Weight Ratings Explained & Van Conversion Weight Breakdown

Weight Ratings Explained & Van Conversion Weight Breakdown

Weight-Ratings-Explained-and-Van-Conversion-Weight-Breakdown-Heading
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Weight and weight distribution is not a sexy Van life topic and doesn’t get much attention, but it deserves to be addressed as it has many critical implications; SAFETY being the most important of all. Indeed weight added by a van conversion affects safety, performances and handling of the vehicle and improper management can put you (and others) at risk and shorten the life of the vehicle and its components. Overload can also prevent being compliant with laws and safety standards. Let’s do our due diligence and check what all those acronyms mean (GVWR, GAWR, etc.), then check out our van conversion weight breakdown for real-world example.

1. Weight Ratings Explained


1.1. Glossary


Curb Weight:
  • The weight of the vehicle (empty).
  • Includes: Standard equipment, oil, lubricants, and full tank of gas.
  • Does not include: Driver & passenger, optional & aftermarket equipment, or cargo.
  • Take note: The curb weight varies with models and standard equipment. For example, the curb weight of our AWD EcoBoost van is higher than our RWD 3.7L van (for the same length/height).
Gross-Vehicle-Weight-(GVW)-van on a scale
Payload Weight:
  • The weight added to the curb weight.
  • Includes: Driver & passengers, optional & aftermarket equipment, conversion weight (permanent), cargo weight (removable).
Camper-Van-Conversion-Payload-Weight
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW):
  • The sum of the curb weight and payload weight.
  • Includes: Vehicle, standard equipment, oil, lubricants, full tank of gas, driver & passengers, optional & aftermarket equipment, conversion weight (permanent), cargo weight (removable).
Camper-Van-Conversion-Gross-Vehicle-Weight--(GVW)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR):
  • The maximum allowable total weight of the fully loaded vehicle.
  • In other words: The GVW should never exceed the GVWR.
Gross-Vehicle-Weight-Rating-(GVWR)
Gross Axle Weight (GAW):
  • The total weight (GVW) measured on each axle of the vehicle (front and rear).
Camper-Van-Conversion-Gross-Axle-Weight-(GAW)
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR):
  • The maximum allowable total weight to be placed on an individual axle (front or rear).
Gross-Axle-Weight-Rating(GAWR)
Center Of Gravity (CG):
  • The location of an imaginary point where all the weight may be concentrated.
  • A bit more: The point at which the vehicle is in perfect balance. In other words, if the vehicle was dropped on the tip of a sharp pencil, it would not tip over.
Vehicle-Center-Of-Gravity-(CG)

1.2. Resources


Weight ratings, curb weight, payload, capacities, etc.

2. Weight Impact In A Nutshell


2.1. Weight


People generally think of the impact of weight as fuel mileage, brake wear and suspension performance. There’s actually much more to it! Weight ratings (GVWR, GAWR, etc.) impact the vehicle’s safety, performance and durability. They are determined by the manufacturer through a series of standardized tests and take into account braking performance (not just wear!), vehicle stability, durability (chassis, drivetrain, etc.), dynamic stability and handling.

A misconception is that GVWR can be increased by the means of aftermarket upgrades (e.g. suspension upgrade); this is NOT the case. As we’ve seen, GVWR is complex and take into account several factors.

2.2. Weight Distribution


Weight distribution impact the center of gravity (CG):

Vehicle-Center-Of-Gravity-(CG-horizontal-vertical-lateral)
Center Of Gravity: horizontal, vertical and lateral.
Horizontal CG

The horizontal center of gravity impacts the front & rear gross axle weight (GAW), steering control and traction.

Vertical CG

The vertical center of gravity impacts brake dive and sway (or roll) during a turn.

Lateral CG

The lateral center of gravity impacts the weight on the left & right tires, sway (or roll) during a turn.


3. Your Role As A DIY Builder


Your role as a DIY builder is to make sure to stay within range of the vehicle weight ratings (GVWR, GAWR).

  1. Take note of your curb weight, allowable payload, GVWR and GAWR. These are provided by the manufacturer (se resources above) and are specific to each brand/model/options.
  2. Optional: Upon delivery of your new van, take it to a scale to measure your actual curb weight.
    • Fill the gas tank first
    • Substract the driver/passenger weight if applicable
  3. Build it! Converting a van is not like building a house: weight matters. Try to use lightweight material throughout your build.
  4. Once your van conversion is completed, take it to a scale and measure your GVW and GAW (front & rear). Make sure they are under the weight ratings (GVWR, GAWR).
    • Remember that GVW includes everything: all the fluids (gas, water, propane, etc.), driver & passenger(s), aftermarket equipment, cargo (food, kitchen stuff, bikes, etc., etc.).
  5. Optional: Empty the removable cargo from your van and take it to a scale to find out:
    • Conversion payload (permanent weight added from your conversion) = scale weight – curb weight
    • Cargo payload (removable weight) = GVW – conversion payload – curb weight

Your role as a DIY builder is also to think of weight distribution throughout your conversion.

  1. Vertical CG. The holy grail of safety, performance & handling for any vehicle design is to keep the vertical CG as low as possible. For example that’s why, by locating the batteries under the floor, Tesla obtained one of the best test results (safety, performance & handling) in the industry. So remember that weight added higher (e.g. roof rack, overhead storage, ceiling material) has much more impact that weight added at floor level (e.g. battery bank, water tank, etc.).
  2. Horizontal and Lateral CG. Try to plan your layout so that weight is balanced approximately equally between front/rear and left/right. Don’t go crazy with this, but do your best.

4. Weight Breakdown Of Our Vans


Ford Transit Conversion 2016

Our First Van Conversion

Faroutride Kitchen 3
  • T-250 Cargo Van
  • 3.7L Ti-VCT V6 Engine
  • RWD
  • 148″ Wheelbase, Extended Length (EL)
  • High Roof
  • GVWR: 9,000 lb

Our first labor of love, this Ford Transit camper van conversion took us throughout Canada, USA and Mexico. 4 years of full time Van Life adventures, unreal!

Weight Summary

Curb Weight (per specs sheet)5,500 lb
Payload Conversion1,800 lb
Payload Cargo1,700 lb
TOTAL (GVW):8,950 lb

Ford Transit conversion 2022

Our Next Chapter

FarOutRide-New-Van-2021-Ford-Transit-AWD-Blue
  • T-350 Cargo Van
  • 3.5L EcoBoost (twin-turbocharged) Engine
  • AWD
  • 148″ Wheelbase, Extended Length (EL)
  • High Roof
  • Extended-Range Fuel Tank (31 gal)
  • GVWR: 9,500 lb
  • GAWR front: 4,630 lb
  • GAWR rear: 5,660 lb

Life is about project, so here’s an awesome new project to keep us busy for a while! We should start the conversion early January 2022.

Weight Summary

Curb Weight (actual)6,030 lb
Payload ConversionWait for it!
Payload Cargo Wait for it!
TOTAL (GVW): Wait for it!

Weight Breakdown

ITEMWeight
(lb)
Exterior
Wheels upgrade
Larger all-terrain tires upgrade
Roof rack & ladder95
Nudge Bar20
Awning
Cell phone signal booster
Suspension leveling kit
Mosquito screens
Climate Control
Roof fan
Bunk window
Thinsulate
Low-E
Floor insulation
Air heater
Insulated window covers
Wall fan
Electrical System
Solar panels
Battery bank
Solar charge controller
System monitor
Inverter/charger
DC-to-DC (B2B) alternator charger
Others (wiring, switch, fuses, etc)
Water System
Fresh water tank
Pump & accumulator
Sink
Water heater
Others
Floor
Insulation is covered under “Climate Control”
Subfloor (plywood)
Vinyl flooring
Others (adhesive, etc.)
Walls & Ceiling
Insulation is covered under “Climate Control”
Paneling
Swivel Seats
Driver30
Passenger30
Kitchen
Cabinet (driver side)
Cabinet (passenger side)
Overhead storage
12V refrigerator
Others
Living room / Dining room / Office
Lagun Table (Passenger Seat)13
Composting toilet
Couch / composting toilet’s cabinet
Bedroom
Bed platform
Bedroom storage
Garage
Slide-out-bike-rack
Others
TOTAL (so far)188 lb

References for this article:

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Hello! We’re Isabelle and Antoine 🙂 In 2017, we sold our house (and everything in it), quit our engineering careers, and moved into our self-built campervan. Every day is an opportunity for a new adventure... We’re chasing our dreams, and hopefully it inspires others to do the same!

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