Tow Ratings Towing capacity for every US vehicle, 1991 to today

2016 Ram 3500 towing capacity

The 2016 Ram 3500 is published in 26 configurations, with tow ratings ranging from 10,990 to 11,910 lb depending on cab, bed, drivetrain, and hitch class. The peak figure (11,910 lb) sits in half-ton plus / heavy-duty truck territory.

The table below lists every trim of the 2016 Ram 3500 with the engine, drivetrain, axle ratio, horsepower, torque, GVWR, curb weight, and payload that go with that trim's headline tow rating. Manufacturers often publish more than one tow figure per truck — a conventional bumper-hitch rating, a weight-distributing rating, and a gooseneck or fifth-wheel rating — so the highest number here is the maximum across all hitch classes the source carries for the trim.

Per-trim breakdown

Configuration Engine HP Torque Axle Tow (lb) GVWR Curb Payload
Tradesman 4x2 Regular Cab 140 in. WB — — — — 11,910 10,100 6,022 4,078
SLT 4x2 Regular Cab 140 in. WB — — — — 11,910 10,100 6,022 4,078
Tradesman 4x2 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW — — — — 11,520 10,500 6,412 4,088
SLT 4x2 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW — — — — 11,520 10,500 6,412 4,088
Laramie 4x2 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW — — — — 11,520 10,500 6,412 4,088
Longhorn 4x2 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW — — — — 11,520 10,500 6,412 4,088
Tradesman 4x4 Regular Cab 140 in. WB — — — — 11,560 10,300 6,370 3,930
SLT 4x4 Regular Cab 140 in. WB — — — — 11,560 10,300 6,370 3,930
Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW — — — — 11,200 10,700 6,732 3,968
SLT 4x4 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW — — — — 11,200 10,700 6,732 3,968
Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SR — — — — 11,200 10,700 6,732 3,968
Longhorn 4x4 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW — — — — 11,200 10,700 6,732 3,968
Tradesman 4x2 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB — — — — 11,410 11,000 6,524 4,476
SLT 4x2 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB — — — — 11,410 11,000 6,524 4,476
Laramie 4x2 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB — — — — 11,410 11,000 6,524 4,476
Longhorn 4x2 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB — — — — 11,410 11,000 6,524 4,476
Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB — — — — 11,020 11,300 6,909 4,391
SLT 4x4 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB — — — — 11,020 11,300 6,909 4,391
Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB — — — — 11,020 11,300 6,909 4,391
Longhorn 4x4 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB — — — — 11,020 11,300 6,909 4,391
SLT 4x2 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB — — — — 11,270 11,000 6,661 4,339
Laramie 4x2 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB — — — — 11,270 11,000 6,661 4,339
Longhorn 4x2 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB — — — — 11,270 11,000 6,661 4,339
SLT 4x4 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB — — — — 10,990 11,300 6,945 4,355
Laramie 4x4 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB — — — — 10,990 11,300 6,945 4,355
Longhorn 4x4 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB — — — — 10,990 11,300 6,945 4,355

How to interpret the headline tow figure

Ratings in this range are typically achievable with a weight-distributing hitch and the appropriate tow package. The conventional bumper-pull rating without weight distribution will be lower than the headline figure shown here — usually 5,000 to 8,000 lb. Confirm the hitch class on your vehicle's door-jamb sticker before towing at the upper end.

How this year compares to 2015

The 2015 Ram 3500 carried a maximum tow rating of 11,850 lb. The 2016 model adds 60 lb on top of that — usually a sign the manufacturer added a tow package option, refreshed the powertrain, or revised hitch class certification. See the 2015 Ram 3500 page for the full per-trim breakdown of the prior year.

Other 2016 Ram models

The rest of Ram's 2016 lineup, ranked by maximum tow rating. Click through for the per-trim breakdown of any of these.

Model Max tow (lb)
2016 Ram 3500 Regular CAB 29,530
2016 Ram 3500 Crew CAB 29,010
2016 Ram 3500 Mega CAB 28,820
2016 Ram 2500 Regular CAB 17,540
2016 Ram 2500 Crew CAB 17,210
2016 Ram 2500 Mega CAB 15,540

All figures sourced from manufacturer documentation. See our methodology for how the dataset is compiled. Always confirm against your vehicle's door-jamb sticker before towing.