoothness. pavement.
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 settlements the speed of movement 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 value of the radius of the most sharp turn(in m) that the car can make. At 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. Gas tank capacity modern cars is 30-50 liters, which, with an operating fuel consumption of 8-10 liters per 100 km, is enough for a run 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.
Very often in automotive world you can find two terms that relate to the mass of the car - this is the curb weight of the car and its permissible gross weight. What kind of masses are these and, as they say, with what they are eaten, we were told in detail in a driving school. However, over time, all concepts are forgotten, and confusion begins. To put everything in its place, explaining what the curb weight of a car is, my today's article will help.
To begin with, the mass indicators of a car are one of the determining factors in the fuel consumption of a car and some other characteristics of a car, and also have a significant impact on the operation of many car systems. And you can easily find the values \u200b\u200bof the curb weight of a car in technical specifications model of your car, as well as in its registration certificate.
In general curb weight of the vehicle is the mass of the vehicle without driver and passengers, but including its standard equipment, consumables, such as engine oil, engine coolant, and it also includes full tank fuel.
It is necessary to distinguish the curb weight of the car from the gross permissible and dry weight. Dry vehicle weight less equipped by the amount of fuel, consumables and some equipment. In other words, this is the mass of an unloaded and unfilled car.
Permissible gross vehicle weight- this is the mass of the maximum loaded car provided by the manufacturers. It is also often referred to as the permitted maximum weight. If you want your car to serve you for a long time, then it is better not to exceed this indicator, since excessive overload has a negative effect on the car body and suspension parts.