towing capacity Ram 1500 2020 Owner's Manual

STARTING AND OPERATING 415
Towing Requirements — Tires
• Do not attempt to tow a trailer while using a compact sparetire.
• Do not drive more than 50 mph (80 km/h) when towing while using a full size spare tire.
• Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe and satisfactory operation of your vehicle. Refer to “Tires” in
“Servicing And Maintenance” for proper tire inflation
procedures.
• Check the trailer tires for proper tire inflation pressures before trailer usage.
• Check for signs of tire wear or visible tire damage before towing a trailer. Refer to “Tires” in “Servicing And Main -
tenance” for the proper inspection procedure.
• When replacing tires, refer to “Tires” in “Servicing And Maintenance” for the proper tire replacement procedures.
Replacing tires with a higher load carrying capacity will
not increase the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR limits.
Towing Requirements — Trailer Brakes
• Do not interconnect the hydraulic brake system or vacuum
system of your vehicle with that of the trailer. This could
cause inadequate braking and possible personal injury. • An electronically actuated trailer brake controller is
required when towing a trailer with electronically actu -
ated brakes. When towing a trailer equipped with a
hydraulic surge actuated brake system, an electronic brake
controller is not required.

• Trailer brakes are recommended for trailers over 1,000 lbs (453 kg) and required for trailers in excess of 2,000 lbs (907 kg).

WARNING!
• Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle's hydraulic brake lines. It can overload your brake
system and cause it to fail. You might not have brakes
when you need them and could have an accident.
• Towing any trailer will increase your stopping distance. When towing, you should allow for addi -
tional space between your vehicle and the vehicle in
front of you. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (453 kg) loaded,
it should have its own brakes and they should be of
adequate capacity. Failure to do this could lead to
accelerated brake lining wear, higher brake pedal effort,
and longer stopping distances.
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522 SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Example Tire Placard Location (B-Pillar)
Tire And Loading Information Placard
Tire And Loading Information Placard This placard tells you important information about the:
1. Number of people that can be carried in the vehicle.
2. Total weight your vehicle can carry.
3. Tire size designed for your vehicle.
4. Cold tire inflation pressures for the front, rear, and spare
tires.
Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire must not exceed the
load carrying capacity of the tire on your vehicle. You will
not exceed the tire's load carrying capacity if you adhere to
the loading conditions, tire size, and cold tire inflation pres -
sures specified on the Tire and Loading Information placard
in “Vehicle Loading” in the “Starting And Operating”
section of this manual.
NOTE:
Under a maximum loaded vehicle condition, gross axle
weight ratings (GAWRs) for the front and rear axles must not
be exceeded.
For further information on GAWRs, vehicle loading, and
trailer towing, refer to “Vehicle Loading” in the “Starting
And Operating” section of this manual.
2020_DT_1500_OM_US.book Page 522

SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE 523
To determine the maximum loading conditions of your
vehicle, locate the statement “The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” on
the Tire and Loading Information placard. The combined
weight of occupants, cargo/luggage and trailer tongue
weight (if applicable) should never exceed the weight refer-
enced here.
Steps For Determining Correct Load Limit—

(1) Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your
vehicle's placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and passen -
gers that will be riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passen -
gers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity. For example, if “XXX” amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs. (1400-750 (5x150) = 650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity calcu-
lated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this reduces the available cargo
and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.

Metric Example For Load Limit
For example, if “XXX” amount equals 635 kg and there will
be five 68 kg passengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail
-
able cargo and luggage load capacity is 295 kg (635-340
(5x68) = 295 kg) as shown in step 4.
NOTE:
• If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. The following
table shows examples on how to calculate total load,
cargo/luggage, and towing capacities of your vehicle with
varying seating configurations and number and size of
occupants. This table is for illustration purposes only and
may not be accurate for the seating and load carry capacity
of your vehicle.
• For the following example, the combined weight of occu -
pants and cargo should never exceed 865 lbs (392 kg).
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669
Inflation Pressure ................................................................ 526
Life Of Tires ......................................................................... 529
Load Capacity .............................................................. 521, 522
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ....................... 185, 227
Quality Grading .................................................................. 538
Radial .................................................................................... 527Replacement......................................................................... 530
Rotation ................................................................................ 537
Safety............................................................................. 516, 525
Sizes....................................................................................... 517Snow Tires ............................................................................ 532
Spare Tires ............................................................ 532, 533, 534
Spinning................................................................................ 528
Trailer Towing ..................................................................... 415
Tread Wear Indicators ........................................................ 529
Wheel Nut Torque .............................................................. 546
To Open Hood ......................................................................... 105
Tongue Weight/Trailer Weight ............................................ 413
Tonneau Cover ................................................................ 150, 540
Tonneau Cover Cleaning ....................................................... 540
Towing.............................................................................. 407, 478 Disabled Vehicle.................................................................. 478
Guide..................................................................................... 413
Recreational.......................................................................... 422
Weight................................................................................... 413
Towing Behind A Motorhome .............................................. 422 Traction .....................................................................................427
Traction Control ......................................................................210
Traction Control Switch .........................................................210
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) ................................................... 210
Trailer Towing .........................................................................407 Cooling System Tips ........................................................... 421Hitches ..................................................................................411
Minimum Requirements ....................................................413
Mirrors ....................................................................................64
Tips ........................................................................................420Trailer And Tongue Weight...............................................413
Wiring ...................................................................................419
Trailer Towing Guide .............................................................413
Trailer Weight ..........................................................................413
Transfer Case ...........................................................................515 Electronically Shifted ..................................................311, 314
Fluid ...................................................................................... 556
Transmission ............................................................................304 Automatic .....................................................................304, 513
Fluid ...................................................................................... 556
Maintenance .........................................................................513
Shifting ..................................................................................302
Transporting Pets .................................................................... 285
Tread Wear Indicators ............................................................ 529
Turn Signals ....................................................... 71, 193, 438, 441
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