Will It Tow?
2023 Ram 3500 (6.7L Cummins I6 turbo diesel, dually) with the 2027 Heartland Bighorn 31RL at its full GVWR of 16,000 lb, two adults and a dog aboard and a weight-distribution hitch.
Closest: payload, at 93% of its limit. Pack light and weigh it when you can.
- Tow rating: 3,490 lb to spare (16,000 lb camper, rating 19,490 to 22,660 lb)
- Payload: 340 lb to spare (3,700 to 4,820 lb used, payload 5,160 to 6,840 lb)
- Truck and trailer together: Not sure yet (24,310 lb, GCWR up to 30,300 lb)
To settle it for your own truck: measure your pin weight.
Check it with your own numbers- Fifth wheel hitch (needed): Rated for at least your camper's weight (16,000 lb) and about 4,000 lb of pin weight. That points to a 16K-class hitch or bigger. It mounts in the bed over the rear axle.
- Weight distribution and sway control (not needed): Fifth wheels ride on a hitch over the truck's rear axle, which makes them much more stable than a bumper-pull. These are for travel trailers.
- Short bed? (check): With a bed under 8 ft, use a slider hitch or a pin box made for short beds so the camper clears your cab on tight turns.
- 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 pin weight (tip): We're estimating 2,880 to 4,000 lb. A CAT scale weigh, hitched and unhitched, 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.