A 2026 Ram 1500 can tow up to 11,610 pounds, but only as a two-wheel-drive Quad Cab with the 6'4" bed, the standard-output 3.0L Hurricane six and the 3.92 axle ratio. The axle ratio matters most on a Ram: Ram's 2026 chart rates the same truck with a 3.21 axle at 8,510 pounds.
Ram 1500 Towing Capacity by Year, Engine and Axle Ratio
At a glance
- Most it can tow: 11,610 lb, as a 2026 Quad Cab 4x2 with the 3.0L Hurricane and the 3.92 axle.
- With a camper, check payload too: 2026 trucks carry 1,390 to 2,360 lb, and that has to cover passengers, cargo and the trailer's tongue weight.
- Older Rams were rated higher: 12,750 lb for the 5.7L HEMI with eTorque on the 3.92 axle, every year from 2019 to 2024; find your year below.
On this page (6)
How much can my Ram 1500 tow? Year by year
Find your model year below. Each year's top figure is for a two-wheel-drive truck with the 3.92 axle, and other builds tow less; the engine column also notes when engines came and went.
| Model year | Most it can tow | Engine |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 10,450 lb | 5.7L HEMI V8 |
| 2015 | 10,650 lb | 5.7L HEMI V8 |
| 2016 | 10,640 lb | 5.7L HEMI V8 |
| 2017 | 10,640 lb | 5.7L HEMI V8 |
| 2018 | 10,620 lb | 5.7L HEMI V8 |
| 2019 | 12,750 lb | 5.7L HEMI eTorque (new body) |
| 2020 | 12,750 lb | 5.7L HEMI eTorque (EcoDiesel new) |
| 2021 | 12,750 lb | 5.7L HEMI eTorque (TRX new) |
| 2022 | 12,750 lb | 5.7L HEMI V8 |
| 2023 | 12,750 lb | 5.7L HEMI V8 |
| 2024 | 12,750 lb | 5.7L HEMI eTorque (EcoDiesel gone) |
| 2025 | 11,550 lb | 3.0L Hurricane (HEMI gone) |
| 2026 | 11,610 lb | 3.0L Hurricane (HEMI back) |
For the full detail, Ram's Towing Capacity Guide opens the 2024 to 2026 charts, and each year's chart lists every cab, bed, drivetrain and axle combination.
Sources: Ram's 2014 chart, 2015 chart, 2018 chart, 2021 DT chart, 2024 chart and 2025 media towing chart. Later years are tested to the SAE J2807 standard and 2014 is not, so 2014 is not directly comparable.
Other engines rate lower. The best of them was the EcoDiesel, at up to 12,560 lb from 2020 to 2023; the 2026 table below has today's engines. For 2025 the only engines were the 3.6L and the two Hurricanes (2025 chart). As with any half-ton truck, the top figure belongs to the lightest build with the highest axle ratio; to compare with a Silverado 1500, match build to build using Chevrolet's trailering pages.
Tip: On a used 2019 to 2024 truck, check for the Max Tow Package as well as the axle: the 12,750 lb top rating needs both. Without the package, the same truck is rated 11,560 lb in Ram's 2021 chart.
Have a Ram 1500 Classic?
When the current body arrived for 2019, Ram kept selling the older one as the Ram 1500 Classic, rated lower: 10,500 to 10,710 lb at best with the 5.7L HEMI from 2019 to 2024. The 2019 Classic diesel was rated 9,290 lb. A 2024 Classic sits at the bottom of that range, because that year's Classic came without the Regular Cab 8' box (2024 Classic chart).
Which 2026 Ram 1500 tows the most?
The standard-output Hurricane tows the most. The table gives each 2026 engine's best towing figure and the most payload Ram offers with it; each needs the right cab, drivetrain and axle.
| Engine | Most it can tow | Max payload |
|---|---|---|
| 3.6L Pentastar V6 | 8,130 lb | 2,360 lb |
| 3.0L Hurricane (SO) | 11,610 lb | 1,930 lb |
| 5.7L HEMI V8 | 11,320 lb | 1,650 lb |
| 3.0L Hurricane H/O | 10,000 lb | 1,490 lb |
Ram's 2026 chart lists every cab, bed and axle combination. The high-output Hurricane rates lower because it comes in the heavier RHO and Limited trucks.
On a Ram 1500 the axle ratio matters more than engine, cab or trim. Only the 3.92 axle takes a 2026 Ram 1500 above 11,000 lb, so check the axle ratio before anything else.
Can a Ram 1500 pull a camper? Check payload first
A camper has to fit two limits: what your truck can pull and what it can carry. Ram sets no trailer-length limit, so compare the camper's loaded weight with your year's figure above.
Then check payload: passengers, cargo and tongue weight all count against it, so you cannot use the full tow rating and full payload at once. The best tower is not the best carrier: the 3.6L carries the most and tows the least, and the Hurricane H/O trucks carry the least. Your own truck's figure is on the Tire and Loading placard on the driver's door or B-pillar.
Hitch, brakes and tongue weight
Near the top ratings the hitch runs out before the truck does, so check the hitch's own limit.
Ram counts a tenth of the trailer's weight as tongue weight, so an 11,000 lb trailer puts 1,100 lb on the ball (calculated). That is already the most the Class IV receiver can take in Ram's 2026 chart. The 2026 owner's manual allows 1,161 lb; either way, never exceed the rating stamped on your hitch. Use a weight-distributing hitch for any trailer over 5,000 lb.
Trailer brakes are recommended over 1,000 lb and required above 2,000 lb. Electric trailer brakes need a brake controller; surge brakes do not.
Tip: No 2026 Ram 1500 rating depends on a tow package; the factory Trailer Tow Package mainly adds wiring. A listing that says a 2026 package unlocks a higher rating is wrong.
How do I find my own Ram's rating?
Your truck's rating is one row of its model year's chart: match the year, engine, cab, bed, drivetrain and axle ratio.
The label on the driver's door or B-pillar gives weight limits, not the tow rating; the Tire and Loading placard gives how much people, cargo and tongue weight the truck can carry. The step-by-step lookup walks through it.
For 2024 to 2026 (not the Classic), Ram's Towing Capacity Guide opens the right chart. For older years, use that year's chart linked above.
The axle ratio is not on the door label. Get it from the window sticker or build paperwork, or ask a dealer to look it up by VIN. Until you know it, use the lower ratio's row.
Common questions
How much can a Ram 1500 tow?
Up to 11,610 lb for 2026, as a Quad Cab 6'4" 4x2 with the 3.0L Hurricane standard-output six and the 3.92 axle. Most 2026 builds are rated between 6,340 and 8,510 lb. Older years peaked at 10,450 to 12,750 lb; the year table above has each one.
How much can a 5.7 HEMI Ram 1500 tow?
From 2019 to 2024, up to 12,750 lb with eTorque, in a Quad Cab 6'4" 4x2 with the 3.92 axle. For 2026, up to 11,320 lb with two-wheel drive and 9,590 lb with four-wheel drive; there was no 2025 HEMI.
Which Ram 1500 can tow 10,000 lbs?
For 2026, only trucks with the 3.92 axle, rated 10,000 to 11,610 lb. Every standard-output Hurricane build with that axle gets there, but only one HEMI build and one high-output Hurricane build do; Ram's 2026 chart lists them. No 3.6L, 3.21 or 3.55 build gets there.
How big of a camper can a Ram 1500 pull?
Think in pounds, not feet: Ram sets no length limit. Compare the camper's loaded weight with your year's maximum, then check payload and the 1,100 lb receiver limit.
How do I find my Ram 1500's axle ratio and towing capacity?
Match your truck to one row of its model year's chart by engine, cab, bed, drivetrain and axle ratio. The ratio is on the window sticker or build paperwork, or a dealer can find it by VIN; until then, use the lower ratio's row.