2027 Ram · Chassis Cab
Bare-frame trucks for upfitters, 3500 to 5500
Starting MSRP*$49,170
Ram Chassis Cab is the 3500, 4500 and 5500 family: a cab and bare frame rails that a body builder turns into a flatbed, dump truck, service body or tow truck. Buyers choose a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 or a 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel, along with cab-to-axle lengths from 60 to 120 inches. It is aimed at fleets and contractors who need a strong, upfit-friendly foundation rather than a stock pickup bed.
The Midwest take
The Ram Chassis Cab is the starting point for a custom body: flatbeds for farm service, dump bodies for landscapers who plow in winter, utility bodies for electrical and water crews. The heavy-duty Snow Plow Prep Group comes standard on the Ram 3500 Chassis Cab and is available on the 4500 and 5500, according to Ram. With the 6.7-liter Cummins diesel, Ram lists up to 34,540 pounds of towing on 5500 models and a diesel payload maximum of 11,530 pounds. Because the upfitter's body and equipment add weight, GVWR and front axle limits matter more than the brochure maximum. Ram builds its heavy-duty line in Saltillo, Mexico.
Frames are available in four cab-to-axle lengths (60, 84, 108 or 120 inches), matching what body builders already design around, with lines and wiring routed through the frame instead of over the rails. Power-take-off provisions are on both sides. A diesel exhaust fluid refill port sits at the rear of the driver-side cab.
Total fuel capacity can reach 74 gallons by combining a 52-gallon and a 22-gallon tank. The Cummins diesel is rated at 360 horsepower and 800 lb-ft, while the HEMI makes 375 horsepower and 429 lb-ft.
On the 3500 the diesel can tow up to 25,680 pounds. The 4500 reaches 29,440 and the 5500 reaches 34,540. Payload tops out at 12,370 pounds on the 5500 with the HEMI, and gross vehicle weight ratings step up from 11,040 pounds on a single-rear-wheel 3500 to 19,500 pounds on the 5500, according to Ram's preliminary numbers.
Optional equipment includes a dual-alternator system with up to 480 amps and a roughly 2.4-kilowatt onboard inverter. A snow-plow prep group is standard on the 3500 and available on 4500 and 5500 models.
An available 12-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen supports split-screen use for two apps, and adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning are standard. Optional features include a digital rearview mirror, a cargo-view camera and telescoping tow mirrors.
2 trim levels, listed from entry to top of the range, offered as 3500, 4500 or 5500.
From $49,170*
Also 4500 from $56,420, 5500 from $57,620
From $55,965*
Also 4500 from $59,415, 5500 from $60,615
*Manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, taxes, title and fees. Prices change; confirm with a dealer.
Trims, prices, packages and colors for every model year on record, from the manufacturer's Build & Price data.
| Powertrain | Horsepower | Torque | Transmission | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.4L HEMI V8Standard engine on the 3500, 4500 and 5500. Up to 18,880 lbs towing and 7,710 lbs payload on the 3500, 21,240 and 9,390 on the 4500, and 21,230 and 12,370 on the 5500. | 375 hp | 429 lb-ft | TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic (3500); TorqueFlite HD 8-speed automatic (optional 3500, standard 4500/5500) | 4x2 or 4x4 |
| 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel I6Optional on all three. Up to 25,680 lbs towing and 6,830 lbs payload on the 3500, 29,440 and 8,560 on the 4500, and 34,540 and 11,530 on the 5500 (GCWR up to 43,000 lbs). Output is lower than the pickup-truck Cummins HO. | 360 hp | 800 lb-ft | TorqueFlite HD 8-speed automatic | 4x2 or 4x4 |
Photos courtesy of Stellantis. Equipment and colors vary by trim.
Yes, if configured for it. The Snow Plow Prep Group is standard on the 3500 Chassis Cab and available on 4500 and 5500. The body, spreader and plow must be sized together, so involve an upfitter early and confirm axle and GVWR limits.
It is a truck sold as a cab and frame without a pickup bed, so a dealer or upfitter can add a flatbed, dump body, service body or stake body. Midwest buyers include farms, municipalities, landscapers, plumbers and fleets that plow in winter and haul in summer.
It is a Ram 3500, 4500 or 5500 truck sold as just the cab and frame rails, with no pickup bed, so a body builder can install a flatbed, dump bed, utility body or tow bed. It is used mostly by contractors, municipalities and fleets.
Ram's preliminary maximums are 25,680 pounds for the 3500 diesel, 29,440 pounds for the 4500 diesel and 34,540 pounds for the 5500 diesel. HEMI-powered trucks tow less: 18,880 pounds on the 3500, 21,240 on the 4500 and 21,230 on the 5500.
Up to 12,370 pounds with the 6.4-liter HEMI and up to 11,530 pounds with the Cummins diesel. These figures are before an upfit body, so the real usable payload depends on what gets bolted on.
A 6.4-liter HEMI V8 with 375 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque, or a 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel inline-six with 360 horsepower and 800 lb-ft. Both use an eight-speed automatic, and the 4500 and 5500 use the heavier-duty TorqueFlite HD unit.
ramtrucks.com lists the 2027 Ram Chassis Cab from $49,170 for the 3500 Tradesman, before destination. The 4500 Tradesman starts at $56,420 and the 5500 at $57,620. Big Horn pricing is $55,965 on the 3500, $59,415 on the 4500 and $60,615 on the 5500. Engine, drive, cab and wheelbase choices change the final price.
Ram adds a 270-degree surround-view camera system with trailer reverse guidance, and a Night Edition package for Big Horn. The package adds black wheels, black badging, a sport performance hood and body-color trim for $2,195 on Big Horn with the Level 1 or Level 2 group and $1,695 on Laramie-level trucks.
Sources: manufacturer specifications and press materials (12). Figures are manufacturer-published and subject to change.
