Ram 3500 Towing Capacity in Kingston: What Ram Canada Lists for Each Version, and What Ontario Asks of a Heavy Trailer
The Ram 3500 towing capacity Ram Canada lists on its 2026 version cards, read October 7, 2026, runs from 6,509 kg on the Limited and Limited Longhorn to 7,085 kg on the Big Horn, with a 6.4-litre V-8 shown on each card. Each card shows one build, so the rating that decides whether a Ram 3500 suits your trailer is the one for the exact truck you buy, cab, box and engine included.
The Government of Ontario's licensing pages, read October 7, 2026, tie the licence class for towing to the trailer's weight, and they set conditions under which some personal-use fifth-wheel campers can be towed behind a pickup truck on a Class G licence, so settle the licence question before the purchase.
At Jim Thompson Chrysler on Gardiners Road in Kingston, Ram is one of the four makes we sell new and service. This guide covers each version's card figures, what changes the number, the payload check a fifth-wheel or gooseneck needs, Ontario's heavy-trailer licence classes, and how trading in and applying for financing, O.A.C., fit around it.
Key Takeaways
The card figure is a starting point. Ram Canada's 2026 Ram 3500 cards list towing capacities that vary by version, and the number to plan a trailer around is the rating for the exact truck you buy.
A fifth-wheel or gooseneck is a payload question as well as a towing one. The hitch sits in the bed, so the trailer's pin weight rides on the truck with your passengers and cargo, and the total belongs inside that truck's payload rating.
Jim Thompson Chrysler in Kingston's advice is to settle your licence class before you buy a Ram 3500 to tow a heavy trailer. The Government of Ontario's Official Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Truck Handbook, read October 7, 2026, says the Class A licence "allows you to drive a motor vehicle and towed vehicles where the towed vehicles exceed a total gross weight of 4,600 kilograms (10,000 lb)," and the Government of Ontario's RV page sets conditions under which a personal-use fifth-wheel house trailer over that weight may be towed behind a pickup truck on a Class G licence.
Some trailers need less than a one-ton. If a three-quarter-ton's towing and payload ratings cover your trailer with your load aboard, the Ram 2500 is the truck to look at first.
The money side stays plain. You can apply for financing online, O.A.C., and if you owe more on the vehicle you are trading in than it is worth, the difference may be added to the amount financed, which increases the amount you borrow and can increase the total cost of borrowing.
What Does Ram 3500 Towing Capacity Mean on an Ordinary Kingston Week?
On an ordinary Kingston week, a Ram 3500 whose ratings were checked against your trailer before you bought it makes the trailer part of the week instead of a special event.
Picture a Tuesday night in a driveway in Cataraqui North, the equipment trailer loaded and chained so Wednesday starts at the job site in Odessa instead of back at the yard.
Or the last Saturday of the boating season at a marina on the Rideau near Seeley's Bay, with the boat on its trailer, the cover strapped down and a thermos on the dash for the drive home.
Then a Sunday afternoon at the end of August, the fifth-wheel camper back from a weekend at a provincial park and backed into the side yard before supper, with the kids already arguing about where to go next time.
Between those trips, the trailer sits parked and the truck does the ordinary driving. Take one empty through a busy grocery store lot and down a narrow street in the Sydenham Ward before the size becomes a commitment.
What Is the Ram 3500 Towing Capacity for Each 2026 Version?
Ram Canada's 2026 Ram 3500 models page, read October 7, 2026, lists a towing capacity of 7,026 kg on the Tradesman card, 7,085 kg on the Big Horn, 6,704 kg on the Laramie, and 6,509 kg on both the Limited and the Limited Longhorn, with each card showing one build and other builds carrying their own ratings.
Version | Towing capacity on the card (kg) | Payload on the card (kg) | Rear-wheel or four-wheel, as shown on the card | Door count on the card | Engine shown on the card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tradesman | 7,026 | 2,254 | Rear-wheel | 2 | 6.4-litre V-8 |
Big Horn | 7,085 | 2,268 | Rear-wheel | 2 | 6.4-litre V-8 |
Laramie | 6,704 | 1,887 | Four-wheel | 4 | 6.4-litre V-8 |
Limited | 6,509 | 1,873 | Four-wheel | 4 | 6.4-litre V-8 |
Limited Longhorn | 6,509 | 1,873 | Four-wheel | 4 | 6.4-litre V-8 |
Values as shown on each 2026 version card of Ram Canada's Ram 3500 models page, read October 7, 2026, where towing capacity and payload are printed in kilograms. Each card shows one build of its version.
A truck built differently from its version's card, with another cab, box or engine, may carry a different rating, and that rating is the number to plan around.
What Changes the Ram 3500 Towing Capacity of a Specific Truck?
Ram Canada's 2026 Ram 3500 capability page says, "Additional options, equipment, passengers, and cargo weight may affect payload/towing weights."
On Ram Canada's 2026 models page, the two-door, rear-wheel Tradesman and Big Horn cards list higher towing figures than the four-door, four-wheel Laramie, Limited and Limited Longhorn cards. Read the gap as a difference between five cards, not a rule about cabs or drive, because each card shows one build.
The numbers that govern your trailer are the towing, payload and gross vehicle weight ratings of the exact truck, and our team goes through them with you, window sticker and build sheet in hand.
Ram Canada's 2026 Ram 3500 capability page lists the High-Output 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel I6 as available, so a diesel truck is one to go through rating by rating rather than read off a card.
Whether a dually suits your trailer is a separate decision, and our Ram 3500 guide walks through single or dual rear wheels. If you are still choosing a hitch, our Ram 2500 guide explains how fifth-wheel, gooseneck and bumper-pull trailers differ.
How Does Payload Limit a Fifth-Wheel or Gooseneck on a Ram 3500?
A fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch sits in the bed, so the trailer's pin weight rides on the truck, and it has to fit inside the payload rating along with your passengers and cargo.
On Ram Canada's 2026 Ram 3500 models page, Ram Canada's card for each version lists a payload, from 1,873 kg on the Limited and Limited Longhorn to 2,268 kg on the Big Horn, with each card showing one build and other builds carrying their own ratings.
Add up the trailer's pin weight, the people in the cab and everything in the bed, and compare the total with the payload rating of the specific truck rather than its version card.
Take the trailer's weights from its own paperwork or a scale ticket, and bring them in so our team can go through them against the truck's ratings with you.
Ram Canada's 2026 Ram 3500 capability page lists an available Fifth-Wheel/Gooseneck Prep Package with a factory-installed rear-axle structural crossmember and integrated mounting hardware. Ask whether the specific truck carries it before you plan a fifth-wheel or gooseneck around that truck.
What Licence Do You Need to Tow a Heavy Trailer in Ontario?
The Government of Ontario's Official Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Truck Handbook, read October 7, 2026, says the Class A licence "allows you to drive a motor vehicle and towed vehicles where the towed vehicles exceed a total gross weight of 4,600 kilograms (10,000 lb)." The Government of Ontario's page on driving a recreational vehicle (RV) sets out when a personal-use fifth-wheel house trailer over 4,600 kg can still be towed behind a pickup truck on a Class G licence.
The Government of Ontario's page on getting a truck driver's licence says a restricted Class A (condition R) licence lets you "operate smaller truck-trailer combinations, such as a recreational, horse or utility trailer," but not "pull a trailer equipped with air brakes."
A trailer heavy enough to raise the licence question is also well past the weight at which the Government of Ontario's Official Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Driver's Handbook says a trailer "must have brakes strong enough to stop and hold the trailer."
Whether a truck needs a commercial vehicle operator's registration (CVOR) certificate is a separate Ontario question, and our Ram 3500 guide covers the province's weight line, its personal-use pickup exemption and how a trailer counts toward the weight.
What the RV Page Lists for a Fifth-Wheel on a Class G Licence
The Government of Ontario's RV page says that if the RV you are towing is over 4,600 kg and you do not meet the requirements it lists, "you need a Class A or Class A Restricted driver's licence."
The requirements on the Government of Ontario's RV page include:
a pickup truck with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 6,500 kg or less and the original manufacturer's box or an unmodified duplicate replacement box
a house trailer, which includes cabin trailers, tent trailers, camping trailers and collapsible trailers
a trailer attached using a fifth wheel assembly
no air brakes on the trailer and truck
"The total weight of the combination of a pickup truck towing one house trailer or RV and the registered gross weight is 11,000 kg or less"
a combination used strictly for personal use, not for business or compensation
Whether your truck and trailer meet those requirements decides which licence you need on the day you hitch up, so settle that question before you buy, not after.
Who Should Look at Another Truck Instead of a Ram 3500?
A Ram 3500 is more truck than some trailers call for, and four buyers are better served starting somewhere else.
If a three-quarter-ton's towing and payload ratings cover your trailer with your load aboard, our Ram 2500 guide is the better starting point.
If your trailer is on the lighter side, start with our Ram 1500 guide, and let the specific truck's ratings decide from there.
If you need a dump, flatbed or service body fitted behind the cab, ask us about the Ram Chassis Cab, which is a different truck from the Ram 3500 pickup in this guide.
If the budget matters more than a new build, our used Ram truck guide and pre-owned listings are where to begin.
Financing a Ram 3500 for Towing, and Trading In, O.A.C.
If you are trading in, start with Value My Trade online, and you can apply for financing, O.A.C., while you are still choosing a version.
The Truck You Tow With Now
See what your current truck is worth online first, then bring the ownership, the keys and your service records when you visit.
If you would rather sell than trade, start on our We Buy Cars page.
If You Owe More Than It Is Worth
If you owe more on your current truck than it is worth, the difference may be added to the amount financed, which increases the amount you borrow and can increase the total cost of borrowing.
Bring your lender's details, so the numbers can be worked through with your own paperwork in front of you.
Applying for Financing, O.A.C.
Financing and leasing options may be available on a new Ram 3500, O.A.C., and you can start a credit application online before you visit.
Approval depends on your application, income, credit, the vehicle and lender requirements, so no outcome is promised before the application has been reviewed.
Lease or Finance
If the truck will tow often and travel far, kilometer limits make lease against finance a question to settle early. Our lease or finance guide walks through it before you choose.
Why Talk Ram 3500 Towing Capacity With Jim Thompson Chrysler in Kingston?
Ram is sold new and serviced under one roof at 805 Gardiners Road, so our team can sit down with you over the window sticker and build sheet of the exact Ram 3500 you are considering and go through its towing and payload ratings against your trailer's weights.
Because Ram is one of the makes we franchise, our service department will check a Ram 3500's VIN against Ram's system for open recalls.
Jim Thompson Chrysler carries new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles, and our live inventory shows what is currently available.
What we do:
Start from our Build and Price page with your trailer's weights beside you, then go through the specific truck's ratings with us.
Put a new Ram 3500 and a used truck side by side if you are weighing both.
Start your trade with Value My Trade and apply for financing, O.A.C., when you are ready.
Book service on Gardiners Road once the truck is yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Can a 2026 Ram 3500 Tow?
Ram Canada's 2026 Ram 3500 models page lists towing capacities from 6,509 kg on the Limited and Limited Longhorn cards to 7,085 kg on the Big Horn card, each card showing one 6.4-litre V-8 build. Other builds, the available High-Output 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel I6 included, carry their own ratings, which Jim Thompson Chrysler in Kingston reads with you.
Does a Fifth-Wheel Count Against a Ram 3500's Payload?
Yes, plan for it: a fifth-wheel hitch sits in the bed, so the trailer's pin weight rides on the truck along with passengers and cargo, and the total has to fit the specific truck's payload rating. Jim Thompson Chrysler in Kingston goes through the trailer's weights against that rating with you before you buy.
What Licence Do I Need to Tow a Heavy Trailer in Ontario?
It depends on the trailer's weight and type. The Government of Ontario's Official Ministry of Transportation (MTO) Truck Handbook says the Class A licence allows you to drive towed vehicles exceeding 4,600 kilograms, and the province's RV page lets a pickup truck tow a house trailer over 4,600 kg on a G licence when all its requirements are met.
Does the Ram 3500 Towing Capacity Change With Options and Load?
It can: Ram Canada's 2026 Ram 3500 capability page names additional options, equipment, passengers and cargo weight as things that "may affect payload/towing weights." Bring your trailer's weights to Jim Thompson Chrysler in Kingston, and our team will set them against the ratings of the exact truck you are considering.
Is a Ram 3500 More Truck Than My Trailer Needs?
It can be: if a three-quarter-ton Ram 2500's towing and payload ratings cover your trailer with your load aboard, start with the Ram 2500. Jim Thompson Chrysler in Kingston sells both new, and our team can go through the ratings of each for the builds you are considering.
Find the Ram 3500 Towing Capacity Your Trailer Needs in Kingston
Bring us your trailer's weights, the hitch it rides on and the licence you hold, and we can go through the Ram 3500 versions with you.
Start with Value My Trade and apply for financing, O.A.C., so the money side is underway before you visit.
Watch our new inventory, then come and see us on Gardiners Road, just off Highway 401, whether you are driving in from Amherstview, Bath, Harrowsmith or Gananoque.
Visit us at 805 Gardiners Road, Kingston, ON K7M 7E6
Browse inventory online, value your trade, apply for credit approval, O.A.C., book service, or contact our team.
Local: (613)-389-4426 Sales: (877)-251-9249 Parts: (888)-711-5309 Service: (888)-713-0742
About the Author:
Kerry Irven is the Vice President of New and Used Automotive Operations for Heighton Automotive Group, a family-owned and operated automotive group serving communities across Eastern Ontario. Kerry began his automotive career in new-car sales, building his experience on the showroom floor and working his way through multi-store dealership operations.
With over 25 years in the automotive industry, Kerry has helped grow automotive businesses from one location with 40 to 50 vehicles in stock to more than 500 vehicles across 10 rooftops. His hands-on background in both new and used-vehicle operations gives him a practical understanding of what customers look for when shopping for their next vehicle.
Throughout his career, Kerry has always been actively involved in staff coaching and in understanding customer wants and needs, helping ensure the businesses he works with continue to adapt to what customers are truly looking for.
One of the most exciting chapters of his career has been the shift into modern automotive marketing, embracing new technology, transparent pricing, customer-first inventory strategies, and new ways to create a better vehicle-shopping experience.
Kerry has completed extensive automotive training, including certification through the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council, involvement with the Used Car Dealers Association of Ontario, Canadian automotive dealer training, and multiple customer service courses.
Born and raised on a farm, Kerry has always valued family, hard work, and a practical, down-to-earth approach. Joining Heighton Automotive Group and working alongside Thomas Heighton and family, along with managing partners Kyle Lothian and Martin Gougeon, has allowed him to bring those same values into the car business. It has also allowed Kerry to continue following a simple philosophy: treat every customer exactly the way he would want to be treated.
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