2021 Ram 3500 towing capacity.

The 2021 Ram 3500 tows 19,500 - 37,100 lbs depending on engine, cab, drivetrain, wheel class, axle ratio, GVWR, GCWR, and box configuration.

Find your towing capacity Look up your exact 2021 Ram 3500 configuration → Compare engine families Compare 2021 powertrain and diesel tune groups → View full comparison chart Open 2021 full chart →

Built from official Ram 2021 towing guides. Source pages cited below.

2021 Ram 3500
2021 TOWING RANGE
19,500 - 37,100 LBS
PEAK PAYLOAD
6,840 LBS
MAX GCWR
45,000 LBS
POWERTRAIN

Towing Capacity by Engine

Your engine determines your base towing limit. Start here to see the 2021 ratings for your specific Ram 3500 setup.

Ram publishes separate 2021 diesel tune guide groups for Diesel HO and Diesel SO configurations.

Ram 3500 Diesel HO

23,000 - 37,100 lbs
Highest Capacity
6.7L I6 Cummins HO Turbo Diesel Peak payload 6,570 lbs
Range: 23,000 - 37,100 lbs
Max rating 37,100 LBS

Ram 3500 Diesel SO

19,500 - 22,670 lbs
Highest Capacity
6.7L I6 Cummins Turbo Diesel Peak payload 6,840 lbs
Range: 19,500 - 22,670 lbs
Max rating 22,670 LBS
TONGUE LOAD CONV / 5TH-WHEEL
10% / 15%
Conventional vs. 5th-wheel/gooseneck
TRAILERING HARDWARE EQUIPMENT WEIGHT
75 / 70 / 250 LBS
Conventional / gooseneck / 5th wheel
HITCH THRESHOLDS TRAILER LIMITS
23k / 30k LBS
5th-wheel / gooseneck required above this weight
RATING METHOD STANDARD
SAE J2807
Industry tow-rating standard
VIEW ALL FINE PRINT
GUIDE FINE PRINT

Ground rules behind every 2021 Ram 3500 Diesel HO / Diesel SO towing rating.

These guide rules define the payload, trailering hardware, and limits behind every 2021 Ram 3500 Diesel HO / Diesel SO towing rating on this page.

FIG. 2021 LOAD Baseline Weights

Weights Ram already counted in every rating

  • Passenger weight: 300 lbs counted for driver + passengers.
  • Options weight: 100 lbs counted for factory-installed options.
  • Conventional tongue: 10% of gross trailer weight.
  • 5th-wheel / gooseneck tongue: 15% of gross trailer weight.
FIG. 2021 CALC Payload Formula

How Ram derives payload from base weight

  • Formula: Payload = GVWR - Base Weight
  • Values: Published as estimated values.
  • Rounding: nearest 10 lbs.
FIG. 2021 HITCH Hitch Loading

Hardware weight deducted from payload

  • Conventional hitch: 75 lbs of equipment weight.
  • Gooseneck: 70 lbs of equipment weight.
  • 5th wheel: 250 lbs of equipment weight.
FIG. 2021 LIMIT Commercial / Hitch Limits

Chassis-cab and heavy-trailer thresholds

  • Body-completion weight: 80 lbs per foot from end of cab to end of frame.
  • 5th-wheel required over: 23,000 lbs trailer weight.
  • Gooseneck required over: 30,000 lbs trailer weight.
FIG. 2021 STD Rating Standard

SAE J2807 compliance

  • Trailer Weight Rating and Tow Vehicle Trailering Weight are calculated as specified in SAE J2807.
FIG. 2021 WARN Warnings

Manufacturer safety warnings

  • Payload and Trailer Weight Rating are mutually exclusive.
  • GAWRs, GVWRs and GCWRs should never be exceeded.
  • Payload and GAWR should never be exceeded and must account for all of the above weights, including the appropriate trailering equipment and tongue weight.
FIG. 2021 NOTES Policy Notes

All published notes from the 2021 towing guides

  • Payload and Max Trailer Weights are ESTIMATED values. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • All values are shown in pounds unless otherwise stated. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Payload and Max Trailer Weight values are rounded to the nearest 10lb. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Payload = GVWR - Base Weight p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Payload and Trailer Weight Rating are mutually exclusive. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • GAWRs, GVWRs and GCWRs should never be exceeded. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Trailer Weight Rating and Tow Vehicle Trailering Weight are calculated as specified in SAE J2807. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Passenger Weight = 300 lb p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Options Weight = 100 lb p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Trailering Equipment Weight: 75 lb for Conventional Hitch, 70 lb for Gooseneck and 250 lb for 5th Wheel. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Tongue weight: 10 percent of the gross trailer weight for Conventional Hitch, 15 percent of the gross trailer weight for a 5th Wheel or Gooseneck hitch. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Payload and GAWR should never be exceeded and must account for all of the above weights, including the appropriate trailering equipment and tongue weight. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Box Off Body Completion Weight = 80 lb per foot from end of cab to end of frame p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • A fifth-wheel hitch is required for trailers over 23,000 lbs. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • A Gooseneck hitch is required for trailers over 30,000 lbs. p.3 - Diesel HO, Diesel SO
  • Maximum Capability p.3 · Diesel HO
NOTES: These ground rules apply to every published towing and payload rating. Your specific truck configuration may have additional constraints.
Technical Audit

Data sources

These citations show the Ram guide pages used to build the 2021 Ram 3500 overview and guide-policy notes.

Show source pages for the 2021 guide
DOC_ID: ram-3500 DOCUMENT BASIS

2021 Ram 3500 Diesel HO Towing Guide

Audit Scope PAGES: 1-3
DOC_ID: ram-3500 DOCUMENT BASIS

2021 Ram 3500 Diesel SO Towing Guide

Audit Scope PAGES: 1-3