Ram 1500 2020 Towing Capacity: Worked Example With Stated Ratings

If you are asking ram 1500 2020 towing capacity, the honest answer starts with a method, not a single number. The towing capacity of a Ram 1500 is not one figure: it changes with the year, the engine, the axle ratio, the cab and bed configuration, and whether the tow package is fitted, so any page that quotes one number for every Ram 1500 is oversimplifying. This page gives you the method first — the lowest-of-three rule, the GVWR and GCWR limits, and the tongue-weight check — then shows a worked example with clearly labelled example figures, and tells you exactly where to find the ratings that apply to your own vehicle.

Never exceed your vehicle's GVWR, GCWR or payload. Check the owner's manual and the door-jamb sticker for the ratings that apply to your exact vehicle, and treat every figure on this page as a worked example unless it comes from your own vehicle's plates.

ram 1500 2020 towing capacity: The method: the lowest of three ratings

Three ratings decide what you may tow, and the answer is the smallest of them: the vehicle's tow rating, the tow-bar rating and the trailer's ATM — the aggregate trailer mass, the most the loaded trailer is rated to weigh. Here the worked example uses 11,000 lbs for the vehicle, 6,000 lbs for the tow bar and 4,500 lbs for the trailer ATM, which makes the towing capacity 4,500 lbs. Those numbers are examples, not ratings for any real vehicle: read the three figures off your own manual and plates and the same step gives your answer. Each rating guards a different part of the rig — the vehicle's engine, transmission, brakes and cooling; the tow bar and its mounting; the trailer's axles, tyres and brakes — so the weakest link sets the limit. That is the point this page works through for ram 1500 2020 towing capacity.

That is only the first check. The second check is the weight the vehicle itself carries: GVWR is the maximum the loaded vehicle may weigh, GCWR is the maximum the vehicle and trailer together may weigh, and payload is the difference between the vehicle's kerb weight and its GVWR. Tongue weight counts against payload, so a heavy trailer reduces the passengers and cargo you can carry. If the combination is inside the tow rating but over GCWR or over payload, it is still overloaded. All three limits have to be satisfied at the same time, and the owner's manual and door-jamb sticker are where the numbers for your exact vehicle live.

ram 1500 2020 towing capacity: Where to find your ratings

Four plates and documents carry the whole answer. The owner's manual lists tow ratings by engine, axle ratio and configuration and states GVWR and GCWR. The driver's door-jamb sticker gives the GVWR and payload for your exact vehicle as built. The tow-bar rating plate sits on the bar or by the receiver. The trailer's compliance plate shows its ATM and tare weight. Read all four, and if two sources disagree, use the lower figure and ask a dealer to confirm for your VIN. Ratings shift with engine, axle ratio, cab, bed length and tow package, so a figure for a different configuration — or one copied from a forum — is not a substitute.

ram 1500 2020 towing capacity: What changes the rating on a Ram 1500

The Ram 1500 is sold in many configurations, and the tow rating follows the configuration, not the badge. Engine choice, axle ratio, cab style, bed length, two-wheel drive versus four-wheel drive, and whether the factory tow package is fitted all move the number, sometimes by thousands of lbs. That is why this page does not quote a single figure for every Ram 1500: manufacturer figures vary by year, engine, axle ratio and package, so confirm for your VIN. The method on this page is the same for every configuration — take the lowest of the vehicle rating, the tow-bar rating and the trailer ATM, then check GVWR, GCWR and payload — and the worked example below shows how it plays out with example figures. Once you have the three ratings from your own manual and plates, the arithmetic takes a minute.

Worked example: the three ratings and the payload check for ram 1500 2020 towing capacity

Take a 3,500 lbs loaded trailer as the example. The vehicle's tow rating is 11,000 lbs, the tow-bar rating is 6,000 lbs and the trailer ATM is 4,500 lbs. The towing capacity is the lowest of the three: 4,500 lbs. The trailer's tongue weight at 10 to 15 percent is 350 to 525 lbs, and the middle of that range — about 438 lbs — is a good target. With an example payload of 2,000 lbs, the tongue weight leaves 1,562 lbs for passengers and cargo. If the passengers and luggage weigh more than that, the combination is overloaded even though the trailer is inside the tow rating, and something has to come off — either the trailer load or the vehicle load. That is the whole check in one paragraph: lowest of three, then tongue weight, then payload, then GCWR. Do it with your own numbers before every trip, because the answer changes every time the load changes.

ram 1500 2020 towing capacity: Tongue weight table

The tongue-weight range below is 10 to 15 percent of the loaded trailer weight, with 12.5 percent in the middle as a practical target. Find your trailer's loaded weight in the first column and read across. Weigh the trailer as it will travel — guessing the weight makes the whole table useless. That is the point this page works through for ram 1500 2020 towing capacity.

Loaded trailer weight (lbs) 10% tongue weight 12.5% tongue weight 15% tongue weight
3,500 350 438 525
5,000 500 625 750
6,000 600 750 900
7,000 700 875 1,050
10,000 1,000 1,250 1,500

The four checks, in order for ram 1500 2020 towing capacity

Check What to compare Passes when
Tow rating Trailer weight vs lowest of vehicle, tow-bar and trailer ATM ratings Trailer weight is at or below the lowest rating
Tongue weight Tongue weight against 10–15% of trailer weight Percentage sits inside 10–15%
Payload Tongue weight plus passengers and cargo against payload Sum is at or below payload
GCWR Vehicle + trailer loaded weights vs GCWR Combined weight is at or below GCWR

Common mistakes for ram 1500 2020 towing capacity

  • Ignoring the GCWR. A combination can be inside the tow rating and still over the GCWR once the vehicle is fully loaded with people and luggage. That is the point this page works through for ram 1500 2020 towing capacity.
  • Taking ram 1500 2020 towing capacity as the case in point: Taking the highest rating and ignoring the other two. The vehicle rating, the tow-bar rating and the trailer ATM are all limits, and the lowest one decides — a strong vehicle with a light tow bar is limited by the tow bar.
  • On this page, ram 1500 2020 towing capacity is the case in point: Hitching up without checking the coupler is locked. A coupler that looks seated but is not latched can come off on the first bump, and the safety chains are a last resort, not a towing method.
  • On this page, ram 1500 2020 towing capacity is the case in point: Forgetting that tongue weight counts against payload. The hitch load is carried by the tow vehicle, so it reduces the passengers and cargo you can carry by exactly that amount.

ram 1500 2020 towing capacity: Related calculations

If this page answered your question, these pages take the next step — the same method applied to a closely related question, or the calculator that does the arithmetic for you. That is the point this page works through for ram 1500 2020 towing capacity.

ram 1500 2020 towing capacity: Putting your figure to work

Taking ram 1500 2020 towing capacity as the case in point: The check only helps if you run it on your own numbers every time the load changes. Weigh the trailer as it will travel, take the three ratings from your manual and plates, work out the tongue weight and check payload and GCWR. Keep the four answers with the trailer's paperwork — lowest rating, tongue-weight range, payload left over, GCWR headroom — and redo them when anything changes: a full tank, another passenger, a different trailer. Loads change, so the answer changes, and the habit of re-checking is what keeps the combination legal and stable.

Frequently asked questions

What is noseweight for a caravan?

Taking ram 1500 2020 towing capacity as the case in point: Noseweight is the UK term for the downward force a caravan puts on the tow ball — the same thing as tongue weight. The commonly quoted guideline for caravans is 5 to 7 percent of the caravan's loaded weight, lower than the 10 to 15 percent used for other trailers, because caravans are designed around it.

Do I need a special licence to tow?

It depends on where you are and how heavy the combination is. Licence categories limit the combined weight you may tow, and the rules differ by country. Check your licence entitlement before towing, not after you are stopped. That is the point this page works through for ram 1500 2020 towing capacity.

Can I exceed my towing capacity?

On this page, ram 1500 2020 towing capacity is the case in point: No. The tow rating is a maximum set by the manufacturer for the vehicle's engine, transmission, brakes and cooling, and exceeding it increases braking distances, overheats the transmission, reduces stability and can be illegal. It can also void warranty coverage and give an insurer a reason to refuse a claim. If the trailer is heavier than the lowest of the three ratings, you need a different vehicle, a different tow bar or a lighter load.

How do I work out my towing capacity?

Take the lowest of three ratings: your vehicle's tow rating, your tow-bar rating and the trailer's ATM. Then check the tongue weight is 10 to 15 percent of the trailer weight, and check the combination against GVWR, GCWR and payload. All four checks have to pass. The ratings come from your owner's manual, the door-jamb sticker, the tow-bar plate and the trailer plate — not from a figure quoted for a different vehicle.

What is GVWR and what is GCWR?

GVWR is the maximum weight of the loaded vehicle on its own. GCWR is the maximum weight of the vehicle and the trailer together. Both have to be respected: the tow rating alone is not enough, because a fully loaded vehicle plus a heavy trailer can exceed the GCWR even when the trailer is inside the tow rating.