What you need to tow with a 2026 Ram 1500
The 2026 Ram 1500 is rated from 6,340 to 11,610 lb depending on engine, axle ratio, cab, bed and drivetrain — an 83% spread. Find your configuration below, then size the hitch to the trailer you are towing, not to the truck's maximum.
A single towing number for this truck would be a lie. 11,610 lb applies to one exact configuration when properly equipped. Same badge, different engine, axle ratio, cab, bed or drivetrain, and the real figure can be thousands of pounds lower. That is why every row below carries its configuration.
2026 Ram 1500 towing by configuration
| Engine | Axle | Cab | Bed | Drive | GCWR (lb) | Max trailer (lb) | Requires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.92 | Quad Cab | 6'4" Bed | 2WD | 17,000 | 11,610 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.92 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 2WD | 17,000 | 11,490 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.92 | Crew Cab | 6'4" Bed | 2WD | 17,000 | 11,420 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.92 | Quad Cab | 6'4" Bed | 4WD | 17,000 | 11,370 | — |
| 5.7L HEMI V8/A8 8HP75 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.92 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 2WD | 17,000 | 11,320 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.92 | Crew Cab | 6'4" Bed | 4WD | 17,000 | 11,220 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.92 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 4WD | 17,000 | 11,200 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane H/O/A8 8HP75 (Limited) | 3.92 | Crew Cab | 6'4" Bed | 4WD | 16,220 | 10,000 | — |
| 5.7L HEMI V8/A8 8HP75 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.92 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 4WD | 15,850 | 9,590 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane H/O/A8 8HP75 (Limited) | 3.92 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 4WD | 15,420 | 9,240 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.21 | Quad Cab | 6'4" Bed | 2WD | 13,900 | 8,510 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.21 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 2WD | 13,900 | 8,390 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane H/O/A8 8HP75 (RHO) | 3.92 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 4WD | 15,160 | 8,360 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.21 | Crew Cab | 6'4" Bed | 2WD | 13,900 | 8,320 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.55 | Quad Cab | 6'4" Bed | 4WD | 13,900 | 8,270 | — |
| 5.7L HEMI V8/A8 8HP75 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.21 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 2WD | 13,900 | 8,220 | — |
| 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 with eTorque/A8 850RE (GEN 2) (Tradesman) | 3.55 | Quad Cab | 6'4" Bed | 2WD | 13,370 | 8,130 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.55 | Crew Cab | 6'4" Bed | 4WD | 13,900 | 8,120 | — |
| 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.55 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 4WD | 13,900 | 8,100 | — |
| 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 with eTorque/A8 850RE (GEN 2) (Tradesman) | 3.55 | Quad Cab | 6'4" Bed | 2WD | 12,900 | 7,660 | — |
| 5.7L HEMI V8/A8 8HP75 8HP75 (Tradesman) | 3.55 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 4WD | 13,900 | 7,640 | — |
| 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 with eTorque/A8 850RE (GEN 2) (Tradesman) | 3.55 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 2WD | 12,900 | 7,570 | — |
| 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 with eTorque/A8 850RE (GEN 2) (Tradesman) | 3.55 | Quad Cab | 6'4" Bed | 4WD | 12,900 | 7,470 | — |
| 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 with eTorque/A8 850RE (GEN 2) (Tradesman) | 3.55 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 4WD | 12,900 | 7,340 | — |
| 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 with eTorque/A8 850RE (GEN 2) (Tradesman) | 3.21 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 2WD | 11,900 | 6,570 | — |
| 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 with eTorque/A8 850RE (GEN 2) (Tradesman) | 3.21 | Quad Cab | 6'4" Bed | 4WD | 11,900 | 6,470 | — |
| 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 with eTorque/A8 850RE (GEN 2) (Tradesman) | 3.21 | Crew Cab | 5'7" Bed | 4WD | 11,900 | 6,340 | — |
Axle ratio is the spec that gets left out. It changes the rating materially, and no commercial vehicle-data API carries it — which is one reason third-party towing databases have been measured overstating ratings by thousands of pounds. It is on your build sheet, or decodable from the RPO label in the glovebox.
Source: 2026 Ram 1500 manufacturer trailering chart · last verified 2026-08-29
The kit for this truck
Towing hardware is sized to the trailer. Pick the weight you are actually pulling:
Tow 4,500 lb with a 1500Tow 5,000 lb with a 1500Tow 6,000 lb with a 1500Tow 7,000 lb with a 1500Tow 8,000 lb with a 1500Tow 9,000 lb with a 1500Tow 10,000 lb with a 1500Tow 11,000 lb with a 1500
At this truck's ceiling (11,610 lb) you would be in Class 5 XD hardware with a weight-distributing hitch and a brake controller. See the 11,000 lb kit for this vehicle →
Before you trust any of these numbers
- Your payload governs. Addition of trailer hitch weight cannot cause vehicle weights to exceed Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating (RGAWR) or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). These ratings can be found on the certification label located on the driver door or doorframe.
- Tongue weight is not free. 10–15% of the trailer sits on your rear axle and comes out of payload, not out of tow rating.
- Engines in this chart: 3.6L DOHC Pentastar V6 with eTorque/A8 850RE (GEN 2) (Tradesman) · 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane (SO)/ A8 8HP75 (Tradesman) · 5.7L HEMI V8/A8 8HP75 8HP75 (Tradesman) · 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane H/O/A8 8HP75 (RHO) · 3.0L I6 Twin Turbo Hurricane H/O/A8 8HP75 (Limited). If yours is not listed, this chart does not cover your configuration.
Common questions
How much can a 2026 Ram 1500 tow?
Between 6,340 and 11,610 lb depending on the exact configuration — that is an 83% spread, so a single headline number is misleading. The 11,610 lb figure requires one specific combination of engine, axle ratio, cab, bed and drivetrain. Look up your own configuration in the table on this page.
What hitch do I need for a 2026 Ram 1500?
Size the hitch to the trailer, not the truck. For a trailer up to 10,000 lb you need Class 4 hardware with a 2 in receiver, plus a weight-distributing hitch with sway control. The truck's rating is a ceiling you must stay under, not the thing you buy for.
Why is there no payload number on this page?
Because payload is specific to your individual vehicle, not to the model. It is printed on the certification label in your driver's door jamb. Published sources disagree with manufacturers in both directions on payload, so stating one per model would be wrong for most trucks. Your tongue weight counts against payload, which is why it matters.