Will It Tow?
2024 Ram 3500 (6.4L HEMI V8, dually) with the 2027 Forest River Wildcat Fifth Wheel 35CRIB at its full GVWR of 14,305 lb, two adults and a dog aboard and a weight-distribution hitch.
Closest: tow rating, at 97% of its limit. Pack light and weigh it when you can.
- Tow rating: 395 lb to spare (14,305 lb camper, rating 14,700 to 18,210 lb)
- Payload: 2,234 lb to spare (3,395 to 4,396 lb used, payload 6,630 to 7,680 lb)
- Truck and trailer together: Not sure yet (at least 21,444 lb, GCWR 22,600 to 25,000 lb)
Check it with your own numbers- Fifth wheel hitch (needed): Rated for at least your camper's weight (14,305 lb) and about 3,600 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 2,575 to 3,576 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.