How to Ship a Ram Pickup
A Ram ships as a large vehicle rather than a car, and the number that decides your quote is not the model name but the configuration: cab, bed, trim and whether it is a 1500 or a heavy duty. The gap between a regular cab 1500 and a crew cab 3500 dually is enormous, easily two feet of length and three thousand pounds, and a carrier prices the truck in front of them rather than the badge on it.
Know Which Ram You Have
Give the configuration when you book, because it changes the price more than anything else about the truck.
A Ram 1500 runs roughly 4,800 to 5,600 pounds depending on cab, bed and drivetrain, and between about 229 and 244 inches long. That is a standard full size pickup and it ships as one.
The heavy duty trucks are a different proposition. A 2500 or 3500 runs from around 6,000 pounds well past 8,000 on a dually, and a crew cab long bed 3500 exceeds 260 inches. A dually adds width at the rear axle, which matters because deck rails on a hauler have finite clearance.
State the year, the model, the cab style, the bed length and whether it is a dually. Those five facts let a carrier price it accurately the first time, and an accurate quote is one that does not change when the driver arrives.
Height Decides the Deck
A stock Ram 1500 stands around 77 to 79 inches tall and a heavy duty a little more, and both usually clear the upper deck of a standard hauler.
The margin is small, though, and almost anything added to the truck removes it. A lift kit, larger tires, a light bar, a roof rack, a bed rack, a camper shell or a ladder rack can all push the truck past what the upper deck accommodates.
Once it will not fit up top it takes a lower deck position, which is the space a carrier would otherwise use for another tall vehicle, and that costs more. It also has to be known in advance, because a driver planning an upper deck slot for a truck that does not fit has a problem at the roadside rather than a solution.
Measure a Modified Truck
Rams are modified more than most vehicles, and the popular modifications are exactly the ones that matter for transport.
Measure the truck as it actually stands rather than reading a specification for a stock one. Take the height from the ground to the highest fixed point, the overall length including any bumper or hitch mounted accessory, and the width at the mirrors and at the rear tires.
A lift with oversized tires adds height and often width. Aftermarket bumpers and a winch add length and weight at the front. Side steps, bed racks and toolboxes all change the envelope. Anything removable is worth removing: a hitch mounted carrier or bike rack adds two to three feet at precisely the wrong point and fouls the tie down positions.
If the truck is lifted, mention how it behaves on a ramp. A driver who knows a truck has a lot of suspension travel and a long overhang loads it differently.
Empty the Bed
The most common problem with pickup shipments and the easiest to avoid.
Personal items are not covered by cargo insurance no matter where they sit, and an open bed is worse than a trunk. Contents are exposed to weather and road spray, they add unaccounted weight, and anything loose can leave the truck at highway speed.
Empty the bed completely. Secure or remove a tonneau cover, because a partly fastened cover at highway speed tears off. If a toolbox is bolted in and staying, say so and empty it. Remove the tailgate if it is a fifth wheel setup with a modified gate.
What It Costs Relative to a Car
Expect a Ram 1500 to price roughly 20 to 40 percent above a midsize sedan on the same lane, and a heavy duty or a dually higher again.
The reason is load economics rather than a surcharge. A hauler works to an 80,000 pound gross limit and a finite number of deck positions, so heavy vehicles run the truck out of weight before it runs out of space and the driver carries fewer of them. Our comparison of truck and car shipping covers that arithmetic in more detail.
Availability is good, though. Rams are among the best selling vehicles in the country, carriers move them constantly, and a standard configuration is easy for a dispatcher to place.
Open or Enclosed
Open transport is right for essentially every Ram and it is what the overwhelming majority use, including new trucks delivered to dealers.
Enclosed costs 20 to 30 percent more and earns it on a show truck, a truck with a wrap or fresh paintwork, or a low mileage collectible such as a TRX or a well kept older model. It is also worth considering for a winter move through the salt belt on a truck you care about.
Preparing It
Wash it so existing marks are visible, then photograph every panel in daylight, including the wheels, the lower bumpers and the rocker panels. On a pickup, photograph the bed and the tailgate as well, since those get marked and nobody documents them.
Leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Empty the cab and the bed, fold the mirrors, disable a motion sensitive alarm, remove a toll transponder so you are not billed for the truck’s route, and hand over a key.
At delivery, inspect before signing. Compare against your photographs, check the lower bumpers, wheels and rocker panels first because those are what loading marks, and note anything unexpected on the bill of lading while the driver is still present. Damage recorded at delivery is a claim; damage found afterward is an argument.
Common Questions
How much does it cost to ship a Ram? Roughly 20 to 40 percent more than a midsize sedan on the same lane, and more for a heavy duty or a dually.
Does a 2500 or 3500 cost more than a 1500? Yes. They are substantially heavier and longer, and a dually is wider at the rear axle.
Will a lift kit change the price? Usually. Added height can move the truck off the upper deck, which reduces what else the carrier can load. Measure it and declare it.
Can I leave tools in the bed? No. Personal items are not covered, they add weight, and loose items can leave the truck at speed.
Do I need enclosed transport? Only for a show truck, fresh paint, a wrap or a collectible. Open is right for almost every Ram.
Get a Quote
Call Ship A Car, Inc. at (866) 821-4555 with the year, model, cab style, bed length, whether it is a dually and the measured height if it is lifted, or price the move with the instant calculator.
