A properly equipped 2026 RAM 1500 tows up to 11,610 lb, and the engine that gets you there is the standard-output 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six, not the bigger-horsepower High Output version and not the 5.7L HEMI V8 (RAM Canada, 2026). That surprises a lot of buyers, and it is the single most useful thing to understand before you order a half-ton.
The other thing worth knowing: that headline number comes from one specific, light configuration. The truck most people in Strathcona County actually buy, a 4x4 Crew Cab with a family and a box full of gear, works with a lower number. This guide covers what a RAM 1500 tows engine by engine, why payload runs out first, and when to look at a RAM 2500 instead.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 RAM 1500 tows up to 11,610 lb when properly equipped, and carries a maximum payload of up to 2,360 lb (1,071 kg) (RAM Canada, 2026).
- The standard-output 3.0L Hurricane (420 hp / 469 lb-ft) tows the most at 11,220 lb (5,089 kg). The High-Output Hurricane makes more power (540 hp / 521 lb-ft) but tows 10,000 lb (4,536 kg). More horsepower does not mean more trailer.
- The 5.7L HEMI V8 is back for 2026 at 395 hp / 410 lb-ft, rated up to 10,170 lb (4,613 kg) (RAM Canada, 2026).
- Payload is the limit most people hit first. Tongue weight typically runs 10 to 15 percent of the loaded trailer, and it lands on your truck before passengers and gear.
How Much Can a 2026 RAM 1500 Tow?
The maximum is up to 11,610 lb for a properly equipped 2026 RAM 1500, with a maximum payload of up to 2,360 lb (1,071 kg) (RAM Canada, 2026). Both are ceilings, not promises.
Here is the part the spec sheet does not say loudly. Maximum ratings are set by a deliberately light configuration: a specific cab and box, a two-wheel-drive chassis, the right axle ratio, and the tow package. Every option you add, from four-wheel drive to a bigger cab, subtracts from what the truck can pull and carry.
So the rating that matters is the one on your truck’s door jamb, not the one in the headline. Get that number before you commit to a trailer. Browse our new RAM 1500 inventory and we will pull the ratings on any specific truck on the lot.
RAM 1500 Towing by Engine: Hurricane SO, Hurricane HO and the 5.7L HEMI
The standard-output Hurricane tows the most at 11,220 lb (5,089 kg), the 5.7L HEMI V8 follows at 10,170 lb (4,613 kg), and the 540-horsepower High-Output Hurricane is rated lowest of the three at 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) (RAM Canada, 2026). Yes, the most powerful engine tows the least.
That is not a misprint. The High Output is packaged for heavier performance trims that are geared differently, and a heavier truck eats into both towing and payload. If your priority is a trailer rather than a stoplight, the standard-output Hurricane is the smarter buy.
| Engine | Horsepower | Torque | Max towing | Max payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo I6 (Standard Output) | 420 hp | 469 lb-ft | 11,220 lb (5,089 kg) | 1,840 lb (835 kg) |
| 5.7L HEMI V8 | 395 hp | 410 lb-ft | 10,170 lb (4,613 kg) | Not published per engine |
| 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo I6 (High Output) | 540 hp | 521 lb-ft | 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) | 1,510 lb (685 kg) |
| 3.6L Pentastar V6 with eTorque | 305 hp | 269 lb-ft | 8,110 lb (3,679 kg) | 1,790 lb (812 kg) |
The 5.7L HEMI V8 returned for 2026 at 395 hp and 410 lb-ft, and around Sherwood Park that mattered more than any towing chart. If you are weighing the V8 against the twin-turbo six on character rather than numbers, our RAM 1500 HEMI vs Hurricane comparison goes deeper.
Payload and Tongue Weight: The Limit You Actually Hit First
Payload, not towing capacity, is what stops most half-ton owners, because a conventional trailer’s tongue weight typically runs 10 to 15 percent of its loaded weight and sits directly on your truck. Passengers, gear and the hitch itself come out of that same budget.
A 7,000 lb loaded travel trailer at roughly 13 percent tongue weight puts about 910 lb on the hitch before anyone gets in the truck. Add four adults at roughly 175 lb each and you are near 1,610 lb. Add 200 lb of coolers, tools and camp gear and you are around 1,810 lb.
Now compare that to the table above. A standard-output Hurricane rated at 1,840 lb of payload has about 30 lb left, which is nothing, and a High-Output Hurricane rated at 1,510 lb is already 300 lb over. The trailer never came close to the 11,220 lb towing rating, and the truck is out of capacity.
That is why we ask two questions on the lot, not one: what the trailer weighs, and who and what is riding in the truck.
What Can a RAM 1500 Realistically Tow?
A RAM 1500 comfortably handles most travel trailers, nearly any ski or fishing boat, enclosed sled and quad trailers, and lighter utility trailers, while the heaviest fifth-wheels sit outside a half-ton’s practical range.
Travel trailers. Most single-axle and mid-size dual-axle travel trailers land well inside a properly equipped RAM 1500’s ratings. The constraint is tongue weight against payload, especially once the water tank is full and the bays are loaded.
Boats. Ski boats, wake boats and aluminum fishing rigs are straightforward half-ton work, and boat trailers tend to carry a lower tongue-weight percentage, so the math is friendlier.
Sled and quad trailers. A two-place enclosed sled trailer or an open quad trailer is comfortably within range. Watch the total once you add fuel cans and a tool box, since enclosed trailers invite overpacking.
Small fifth-wheels. This is where half-tons get oversold. Pin weight is a much larger share of trailer weight than a bumper-pull’s tongue weight, and it lands in the box, so even a half-ton-towable fifth-wheel can put a RAM 1500 over payload before it is near its towing rating.
See which RAM 1500 configurations we have in stock, and bring your trailer’s loaded weight and tongue weight. Those two numbers answer the question faster than any brochure.
When Should You Step Up to a RAM 2500?
Step up to a RAM 2500 when your loaded trailer regularly runs past roughly 10,000 lb, when you tow a fifth-wheel or gooseneck, or when payload math puts you at the edge of a half-ton, because the 2500 tows up to 20,000 lb (9,071 kg) and carries up to 4,580 lb (2,077 kg) of payload (RAM Canada, 2026). It is a different class of truck.
The tell is the pattern, not a single trip. If you hit your limits once a summer on the haul to the mountains, a RAM 1500 with the right hitch and tow package is still the better truck for the other fifty weeks. If you are near the ceiling every weekend, buying it now beats trading in a year.
The other trigger is comfort. Towing at 90 percent of a half-ton’s rating in a crosswind on the QE2 is legal, and it is also tiring, while a three-quarter-ton doing the same job at half its rating is a calmer truck. Our RAM 2500 vs RAM 3500 guide covers where each heavy duty earns its keep.
Towing Gear and Alberta Conditions
Get the trailer-tow package, a properly rated hitch, and a weight-distributing setup for heavier bumper-pull trailers, because equipment is what turns a rating on paper into a stable truck on Highway 16. Ordering a RAM 1500 without the tow group and then buying a big trailer is the most expensive mistake we see.
The list is short: a factory tow group with the correct wiring and receiver, an integrated trailer brake controller, tow mirrors if your trailer is wider than the truck, and a weight-distributing hitch with sway control for larger travel trailers.
Alberta adds its own considerations. Winter towing means proper winter tires and a trailer whose tires and bearings are ready for cold, and prairie crosswinds will find a tall trailer with light tongue weight, another reason to load toward the front. Trailer brakes are also required above a certain weight in this province, so confirm where yours lands before you tow.
Our service team hooks up trailers here every season, and the trucks that tow well are the ones spec’d for it on day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can a 2026 RAM 1500 tow?
A properly equipped 2026 RAM 1500 tows up to 11,610 lb, with maximum payload up to 2,360 lb (1,071 kg) (RAM Canada, 2026). Those maximums need a specific configuration, so the truck you buy may be rated lower depending on cab, box, drivetrain and options.
Which RAM 1500 engine tows the most?
The standard-output 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six, at 420 hp and 469 lb-ft, tows the most at 11,220 lb (5,089 kg). The 540-horsepower High-Output Hurricane is rated at 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) and the 5.7L HEMI V8 at 10,170 lb (4,613 kg), so the most powerful engine is not the biggest tower.
Does the 2026 RAM 1500 still come with a HEMI V8?
Yes. The 5.7L HEMI V8 returned for 2026 at 395 hp and 410 lb-ft, rated to tow up to 10,170 lb (4,613 kg) (RAM Canada, 2026). Trim availability varies, so check which configurations offer it before you order.
Can a RAM 1500 tow a fifth-wheel?
Some lighter fifth-wheels are within reach, but a fifth-wheel’s pin weight is a much larger share of trailer weight than a conventional trailer’s tongue weight, and it lands in the box. That often puts a half-ton over payload before it reaches its towing rating.
Do I need a RAM 2500 instead of a RAM 1500?
Step up if your loaded trailer regularly runs past roughly 10,000 lb, if you tow a fifth-wheel or gooseneck, or if passengers and gear push you to the edge of a half-ton’s payload. The RAM 2500 tows up to 20,000 lb (9,071 kg) and carries up to 4,580 lb (2,077 kg) (RAM Canada, 2026).
Bring us your trailer’s loaded weight and tongue weight and we will match it to the right RAM 1500, or tell you straight if you need a 2500. Browse the new RAM 1500 inventory, then come see us at Sherwood Dodge, 230 Provincial Ave, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 0E1, or call (780) 410-4100. We serve Sherwood Park, Edmonton, Strathcona County and Fort Saskatchewan. Starting MSRP on RAM Canada is only ever a starting point, so the real number comes from a specific truck.
