2026 Ram 1500 towing capacity by engine, and the door-sticker math that really matters

Most truck ads lead with one number: the biggest towing figure the model can reach. For the 2026 Ram 1500 in Canada that's 5,089 kg (11,220 lb). But that number belongs to one particular build, with almost nothing in the cab. Here's what each engine is rated for, what those ratings assume, and how to work out what your truck can safely pull.

2026 Ram 1500 maximum towing and payload, by engine

These are the maximum figures from Ram Truck Canada's 2026 Ram 1500 payload and towing chart. Each maximum comes from a different cab, box and axle combination, so no single truck gets the best number in every column.

Engine	Power / torque	Max towing	Max payload
3.6L Pentastar V6 eTorque	305 hp / 271 lb-ft	3,329 kg (7,340 lb)	812 kg (1,790 lb)
5.7L HEMI V8 eTorque	395 hp / 410 lb-ft	4,613 kg (10,170 lb)	762 kg (1,680 lb)
3.0L Hurricane I6, Standard Output	420 hp / 469 lb-ft	5,089 kg (11,220 lb)	835 kg (1,840 lb)
3.0L Hurricane I6, High Output	540 hp / 521 lb-ft	4,536 kg (10,000 lb)	685 kg (1,510 lb)

Notice that the most powerful engine isn't the top tower. The High Output Hurricane comes in heavier, better-equipped trims, and weight added to the truck comes straight off payload and towing.

What the chart assumes

Ram's footnotes are worth reading before you hitch anything:

• Ratings follow SAE J2807, the industry standard for how trailer weight ratings are tested.
• The trailer weight ratings include 300 lb (136 kg) of passenger weight, which is about one adult driver. Add a second passenger, a toolbox, a canopy or a load of firewood and your real limit drops.
• The figures apply "when properly equipped": the right hitch, axle ratio and towing equipment for that rating.
• A weight-distributing hitch is recommended for trailers over 5,000 lb (2,268 kg).
• The Ram 1500 shouldn't tow a gooseneck or fifth-wheel trailer. Ram Canada's FAQ says so and points you to the heavy-duty 2500 or 3500 instead.

The door-sticker math

The chart tells you what a truck like yours can do. The sticker on your driver's door jamb tells you what yours can do. If those acronyms are new, start with our guide to reading a towing sticker. The short version, using the formula from Alberta's Recreational Vehicle Towing Guide:

1. Find your payload: GVWR (on the sticker) minus what your truck weighs empty. Many newer trucks also print the payload figure on a tire and loading label.
2. Subtract everyone and everything in the truck: driver, passengers, gear, fuel tank, toolbox, the hitch itself.
3. Subtract the trailer's tongue weight. On a conventional travel trailer, that's typically a share of the loaded trailer weight. Check the trailer maker's figure, or weigh it.
4. What's left must be zero or more. If it's negative, you're over GVWR even if the trailer is well under the towing number.
5. Check the combination too: loaded truck plus loaded trailer must stay under the GCWR in the owner's manual or Ram's chart.

Alberta's guide is blunt about the best check: take the loaded truck and trailer to a scale. The numbers on paper are only as good as your guesses about what you packed.

Can a Ram 1500 pull my travel trailer?

Often, yes, but run the payload math first. With a half-ton and a travel trailer, payload is usually what runs out, not towing capacity. A family of four, a cooler, the dog and a heavy tongue can use up most of a 700 to 800 kg payload before you've left the driveway.

If you're matching a specific RV to a truck, our sister site has a step-by-step walkthrough: How to match an RV's weight to your tow vehicle. And if you're deciding between trailer types, see travel trailer vs fifth wheel. Remember that a fifth wheel means a heavy-duty truck, not a 1500.

Which engine for northern Alberta?

Ram's chart can't tell you which engine suits you, but these questions narrow it down:

• What's the heaviest thing you'll tow, loaded? Use the real loaded weight, not the brochure's dry weight. Leave some margin under the maximum.
• How much will ride in the truck at the same time? Crews, tools and fuel tanks eat payload.
• How far will you tow, and how often? Long hauls on Highway 35 or 58 with a heavy trailer are a different job from a few kilometres to the lake.
• Will you ever need a gooseneck or fifth wheel? If yes, skip the 1500 entirely.

Whatever you pick, ask to see the sticker and the towing chart for that exact truck before you buy. The configuration matters more than the badge.