Kerb weight

ajgj
ajgj Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited February 2016 in Towcars & Towing #1

How do I work out the kerb weight, I saw a post that explained but I cannot find it.

Comments

  • ChrisRogers
    ChrisRogers Forum Participant Posts: 435
    edited February 2016 #2

    Car kerbweight will be in the car handbook or look at the V5C for mass in service. My handbook defines kerbweight, which includes 90% tank of fuel and 75kg driver, that weight is the same on V5c as mass in service.

    On the cars VIN plate will be:

    Gross vehicle weight.....kerbweight + payload

    Gross train weight..........Max.overall weight of vehicle and trailer.

    Max. front axle load

    Max. rear axle load

    Take GVW from GTW which gives max tow limit, that also will be on the V5C.

  • xtrailman
    xtrailman Forum Participant Posts: 559
    edited February 2016 #3

    Put it on the weighbridge, takes out all the guess work and will give you an actual weight.

    Just make sure the car isnt carrying extra weight other than driver and some fuel.

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2016 #4

    Car kerbweight will be in the car handbook or look at the V5C for mass in service. My handbook defines kerbweight, which includes 90% tank of fuel and 75kg driver, that weight is the same on V5c as mass in service.

    On the cars VIN plate will be:

    Gross vehicle weight.....kerbweight + payload

    Gross train weight..........Max.overall weight of vehicle and trailer.

    Max. front axle load

    Max. rear axle load

    Take GVW from GTW which gives max tow limit, that also will be on the V5C.

    Strictly speaking, kerbweight and mass in service are not the same thing and you'll be pushed to find any documetary evidence anywhere of the kerbweight as it is actually defined. Among other differences, kerbweight is defined without the driver whereas mass in service includes a 75kg allowance for the driver and sundry items. Also, mass in service per V5c is for a base vehicle without any factory-fitted options other than those legally required for the country in question so in most cases it won't correspond to what the vehicle in question really weighs. The closest you'll get to true kerbweight is the 'actual mass of the vehicle' which should be shown under Item 13.2 of the Certificate of Conformity which was supplied with the vehicle, but even that will also include the 75kg for the driver.

  • ajgj
    ajgj Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited February 2016 #5

    how do iwork out 85% from the caravan and car kerb weights 

  • ChrisRogers
    ChrisRogers Forum Participant Posts: 435
    edited February 2016 #6

    Use a calculator. In my case caravan mtplm 1,318kg divide by car kerbweight 1,495kg times 100 = 88%.

    mtplm divide by kerbweight x 100 = %

  • Simon100
    Simon100 Club Member Posts: 666
    500 Comments 100 Likes
    edited February 2016 #7

    If you have a newish car this site might help. Sorento just used as an example. 

    http://carleasingmadesimple.com/business-car-leasing/kia/sorento/kerb-weight/

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2016 #8

    If you have a newish car this site might help. Sorento just used as an example. 

    http://carleasingmadesimple.com/business-car-leasing/kia/sorento/kerb-weight/

    Whichever source you use, any published data can only be a rough guideline. The link that you refer to specifically states that the figures quoted are minimum. Variances of up to 150kg are not unusual.

  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
    500 Comments
    edited March 2016 #9

    l asked this in another post, this one helped me better, l now feel the outlander l am buying towing my Lunar Clubman SB is a reasonable match, thankyou Lutz

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #10

    The "law" will put it on a weighbridge - so you might as well do the same.  And weigh the van at the same time.

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2016 #11

    The "law" will put it on a weighbridge - so you might as well do the same.  And weigh the van at the same time.

    There is no law which lays down any specific requirements relating to kerbweight so the 'law' will not check the kerbweight, only whether the gross vehicle weight is exceeded or not.

  • threegreens
    threegreens Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited March 2016 #12

    I find this an interesting discussion. i have been having some difficulty pinning down the kerbweight and gross train weight for a new Honda CRV 2015 either by using the VIN, handbook or sales literature. The vehicle is yet to be registered and I am awaiting
    a response from Honda technical. Published  figures for the kerb weight provide a unit match  ratio between the car and van of 86-91%.  I am an experienced caravaner and wonder if I should acept this as close enough to optimum as in reality, the actual weights
    of either car or van can, and will, vary.