RAM 3500 towing capacity changes sharply with rear-wheel configuration and powertrain. RAM's U.S. 2024 Heavy Duty chart reaches 37,090 lb only in identified 4x2 Regular Cab, 8-foot-box, DRW Tradesman rows with the High-Output 6.7L Cummins, Aisin six-speed, 4.10 axle and 45,000-lb GCWR. The same chart's standard-output Cummins/68RFE rows top out at 22,660 lb, while its gas rows reach 18,210 lb. SRW and DRW, 3.73 and 4.10 axles, cab, drive, GVWR, GCWR, powertrain and hitch type must stay attached to every figure. Sources were checked on 9 September 2026.
Exact 2024 answer
The highest reviewed RAM 3500 trailer cell is 37,090 lb. RAM ties it to a 4x2 Regular Cab Tradesman with an 8-foot box, dual rear wheels, the High-Output 6.7L Cummins/Aisin six-speed, 4.10 axle and 45,000-lb GCWR. The chart publishes both 13,500- and 14,000-lb-GVWR variants at that trailer value.
This is not the rating of every diesel 3500. A 3.73 axle, SRW chassis, Crew or Mega Cab, 4x4 drive, standard-output diesel or different GCWR selects a different cell. Treat 37,090 lb as a routing clue to one row family, never as a badge-level promise.
Three 2024 powertrain ceilings
These maxima occur in identified, properly equipped rows and are not necessarily the same physical truck. The chart lists gas at 410 hp/429 lb-ft, standard diesel at 370 hp/850 lb-ft and High-Output diesel at 420 hp/1,075 lb-ft. Preserve the transmission and output version instead of treating every 6.7L badge as equivalent.
| RAM 3500 powertrain family | Transmission | Highest reviewed trailer cell | Highest reviewed payload cell |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.4L HEMI gas | 8HP75-LCV eight-speed | 18,210 lb | 7,680 lb |
| 6.7L Cummins standard output | 68RFE six-speed | 22,660 lb | 6,830 lb |
| 6.7L Cummins High-Output | Aisin AS69RC six-speed | 37,090 lb | 6,560 lb |
Selected standard-output diesel rows
The selected cells show why a standard-output truck does not inherit the High-Output maximum. They also show that DRW alone does not create 37,090 lb: engine output, transmission, axle and GCWR still matter.
| 6.7L Cummins / 68RFE configuration | Wheel type | Axle / GCWR | Maximum trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Cab 8-foot 4x2, 11,500-lb GVWR | SRW | 3.73 / 28,300 lb | 20,940 lb |
| Crew Cab 6-foot-4-inch 4x2, 11,500-lb GVWR | SRW | 3.73 / 28,300 lb | 20,510 lb |
| Crew Cab 8-foot 4x2, 14,000-lb GVWR | DRW | 4.10 / 30,300 lb | 22,000 lb |
| Regular Cab 8-foot 4x2, 14,000-lb GVWR | DRW | 4.10 / 30,300 lb | 22,660 lb |
High-Output rows still span a wide range
RAM publishes still more High-Output cells across cab, drive and GVWR combinations. These examples are not a complete selector. Confirm rear-wheel type, axle, transmission, cab, box and drive from the build record and truck before choosing a line.
| High-Output / Aisin example | Wheel type | Axle / GCWR | Maximum trailer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Cab 8-foot 4x2, 11,500-lb GVWR | SRW | 3.73 / 34,278 lb | 26,800 lb |
| Regular Cab 8-foot 4x2, 14,000-lb GVWR | DRW | 3.73 / 41,600 lb | 33,690 lb |
| Regular Cab 8-foot 4x2, 14,000-lb GVWR | DRW | 4.10 / 45,000 lb | 37,090 lb |
Payload and pin weight can govern first
RAM says payload and maximum trailer ratings are mutually exclusive and that GAWR, GVWR and GCWR must never be exceeded. A fifth-wheel or gooseneck pin can consume several thousand pounds of truck capacity before occupants, hitch hardware, cargo, accessories and tools are counted.
The chart's 7,680-lb gas, 6,830-lb standard-diesel and 6,560-lb High-Output payload maxima are separate base-configuration results. Do not combine any one of them with 37,090 lb unless the exact row, actual door/certification labels and loaded axle weights support the intended truck.
Hitch type is part of the published boundary
The 2024 chart recommends 10 percent conventional tongue weight, limits Class V receiver tongue weight to 1,800 lb and requires a fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch for trailers over 18,000 lb. The highest rows therefore depend on in-bed coupling, not a conventional receiver.
Verify the installed hitch model, rating, mounting, bed/frame compatibility, clearances, coupler or ball, trailer brakes and actual pin weight. Factory prep provisions can simplify installation but do not constitute a complete hitch or override payload, rear GAWR, tires, wheels or trailer limits.
SAE J2807 assumptions and real loading
RAM's chart states that ratings use SAE J2807 assumptions of 300 lb for passengers, 100 lb for options and standardized trailering-equipment weights of 75 lb conventional, 70 lb gooseneck or 250 lb fifth-wheel. Real trucks and trips frequently differ.
Weigh the truck with normal occupants, fuel, cargo and hitch, then weigh the coupled combination and individual axles with the intended trailer loaded. Compare those measurements with the exact published row, GVWR, front and rear GAWR, GCWR, tire/wheel limits, hitch labels and trailer ratings. The lowest limit controls.
Do not import the 2026 powertrain
RAM's current U.S. and Canadian pages describe the 2026 RAM 3500 with a High-Output 6.7L Cummins and TorqueFlite HD eight-speed. The U.S. page publishes a 36,610-lb current maximum—different from the 2024 chart's 37,090 lb—and a 2026 gas maximum of 18,150 lb.
Those differences show why even nearby model years require their own guides. Do not use the current eight-speed description, current maximum or current Canadian offer/equipment copy to fill a 2024 cell. Separate year-specific targets in this program keep those intents and source dates distinct.
Canadian verification
The numeric table summarized here is RAM's U.S. 2024 manufacturer chart. It does not establish an individual Canadian truck's equipment, rating, legal allowance or licence requirement. RAM Canada's current 3500 page covers 2026 and is retained only as a current Canadian manufacturer path.
For a Canadian 2024 truck, obtain the VIN/build or sales-code record, exact Canadian owner literature, certification and carrying-capacity labels, rear-wheel type, engine output, transmission, axle, cab, box, drivetrain, hitch documentation, tire/wheel ratings and loaded scale tickets. No VIN or vehicle-specific evidence was supplied here.
Configuration worksheet
Retain the selected row as a complete record: GVWR, base weight, payload, front/rear GAWR, GCWR and maximum trailer. A towing calculator can organize arithmetic but cannot recover missing build evidence.
| Field | Why it changes the answer |
|---|---|
| Model year | Selects the correct powertrain and chart revision |
| SRW or DRW | Changes rear axle/tire capacity, curb weight, GVWR and available rows |
| Standard or High-Output Cummins | Selects 68RFE or Aisin in the 2024 matrix |
| 3.73 or 4.10 axle | Selects a different GCWR and trailer row |
| Cab, box and 4x2/4x4 | Select the physical table column and base weight |
| Receiver, fifth-wheel or gooseneck | Changes hardware, tongue/pin load and applicable threshold |
Used-truck evidence to collect
Inspect the frame, bed and hitch mounting, rear axle and suspension, steering, brakes, tires, wheels, trailer wiring, seven-pin socket and brake-controller operation. Record corrosion, collision repairs, overload evidence, suspension changes and signs of sustained fifth-wheel or commercial use.
Match the truck's output version and transmission from authoritative records rather than the hood badge. Obtain service history, photograph every rating label and scale the intended combination. Aftermarket tires, wheels, springs or hitches do not rewrite factory GVWR, GAWR or GCWR.
RAM 3500 towing-capacity questions
What is the highest rating in the reviewed 2024 chart? 37,090 lb for identified 4x2 Regular Cab, 8-foot-box, DRW Tradesman High-Output Cummins/Aisin, 4.10-axle, 45,000-lb-GCWR rows.
What does the standard-output diesel top out at? The highest reviewed 6.7L Cummins/68RFE cell is 22,660 lb.
What is the gas maximum? The highest reviewed 6.4L HEMI cell is 18,210 lb.
Does every dually tow 37,090 lb? No. Standard-output, axle, cab, drive and GCWR differences produce lower DRW cells.
Can a conventional receiver tow 37,090 lb? No. RAM requires fifth-wheel or gooseneck coupling over 18,000 lb in the reviewed chart and limits Class V receiver tongue weight to 1,800 lb.
Can this page rate a Canadian VIN? No. The actual Canadian build record, labels, hitch and measured loads control.
Evidence note: manufacturer documents establish the specific facts and applications cited. Buying workflows and cost scenarios are DieselTrucks.ca editorial guidance. These pages do not publish measured failure rates or confirm the condition, recall status or capacity of a particular truck.
General educational content for Canadian diesel-pickup research. Verify the exact truck, model year, certification labels, owner manual and manufacturer documentation, and obtain qualified mechanical or towing advice where appropriate.
Sources & Further Verification
Use the exact model year, VIN, truck labels and current manufacturer documentation when moving from general research to a purchase or towing decision.
- RAM 2024 Heavy Duty towing and powertrain chart — original manufacturer configuration matrix
- Mopar owner-manual access — model-year vehicle literature
- RAM U.S. 2026 3500 capability page — current model-year powertrain and maximum-rating context
- Stellantis Fleet RAM towing guide — current towing terminology and capability-guide access
- RAM Canada 2026 3500 page — current Canadian model and configuration context
- Stellantis Fleet ordering resources — manufacturer ordering and build-record path
- Cummins–RAM engine history