Payload is the number that decides how a work truck earns its keep. It tells you how much weight you can put in the cab and the bed before the truck reaches its limit. For 2027, the Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 Heavy Duty each come with two engine choices, and the engine you pick changes how much the truck can carry and how much it can pull.
This guide lays out the maximum payload and maximum towing for every truck and engine pairing in the lineup. You will see where the 6.4-litre HEMI V8 leads, where the 6.7-litre Cummins HO Turbo Diesel takes over, and how to choose between a 2500 and a 3500 for the jobs you do every week.
At a Glance: 2027 Ram Heavy Duty Payload and Towing by Engine
|
Truck and Engine |
Max Payload |
Max Towing |
|
Ram 2500, 6.4L HEMI V8 |
4,580 lbs (2,077 kg) |
17,740 lbs (8,047 kg) |
|
Ram 2500, 6.7L Cummins HO |
3,990 lbs (1,810 kg) |
20,000 lbs (9,072 kg) |
|
Ram 3500, 6.4L HEMI V8 |
7,580 lbs (3,438 kg) |
18,140 lbs (8,228 kg) |
|
Ram 3500, 6.7L Cummins HO |
6,460 lbs (2,930 kg) |
37,020 lbs (16,792 kg) |
Each figure is a maximum for a properly equipped truck. Top payload and top towing come from different configurations, so plan around your main job.
What Payload Means
Every truck carries a gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR. This is the most the truck may weigh when it is fully loaded. That total counts the truck itself, the people inside, the cargo and the tongue or pin weight of any trailer.
Payload is what is left after you subtract the truck’s own weight from its GVWR. Put simply, payload covers everything that rides in the cab and the bed: passengers, tools, building materials, a slide-in camper and the hitch weight of a trailer. Towing is its own rating, and it covers the trailer rolling behind you.
The 6.4-Litre HEMI V8: The Payload Leader
The 6.4-litre HEMI V8 makes 410 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque. It works with a TorqueFlite 8HP75-LCV eight-speed automatic transmission. In both the 2500 and the 3500, the HEMI V8 posts the highest payload rating of the two engines.
A Ram 2500 with the HEMI carries up to 4,580 lbs (2,077 kg). Move up to the Ram 3500 and that figure climbs to as much as 7,580 lbs (3,438 kg), the biggest payload number in the entire Ram Heavy Duty family.
The HEMI-powered 3500 gains even more room to work for 2027. Ram 3500 4x4 single-rear-wheel trucks with the 6.4 HEMI V8, in Regular Cab 8-foot box and Crew Cab 6-foot 4-inch box form, now offer a maximum GVWR of 11,440 lbs (5,189 kg). That raises GVWR and payload capability by 400 lbs (181 kg) over the previous model year.
The HEMI pulls its weight on the hitch, too. It tows up to 17,740 lbs (8,047 kg) in the 2500 and up to 18,140 lbs (8,228 kg) in the 3500.
The 6.7-Litre Cummins HO: The Towing Leader
The 6.7-litre Cummins HO Turbo Diesel inline six-cylinder makes 430 hp and 1,075 lb-ft of torque. It pairs with a TorqueFlite HD eight-speed automatic.
In the Ram 2500, the Cummins HO tows up to 20,000 lbs (9,072 kg) and carries up to 3,990 lbs (1,810 kg). In the Ram 3500, towing jumps to as much as 37,020 lbs (16,792 kg), with payload of up to 6,460 lbs (2,930 kg).
For crews that move heavy equipment on a trailer, the Cummins HO 3500 is the truck to build around. The 3500 also offers a Max Towing Package that adds the Fifth-wheel/Gooseneck Prep Group and a Cargo View Camera. The prep group brings a bed-mounted seven-pin connector, mounting holes for a fifth-wheel hitch and gooseneck ball, and mounting hole covers. On Laramie, Limited and Limited Longhorn, the package also adds an auto-levelling rear air suspension.
2500 or 3500?
Both trucks share the same two engines, and the Heavy Duty lineup runs from Tradesman up to Limited Longhorn. Each model has strengths of its own:
- Ram 2500: two segment-exclusive rear suspensions, a five-link coil system and an available automatic-levelling rear air suspension.
- Ram 2500: the home of the Rebel and Power Wagon trims.
- Ram 3500: up to 7,580 lbs (3,438 kg) of payload and up to 37,020 lbs (16,792 kg) of towing.
- Ram 3500: its own Dual Rear Wheel Group and Max Towing Package.
Cab and bed choices cover a wide range of jobs. You can pick 4x2 or 4x4, a Regular Cab with an 8-foot bed, a Crew Cab with a 6-foot 4-inch or 8-foot bed, or a Mega Cab with a 6-foot 4-inch bed in 4x4 form.
Which Heavy Duty Fits Your Work?
Start with where the weight goes. If most of it rides on the truck itself, such as tools, materials or a slide-in camper, the HEMI V8 gives you the most payload in each model. The 3500 HEMI tops the lineup at 7,580 lbs (3,438 kg).
If most of the weight rides on a trailer, the Cummins HO is your engine. Its 1,075 lb-ft of torque and up to 37,020 lbs (16,792 kg) of towing in the 3500 handle the biggest loads Ram builds a Heavy Duty for.
For a crew that hauls and tows in equal measure, the Ram 2500 Cummins HO is a strong middle ground. It offers up to 20,000 lbs (9,072 kg) of towing and up to 3,990 lbs (1,810 kg) of payload in its best configurations. Add the Tow Technology Group and you gain a surround 360-degree camera, trailer reverse guidance, a trailer-tow mirror with trailer spot lamp, and Blind-spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Path detection.
Load Up Your Next Ram at Blaikies Dodge Chrysler Limited
Bring your payload and towing numbers to Blaikies Dodge Chrysler Limited in Truro, and our team will help you match them to the right 2027 Ram 2500 or 3500. Book your test drive today at our Truro dealership and put the HEMI V8 and Cummins HO side by side.
