A 2026 Ram 3500 is rated to tow up to 36,610 lb, but that figure belongs to one dually build and needs a gooseneck. On a ball hitch the same truck is capped by its receiver at 23,000 lb, and a factory fifth-wheel hitch is rated 30,000 lb.
Ram 3500 Towing Capacity: Conventional, Fifth Wheel and Gooseneck
At a glance
- Most it can tow: 36,610 lb on the 2026 chart, for the Regular Cab 8' bed 4x4 with dual rear wheels and the High-Output Cummins.
- By hitch type in 2026: 23,000 lb on the receiver, 30,000 lb on a factory fifth-wheel hitch, 37,100 lb on a factory gooseneck hitch.
- What usually decides a match: payload, which runs from 3,970 lb to 7,590 lb across 2026 builds and has to carry the pin weight too.
On this page (7)
How much can a Ram 3500 tow, year by year
Find your model year below. Each figure is the best build that year, a Regular Cab with the High-Output Cummins; every other build tows less, and the top figures all need a fifth wheel or gooseneck.
| Model year | Most it can tow | Engine |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 31,210 lb | 6.7L Cummins High-Output |
| 2017 | 31,210 lb | 6.7L Cummins High-Output |
| 2018 | 31,210 lb | 6.7L Cummins High-Output |
| 2019 | 35,100 lb | 6.7L Cummins High-Output |
| 2020 | 35,100 lb | 6.7L Cummins High-Output |
| 2021 | 37,100 lb | 6.7L Cummins High-Output |
| 2022 and 2023 | Not published here | Ram's charts for these years are not reachable online |
| 2024 | 37,090 lb | 6.7L Cummins High-Output |
| 2025 | 36,610 lb | 6.7L Cummins High-Output (from now on, Ram rates only it and the 6.4L HEMI) |
| 2026 | 36,610 lb | 6.7L Cummins High-Output |
Your own truck's figure depends on its cab, bed and axle. Ram's 2026 Heavy Duty payload and towing chart lists every combination. For an older truck, use that year's chart, such as the 2019 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty towing chart. Ram calls its 2020 and 2021 figures estimates.
Worth knowing: the 2026 truck is allowed more on a ball hitch. A 2026 Ram 3500 can pull up to 23,000 lb on the receiver, with 2,300 lb on the ball. On a 2024 or 2025 truck, anything over 18,000 lb needs a fifth wheel or gooseneck.
The three hitches and what each one allows
On this truck the hitch matters as much as the rating. A ball hitch in the receiver, a fifth wheel in the bed and a gooseneck in the bed each have their own limit, and on a diesel dually that limit, not the truck, decides what you can tow.
| Hitch type | Most it can tow | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Ball hitch (receiver) | 23,000 lb | No more than 2,300 lb on the ball |
| Fifth wheel | 30,000 lb | A fifth-wheel hitch in the bed; up to 4,500 lb on the pin |
| Gooseneck | 36,610 lb (hitch rated 37,100 lb) | A High-Output Cummins dually; up to 5,565 lb on the ball |
For comparison, a 2026 Ram 2500 receiver is rated 20,000 lb and 2,000 lb of tongue weight. The hitch ratings come from the 2026 Ram 2500/3500 owner's manual, and Ram's 2026 chart lists every cab, bed and axle combination.
On a ball hitch, your limit is the lower of 23,000 lb and your truck's own rating. Every 2026 HEMI is rated below 23,000 lb, so the receiver never holds it back. Every High-Output dually is rated above it, so it needs a fifth wheel or gooseneck, and the four highest ratings are above the 30,000 lb fifth-wheel limit, so only a gooseneck reaches them.
Worth knowing: 36,610 lb is one build on one hitch. A Crew Cab 8' bed 4x4 dually is rated 33,890 lb. On a fifth wheel neither figure is reachable, because the factory fifth-wheel hitch is rated 30,000 lb.
Can a Ram 3500 pull a fifth wheel or toy hauler?
Almost always yes; what usually limits you is payload, because the bed has to carry the pin weight. A 2026 Ram 3500 carries from 3,970 lb to 7,590 lb, depending on the build. Duallies carry the most; single-rear-wheel trucks top out at 4,970 lb. No truck reaches its maximum payload and its maximum trailer weight at the same time.
Plan on about 15 percent of a fifth wheel's or gooseneck's weight on the pin, against 10 percent on a ball hitch. A 15,000 lb fifth wheel puts about 2,250 lb (calculated) on the pin, and that comes out of the same payload as the people, the fuel, the generator and the hitch itself.
Worth knowing: the diesel tows the most but carries less. On the same 2026 Regular Cab dually, the High-Output Cummins can carry 1,540 lb less than the 6.4L HEMI, before a trailer is hitched.
Single rear wheel or dually, gas or diesel
Dual rear wheels let the diesel tow far more; with the gas engine they add little. A 2026 High-Output Cummins dually is rated 32,890 lb to 36,610 lb. With single rear wheels, the same engine is rated 23,550 lb to 26,080 lb. Every 2026 HEMI sits between 14,560 lb and 18,150 lb, and the best HEMI dually tows only a little more than the best single-rear-wheel HEMI. On a HEMI, the 4.10 axle is worth having: every 4.10 build is rated above every 3.73 build.
The diesel's output matters more. On the same 2021 Regular Cab dually, the High-Output Cummins tows 37,100 lb and the standard-output Cummins 22,670 lb, and the High-Output gives up only a little payload. The detail is in Ram's 2021 Ram 3500 Body Builder chart. For 2025 and 2026, Ram rates only two engines: the 6.4L HEMI and the High-Output Cummins.
Ram's Fifth-Wheel/Gooseneck Tow Prep Group adds a crossmember over the rear axle and trailer wiring in the bed. It raises no rating, and the hitch is extra.
Comparing with a Ford? Match rows, not headlines; Ford gives F-350 figures by configuration too.
Trailer brakes, weight distribution and wiring
Whatever your build, the 2026 owner's manual sets the same three rules:
- Trailer brakes are recommended above 1,000 lb of trailer weight and required above 2,000 lb.
- A trailer with electric brakes needs an electronic brake controller; one with hydraulic surge brakes does not.
- A weight-distributing hitch is recommended from 5,000 lb of trailer weight, but it may not work with surge brake couplers.
Use a factory approved wiring harness and connector. Fitting gooseneck or fifth-wheel rails is structural work for a qualified hitch installer. For general towing safety, see NHTSA's towing guidance.
Licenses, labels and your own truck's figure
Before you buy a trailer, check your license, your weight label and your chart.
Ram's manual and charts say nothing about licenses. Ask your state licensing agency whether your combination needs a special or commercial license; federal rules also apply if you tow commercially.
Your truck's own GVWR and axle ratings are on the certification label on the driver's side door pillar. Lighter trucks also have a yellow Tire and Loading Information placard, but FMVSS No. 110 requires it only up to 10,000 lb GVWR. Every 2026 Ram 3500 is rated above that, so yours may not have one.
For the trailer figure, find your engine, cab, bed, rear wheels and axle on your model year's chart. Ram's online Towing Capacity Guide covers only 2024 to 2026; for an older truck, use that year's chart.
Common questions
How much can a Ram 3500 tow?
Up to 36,610 lb for 2026, but only one High-Output Cummins dually reaches it, and only on a gooseneck. On a ball hitch the limit is 23,000 lb. The hitch table above shows what each hitch allows.
How much can a Ram 3500 dually tow?
With the High-Output Cummins, a 2026 dually tows 32,890 lb to 36,610 lb. A HEMI dually tows far less, 18,150 lb at most. Cab, bed, drivetrain and axle ratio set the exact figure, which is on Ram's chart for your model year.
How much can a Ram 3500 tow with a fifth wheel?
Up to 30,000 lb with 4,500 lb on the pin, the factory fifth-wheel hitch rating, or your truck's own rating if that is lower. The pin weight also has to fit within your payload.
What is the difference between a Ram 2500 and a 3500 for towing?
Every hitch on the 3500 is rated higher, most of all the gooseneck: 37,100 lb against 20,000 lb on the 2500. The hitch table above has all three 3500 ratings. The 3500 also comes as a dually with a 14,000 lb GVWR, which gives it more payload.