Will It Tow?
2021 Ram 1500 (3.6L Pentastar V6 eTorque) with the 2026 Airstream Basecamp 16X at its full GVWR of 3,500 lb, two adults and a dog aboard and a weight-distribution hitch.
Closest: payload, at 100% of its limit. Pack light and weigh it when you can.
- Tow rating: 2,620 lb to spare (3,500 lb camper, rating 6,120 to 7,730 lb)
- Payload: 5 lb to spare (1,130 to 1,235 lb used, payload 1,240 to 2,300 lb)
- Truck and trailer together: Not sure yet (9,230 lb, GCWR up to 12,900 lb)
To settle it for your own truck: measure your tongue weight.
Check it with your own numbers- Weight-distribution hitch (needed): Your camper is putting over 500 lb on the hitch. Most truck makers require weight distribution here, and many receivers are rated far lower without it. It spreads the tongue weight to your front axle and the camper's axles, so the truck sits level and steers right.
- Sway control (strongly recommended): It stops the camper swinging side to side in crosswinds, when semis pass and on rough roads. Many weight-distribution hitches have it built in.
- Spring bars rated about 500 to 900 lb (size): Match the bars to your loaded tongue weight (420 to 525 lb, from an estimate of 12 to 15% of the camper's weight) plus anything heavy behind the truck's rear axle. Bars that are too stiff ride rough. Too light won't level the rig.
- Brake controller (needed): Your camper has electric brakes, and the controller in your cab runs them. Many newer trucks have one built in.
- Measure your tongue weight (tip): We're estimating 420 to 525 lb. A tongue weight scale or a hitch with a built-in gauge gives you the real number. Enter it in step 2.
Hitches make towing steadier, but none of them raise your tow rating or payload. The hitch itself counts against payload.
Ratings come from manufacturer towing guides and spec sheets. These are planning estimates, not a safety guarantee. Your truck and camper stickers, your owner's manual and a scale always win.