2018 RAM 1500 towing capacity
Trim-level maximum towing capacity — 4,190 – 10,140 lbs across packages. Exact capacity depends on configuration. Payload is separate from towing capacity and is shown where GVWR and curb weight (or manufacturer payload) exist.
Tow Planner
Select your exact configuration and tell us what you're towing. We'll compare trailer weight, payload, tongue weight and the available vehicle limits. Year-level towing and payload answers below are available without selecting a configuration.
Which configuration do you have?
32 configurations
32 possible configurations match your selections.
What are you trying to do?
Choose a job to open interactive tools. Year-level towing and payload answers appear below even before you pick a configuration.
What can a 2018 RAM 1500 tow?
Across 32 configurations with published ratings, 2018 RAM 1500 towing capacity ranges from 4,190 lbs to 10,140 lbs. Exact capacity depends on configuration — not every 2018 RAM 1500 can tow the maximum value.
- Minimum published towing capacity in this dataset: 4,190 lbs
- Maximum published towing capacity in this dataset: 10,140 lbs
- Configurations with a towing rating: 32 of 32
Highest-rated example: Rebel · 4x2 · Crew Cab — 10,140 lbs
Lowest-rated example: Laramie · 4x4 — 4,190 lbs
Highest towing configurations
Top configurations by published maximum trailer rating for the 2018 RAM 1500. Payload is shown only when present in the dataset.
| Trim | Cab | Drivetrain | Bed | Axle ratio | Max towing | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebel | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | — | 10,140 lbs | — |
| Sport | Regular Cab | 4x2 | — | 8,370 lbs | — | |
| Sport | Regular Cab | 4x4 | — | 8,370 lbs | — | |
| Longhorn | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | 8,170 lbs | — | |
| Laramie | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | 8,010 lbs | — | |
| SLT | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | 7,970 lbs | — | |
| SLT | Crew Cab | 4x4 | — | 7,970 lbs | — | |
| Longhorn | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | 7,900 lbs | — | |
| Sport | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | 7,880 lbs | — | |
| Sport | Crew Cab | 4x4 | — | 7,880 lbs | — |
Towing capacity by drivetrain
2018 RAM 1500 4x2 towing capacity
Range: 4,190 – 10,140 lbs (median 4,955 lbs) across 16 configurations in this dataset.
2018 RAM 1500 4x4 towing capacity
Range: 4,190 – 8,370 lbs (median 4,955 lbs) across 16 configurations in this dataset.
Towing capacity by cab style
2018 RAM 1500 Crew Cab towing capacity
Observed range: 4,190 – 10,140 lbs (22 configurations).
2018 RAM 1500 Regular Cab towing capacity
Observed range: 4,810 – 8,370 lbs (10 configurations).
2018 RAM 1500 payload capacity
Payload is not the same as towing capacity. Where both GVWR and curb weight exist in the catalog, payload is GVWR minus curb weight (or the manufacturer payload field when present). Payload covers people, cargo in the truck, hitch equipment, and trailer tongue weight — not the full trailer weight.
Payload figures are not available for this model year in the dataset.
Quick configuration comparison
Observed towing ranges from the 2018 RAM 1500 dataset. Values are min–max of published ratings in each group — not a claim that every unit in the group can tow the top figure.
Drivetrain
| Drivetrain | Towing range | Configs |
|---|---|---|
| 4x2 | 4,190 – 10,140 lbs | 16 |
| 4x4 | 4,190 – 8,370 lbs | 16 |
Cab styles
| Cab | Towing range | Configs |
|---|---|---|
| Crew Cab | 4,190 – 10,140 lbs | 22 |
| Regular Cab | 4,810 – 8,370 lbs | 10 |
Why does towing capacity vary for this vehicle?
Towing ratings vary across configurations. These are configuration differences present in our dataset:
- Drivetrain: 4x2, 4x4
- Cab styles: Crew Cab, Regular Cab
- Published towing range: 4,190 – 10,140 lbs
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Towing capacity by trim
| Trim | Max towing | Curb weight | Payload* | HP | Torque | Axle | Wheelbase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rebel 4x2 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 10,140 lbs | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sport 4x2 Regular Cab 120 in. WB | 8,370 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Sport 4x4 Regular Cab 120 in. WB | 8,370 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Longhorn 4x2 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 8,170 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Laramie 4x2 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 8,010 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| SLT 4x2 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 7,970 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| SLT 4x4 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 7,970 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Longhorn 4x2 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 7,900 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Sport 4x2 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 7,880 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Sport 4x4 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 7,880 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 7,820 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Longhorn 4x4 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 7,750 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Longhorn 4x4 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 7,710 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Rebel 4x4 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 7,130 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Tradesman/Express 4x2 Regular Cab 120 in. WB | 4,960 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Tradesman/Express 4x4 Regular Cab 120 in. WB | 4,960 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| SLT 4x2 Regular Cab 120 in. WB | 4,950 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| SLT 4x4 Regular Cab 120 in. WB | 4,950 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Tradesman 4x2 Regular Cab 140 in. WB | 4,830 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Tradesman 4x4 Regular Cab 140 in. WB | 4,830 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| SLT 4x2 Regular Cab 140 in. WB | 4,810 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| SLT 4x4 Regular Cab 140 in. WB | 4,810 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| ST 4x2 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 4,650 lbs | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ST 4x4 Crew Cab 149 in. WB | 4,650 lbs | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tradesman 4x2 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 4,650 lbs | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 4,480 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| SLT 4x2 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 4,360 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| SLT 4x4 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 4,360 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Sport 4x2 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 4,200 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Sport 4x4 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 4,200 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Laramie 4x2 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 4,190 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab 140 in. WB | 4,190 lbs | — | — | 0 | 0 | — |
* Payload = manufacturer payload when present, otherwise GVWR − curb weight. Towing capacity is a separate rating and is not the same as payload.
What affects the rating
Higher figures usually need the tow package, the right axle ratio, and enough cooling. Passengers, fuel, gear, and tongue weight all eat into what you can safely pull — stay under both the trailer rating and the vehicle’s payload.