Off Topic - GVWR vs. Curb Weight
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,424
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
Off Topic - GVWR vs. Curb Weight
This is off topic; I apologize now but you guys are who I come to when I need help and I guess GVWR versus Curb Weight could be a Vette question to someone at some time.
Anyway, I bought a '56 Chevy Pickup project last night and now I need to bring it home tomorrow. I know the pickup has a GVWR of 5000 pounds but I'm thinking there is no way the thing actually weighs that much. Anybody know about Gross Vehicle Weight Rating versus curb weight for this?
I've got a car trailer and I want to pull this truck home on it. My 2005 Pathfinder is rated to pull 6000 lbs and my hitch says 5000 lbs. The truck is gutted with no interior, windshield or back glass. It does have motor and most other body parts.
Anybody got any thoughts on whether I can trailer this thing home tomorrow and not kill myself? From what I can tell, this is a 3100 pickup which is a 1/2 ton model. I'm thinking that means the truck itself has to weigh less than 4000 pounds if the GVWR is 5000 lbs. With no passengers and missing parts, I'm guessing ~3500 lbs. Anybody think that sounds right?
Thanks,
John
Anyway, I bought a '56 Chevy Pickup project last night and now I need to bring it home tomorrow. I know the pickup has a GVWR of 5000 pounds but I'm thinking there is no way the thing actually weighs that much. Anybody know about Gross Vehicle Weight Rating versus curb weight for this?
I've got a car trailer and I want to pull this truck home on it. My 2005 Pathfinder is rated to pull 6000 lbs and my hitch says 5000 lbs. The truck is gutted with no interior, windshield or back glass. It does have motor and most other body parts.
Anybody got any thoughts on whether I can trailer this thing home tomorrow and not kill myself? From what I can tell, this is a 3100 pickup which is a 1/2 ton model. I'm thinking that means the truck itself has to weigh less than 4000 pounds if the GVWR is 5000 lbs. With no passengers and missing parts, I'm guessing ~3500 lbs. Anybody think that sounds right?
Thanks,
John
Last edited by ShinodaVette; Nov 23, 2007 at 04:18 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,623
Likes: 22
From: Boise Idaho
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '15, '17
I think you are not far off at 3,500. This shows 3,200 for a '56 half ton--
http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/stor...vys/page2.html
http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/stor...vys/page2.html
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
how much does your trailer weigh and how far are you towing it ? the manufactuer is allways a little low on what a vehicle will tow. it all depends on what terrain and how far the tow is. my 1/2 ton Ford rated at 5K pounds pulled my 9K pound offshore boat with ease, but of course all the land is perfectly flat around here. I don't think that truck would be over 3500 pounds 
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,424
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
The trailer is another problem. All I can find is its GVWR as well which tells me nothing other than 6000 lbs.
We're in Florida and pulling about 135 miles on all flat ground. We're gonna try it tomorrow and see how it goes.
Thanks everybody.
We're in Florida and pulling about 135 miles on all flat ground. We're gonna try it tomorrow and see how it goes.
Thanks everybody.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,259
Likes: 2
From: MS
Same thing with the trailer, the GVWR means the total weight of the load and the trailer itself. Figure about 1,000 lbs for a car hauler so you are good on the numbers. Just run in direct drive (no overdrive) and take it easy, Make sure the truck is loaded on the trailer facing forward and you have enough tongue weight to squat the truck as too little tongue weight will make you squirrelly. You'll be fine.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
be very carefull pulling in overdrive. unless the roads are perfedtly flat I would not do it. overdrive is not designed to be a pulling gear and may overheat the trans. if I were pushing the limits I woud leave it out of overdrive.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,424
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
It towed home with absolutely no problems. It wasn't much heavier than my boat and we had a pleasant, safe trip.
I'll post a pic or two later today after I take a few. I bought it sight unseen off of fleabay and it's in rough condition; salvageable though. I think I paid about $500 too much for it but what the heck, I've been wanting a 55-57 pickup for a long time and this one was cheap enough with a clear title.
All the others that I looked at for more money that looked better on the surface would have needed a ton of work too since I'm a bit of a perfectionist so this is actually probably a better start for me for the money.
Now my biggest problem is figuring out what to do with a metal body car? I thought all cars were made out of fiberglass!
I'll post a pic or two later today after I take a few. I bought it sight unseen off of fleabay and it's in rough condition; salvageable though. I think I paid about $500 too much for it but what the heck, I've been wanting a 55-57 pickup for a long time and this one was cheap enough with a clear title.
All the others that I looked at for more money that looked better on the surface would have needed a ton of work too since I'm a bit of a perfectionist so this is actually probably a better start for me for the money.
Now my biggest problem is figuring out what to do with a metal body car? I thought all cars were made out of fiberglass!
Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 720
Likes: 1
From: Holtwood PA
Same thing with the trailer, the GVWR means the total weight of the load and the trailer itself. Figure about 1,000 lbs for a car hauler so you are good on the numbers. Just run in direct drive (no overdrive) and take it easy, Make sure the truck is loaded on the trailer facing forward and you have enough tongue weight to squat the truck as too little tongue weight will make you squirrelly. You'll be fine.
Dry weight --vehicle with no fluids
Curb weight-Vehicle as it sits at the dealer
GVWR ---Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. the Weight loaded with passengers rug rats animals camping gear etc.
GCWR Gross Combination Weight Rating, (usually used for Commercial Vehicles) weight of truck trailer passengers load etc.
