Curb Weight vs Gross Weight

Kevin Thomas · 07-30-2002, 03:05 AM

I was dollying about on the internet and ran across an interesting find.

gross weight
(DOD, NATO) 1. Weight of a vehicle, fully equipped and serviced for operation, including the weight of the fuel, lubricants, coolant, vehicle tools and spares, crew, personal equipment, and load.

Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) -- The maximum combined weight of a vehicle and any towed load, including passengers and cargo.

Curb Weight -- The approximate weight of a vehicle with a full tank of fuel but no added cargo, aftermarket accessories or passengers. Most manufacturers determine curb weight with the driver weight included in the vehicle, and the government uses 150 pounds as the average weight of a driver.

From
here.

The part in bold is something I wasn't aware of. Some cars are actually 150lbs lighter than people suspected. Without using a weigh scale, how are we suppose to determine what manufacturers add the 'average' weight of a person into the curb weight calculation? Also, I thought the U.S. had the most obese people in the world. If this is the case, where are all these 'tiny' '150lbs average' people coming from? Hrrmmm!

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Eric SS · 07-30-2002, 03:07 AM

Not sure how to determine who uses what but my car with 1/2 tank of fuel and me (175lbs. at the time) in it weighed in at 3,007 lbs. on the corner scaled.

Eric

cyborg7_ · 07-30-2002, 05:21 AM

Here I am... I only weigh 135 lbs, so I guess I have a huge advantage in the race scene!

Tim Smith · 07-30-2002, 08:48 AM

I was underthe impression that the curb weight was the weight/ bias of the vehicle with all full fluids and no driver or passanger. Basically as it would sit in front of your house ready to go. Hence the "Curb weight".

While Gross weight is the MAX weight of drive and all passangers plus lugauge that the vehicle was designed to carry. You should never have more weight than than the Gross figure.

Tim

Blindeye_03 · 07-31-2002, 04:52 PM

My fully loaded RS (tool bag, spare and tire changing equipment) with me and a half tank of gas weighed in @ 2,930lbs. I ONLY weigh 110lbs

. Yes I know I am small as crap...so sue me... W/O me in the car it did register @ 2,820lbs.

-justin

ImprezedRS · 08-01-2002, 01:09 AM

Man I put my car on a diet and now the curb weight is 2640 lbs, but now I need to go on a diet. Damn all these fast food places, I think I will sue them now, like that other guy

oh more money for car parts

that1dude · 11-05-2006, 02:56 PM

Interesting find.

ImprezedRS: What's the difference between the GXL and GTU FCs? (I really like RX-7s but hardly know anything about them :P)

Patrick Olsen · 11-05-2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Thomas

Curb Weight -- The approximate weight of a vehicle with a full tank of fuel but no added cargo, aftermarket accessories or passengers. Most manufacturers determine curb weight with the driver weight included in the vehicle, and the government uses 150 pounds as the average weight of a driver.

The part in bold is something I wasn't aware of. Some cars are actually 150lbs lighter than people suspected. Without using a weigh scale, how are we suppose to determine what manufacturers add the 'average' weight of a person into the curb weight calculation? Also, I thought the U.S. had the most obese people in the world. If this is the case, where are all these 'tiny' '150lbs average' people coming from? Hrrmmm!

I don't think that's correct. Maybe it was in the past, but based on cars I've actually seen weighed on corner-weighting scales, that doesn't seem right.

Also (not that this really proves anything...) if you look at the major car magazines when they do comparison tests they list "curb weight" and "test weight", the latter including the weight of the driver. So they certainly don't seem to think curb weight includes a driver.

Pat

Kostamojen · 11-05-2006, 04:49 PM

So my car weighs 2450 lbs?

LetItSnow · 11-05-2006, 10:19 PM

This makes me feel less guilty about my car's ~3400 lbs.

Yeesh, what a pig!

schooby · 11-05-2006, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImprezedRS

Man I put my car on a diet and now the curb weight is 2640 lbs, but now I need to go on a diet. Damn all these fast food places, I think I will sue them now, like that other guy

oh more money for car parts

irrisponsibility is not a viable lawsuit. I eat fast food 3x a day. I am only doing this till i get my own place, but no weight gain.... yet.

snowman87 · 11-06-2006, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schooby

irrisponsibility is not a viable lawsuit. I eat fast food 3x a day. I am only doing this till i get my own place, but no weight gain.... yet.

yet... just wait

07-30-2002, 03:05 AM	#1
Kevin Thomas Street Racing Instructor Moderator Member#: 110 Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: 1997 OBS, 1996 SVX, 1988 RX Vehicle: 1989 1989 XT6	Curb Weight vs Gross Weight I was dollying about on the internet and ran across an interesting find. gross weight (DOD, NATO) 1. Weight of a vehicle, fully equipped and serviced for operation, including the weight of the fuel, lubricants, coolant, vehicle tools and spares, crew, personal equipment, and load. Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) -- The maximum combined weight of a vehicle and any towed load, including passengers and cargo. Curb Weight -- The approximate weight of a vehicle with a full tank of fuel but no added cargo, aftermarket accessories or passengers. Most manufacturers determine curb weight with the driver weight included in the vehicle, and the government uses 150 pounds as the average weight of a driver. From here. The part in bold is something I wasn't aware of. Some cars are actually 150lbs lighter than people suspected. Without using a weigh scale, how are we suppose to determine what manufacturers add the 'average' weight of a person into the curb weight calculation? Also, I thought the U.S. had the most obese people in the world. If this is the case, where are all these 'tiny' '150lbs average' people coming from? Hrrmmm! * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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07-30-2002, 03:07 AM	#2
Eric SS Sooby Guru Member#: 1914 Join Date: Jul 2000 Chapter/Region: SWIC Location: 2014 Q60S, 2016 Chevy SS Vehicle: 2000 2.5RS w/ EJ22T swap and N20. gone. : (	Not sure how to determine who uses what but my car with 1/2 tank of fuel and me (175lbs. at the time) in it weighed in at 3,007 lbs. on the corner scaled. Eric

07-30-2002, 05:21 AM	#3
cyborg7_ Scooby Newbie Member#: 16571 Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Saint Charles, IL Vehicle: 2000 Impreza 2.5 RS '90 Honda Civic si hatch	Here I am... I only weigh 135 lbs, so I guess I have a huge advantage in the race scene!

07-30-2002, 08:48 AM	#4
Tim Smith Scooby Newbie Member#: 19147 Join Date: May 2002 Vehicle: 2002 Impreza RS Alpine White	I was underthe impression that the curb weight was the weight/ bias of the vehicle with all full fluids and no driver or passanger. Basically as it would sit in front of your house ready to go. Hence the "Curb weight". While Gross weight is the MAX weight of drive and all passangers plus lugauge that the vehicle was designed to carry. You should never have more weight than than the Gross figure. Tim

07-31-2002, 04:52 PM	#5
Blindeye_03 Scooby Guru Member#: 4418 Join Date: Feb 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: NKY Vehicle: 2019 CTR White	My fully loaded RS (tool bag, spare and tire changing equipment) with me and a half tank of gas weighed in @ 2,930lbs. I ONLY weigh 110lbs . Yes I know I am small as crap...so sue me... W/O me in the car it did register @ 2,820lbs. -justin

08-01-2002, 01:09 AM	#6
ImprezedRS Scooby Specialist Member#: 2771 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Charlotte, NC Vehicle: 2003 BMW Z4 Blue	Man I put my car on a diet and now the curb weight is 2640 lbs, but now I need to go on a diet. Damn all these fast food places, I think I will sue them now, like that other guy oh more money for car parts

11-05-2006, 02:56 PM	#7
that1dude Scooby Specialist Member#: 89734 Join Date: Jun 2005 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Winnetka, Socal Vehicle: 04 WRX wagon Stage zer0	Interesting find. ImprezedRS: What's the difference between the GXL and GTU FCs? (I really like RX-7s but hardly know anything about them :P)

11-05-2006, 04:49 PM	#9
Kostamojen Scooby Guru Member#: 2272 Join Date: Sep 2000 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: Fire Caves Vehicle: 2019 Macan 4cyl 1993 Impreza FWD WRX swap	So my car weighs 2450 lbs?

11-05-2006, 10:19 PM	#10
LetItSnow Scooby Specialist Member#: 38222 Join Date: Jun 2003 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Cicero, NY Vehicle: '10 &'12 Foresters another Miata convert	This makes me feel less guilty about my car's ~3400 lbs. Yeesh, what a pig!