2018 RAM 3500 towing capacity
Trim-level maximum towing capacity — 10,000 – 12,000 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?
26 configurations
26 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 3500 tow?
Across 26 configurations with published ratings, 2018 RAM 3500 towing capacity ranges from 10,000 lbs to 12,000 lbs. Exact capacity depends on configuration — not every 2018 RAM 3500 can tow the maximum value.
- Minimum published towing capacity in this dataset: 10,000 lbs
- Maximum published towing capacity in this dataset: 12,000 lbs
- Configurations with a towing rating: 26 of 26
Highest-rated example: Laramie · 4x2 · Crew Cab — 12,000 lbs
Lowest-rated example: SLT · 4x4 — 10,000 lbs
Highest towing configurations
Top configurations by published maximum trailer rating for the 2018 RAM 3500. Payload is shown only when present in the dataset.
| Trim | Cab | Drivetrain | Bed | Axle ratio | Max towing | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laramie | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 3,950 lbs |
| Laramie | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 4,450 lbs |
| Laramie | Mega Cab | 4x2 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 4,420 lbs |
| Laramie | Crew Cab | 4x4 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 3,880 lbs |
| Laramie | Crew Cab | 4x4 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 4,330 lbs |
| Laramie | Mega Cab | 4x4 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 4,290 lbs |
| Laramie Longhorn | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 3,910 lbs |
| Laramie Longhorn | Crew Cab | 4x2 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 4,350 lbs |
| Laramie Longhorn | Mega Cab | 4x2 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 4,300 lbs |
| Laramie Longhorn | Crew Cab | 4x4 | — | 3.73 | 12,000 lbs | 3,790 lbs |
Towing capacity by drivetrain
2018 RAM 3500 4x2 towing capacity
Range: 11,000 – 12,000 lbs (median 11,000 lbs) across 13 configurations in this dataset.
2018 RAM 3500 4x4 towing capacity
Range: 10,000 – 12,000 lbs (median 11,000 lbs) across 13 configurations in this dataset.
Towing capacity by cab style
2018 RAM 3500 Crew Cab towing capacity
Observed range: 10,000 – 12,000 lbs (16 configurations).
2018 RAM 3500 Mega Cab towing capacity
Observed range: 10,000 – 12,000 lbs (6 configurations).
2018 RAM 3500 Regular Cab towing capacity
Observed range: 11,000 lbs (4 configurations).
Towing capacity by axle ratio
| Axle ratio | Towing range | Configurations |
|---|---|---|
| 3.73 | 10,000 – 12,000 lbs | 26 |
2018 RAM 3500 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.
- Observed payload range: 3,790 – 4,480 lbs
- Configurations with payload data: 26
Highest-payload configurations
- Tradesman · 4x2 · Crew Cab — 4,480 lbs
- Laramie · 4x2 · Crew Cab — 4,450 lbs
- SLT · 4x2 · Crew Cab — 4,450 lbs
- Laramie · 4x2 · Mega Cab — 4,420 lbs
- Tradesman · 4x4 · Crew Cab — 4,390 lbs
Quick configuration comparison
Observed towing ranges from the 2018 RAM 3500 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 | 11,000 – 12,000 lbs | 13 |
| 4x4 | 10,000 – 12,000 lbs | 13 |
Cab styles
| Cab | Towing range | Configs |
|---|---|---|
| Crew Cab | 10,000 – 12,000 lbs | 16 |
| Mega Cab | 10,000 – 12,000 lbs | 6 |
| Regular Cab | 11,000 lbs | 4 |
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, Mega Cab, Regular Cab
- Published towing range: 10,000 – 12,000 lbs
Compare this vehicle
Preselected: 2018 RAM 3500. Pick a second vehicle on the compare page.
Towing capacity by trim
| Trim | Max towing | Curb weight | Payload* | HP | Torque | Axle | Wheelbase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laramie 4x2 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW | 12,000 lbs | 6,552 lbs | 3,950 lbs | 410 | 429 | 3.73 | 149.5 |
| Laramie 4x2 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB | 12,000 lbs | 6,648 lbs | 4,450 lbs | 410 | 429 | 3.73 | 169.5 |
| Laramie 4x2 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB | 12,000 lbs | 6,780 lbs | 4,420 lbs | 370 | 429 | 3.73 | 160.5 |
| Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW | 12,000 lbs | 6,925 lbs | 3,880 lbs | 410 | 429 | 3.73 | 149.5 |
| Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB | 12,000 lbs | 7,071 lbs | 4,330 lbs | 410 | 429 | 3.73 | 169.5 |
| Laramie 4x4 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB | 12,000 lbs | 7,109 lbs | 4,290 lbs | 370 | 429 | 3.73 | 160.5 |
| Laramie Longhorn 4x2 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW | 12,000 lbs | 6,586 lbs | 3,910 lbs | 410 | 429 | 3.73 | 149.5 |
| Laramie Longhorn 4x2 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB | 12,000 lbs | 6,746 lbs | 4,350 lbs | 410 | 429 | 3.73 | 169.5 |
| Laramie Longhorn 4x2 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB | 12,000 lbs | 6,897 lbs | 4,300 lbs | 370 | 429 | 3.73 | 160.5 |
| Laramie Longhorn 4x4 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW | 12,000 lbs | 7,005 lbs | 3,790 lbs | 410 | 429 | 3.73 | 149.5 |
| Laramie Longhorn 4x4 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB | 12,000 lbs | 7,151 lbs | 4,250 lbs | 410 | 429 | 3.73 | 169.5 |
| Laramie Longhorn 4x4 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB | 12,000 lbs | 7,217 lbs | 4,180 lbs | 370 | 429 | 3.73 | 160.5 |
| SLT 4x2 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW | 11,000 lbs | 6,458 lbs | 4,040 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 149.5 |
| SLT 4x2 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB | 11,000 lbs | 6,555 lbs | 4,450 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 169.5 |
| SLT 4x2 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB | 11,000 lbs | 6,661 lbs | 4,340 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 160.5 |
| SLT 4x2 Regular Cab 140 in. WB | 11,000 lbs | 6,053 lbs | 4,050 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 140.0 |
| SLT 4x4 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW | 11,000 lbs | 6,784 lbs | 3,920 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 149.5 |
| SLT 4x4 Regular Cab 140 in. WB | 11,000 lbs | 6,384 lbs | 3,920 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 140.0 |
| Tradesman 4x2 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW | 11,000 lbs | 6,412 lbs | 4,090 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 149.5 |
| Tradesman 4x2 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB | 11,000 lbs | 6,524 lbs | 4,480 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 169.5 |
| Tradesman 4x2 Regular Cab 140 in. WB | 11,000 lbs | 6,022 lbs | 4,080 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 140.0 |
| Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 149.5 in. WB SRW | 11,000 lbs | 6,732 lbs | 3,970 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 149.5 |
| Tradesman 4x4 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB | 11,000 lbs | 6,909 lbs | 4,390 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 169.5 |
| Tradesman 4x4 Regular Cab 140 in. WB | 11,000 lbs | 6,370 lbs | 3,930 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 140.0 |
| SLT 4x4 Crew Cab 169.5 in. WB | 10,000 lbs | 6,951 lbs | 4,350 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 169.5 |
| SLT 4x4 Mega Cab 160.5 in. WB | 10,000 lbs | 6,945 lbs | 4,360 lbs | 383 | 400 | 3.73 | 160.5 |
* 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.